A tribute to my Grandmother -Maria Sabina Pereira - Ponda Goa - Calangute

A tribute to the woman I admire

Maria Sabina Pereira

(Passed away on 11th May, 2006)

My Grandmother - We all called her "Mai"

She was a very strong person. She married at a young age. She had 8 children Antoneita, Neves, Elvira, Lilia, Roque, Peter, Alice & John.

Mai belongs to a generation of self-sacrificers. She sacrificed her life to feed and clothe her family and to have peace of mind. I do know that she has always played an active role and has never shirked her responsibilities. She has faced difficulties with bravery and has put herself last when ever necessary - she had always been tough on herself. I just wished she had got all that in return.

When you get a call about a loved one in ill health, it seems heartless to even have to think twice about being there for them. But I could not even have that opportunity. on May 10th, late around 11 p.m, I received a telephonic message from my cousin sister that my grandma passed away. She stated she had a fall. I was like a lump reaching my throat. I conveyed the message to my parents and left for Ponda. The wound on her forehead was still fresh, I sat by her side all night, just remembering the things she used to speak to me whenever I visited her.

I remember visiting my grandma during holidays, as a kid, but as I grew older and went to college & started working, I hardly visited her because we lived around 40 kilometers away from her place. Its only at family functions that we meet her. In the last few years before her death I had become rather close to her. I used to visit her atleast once a month. She always recognised me, although at times she could not recognise some of her other family members. I have shared a lot of my dreams and hearts feelings with her, which I have not spoken to anyone. She would speak non-stop to me. She would be so happy to see me, whenever I visited her. She would hug me and I could see her eyes moisten. She would sing to me local folk songs and hymns. Some of which I have recorded on my cell phone and I still listen to them at times. She loved tender coconut water and chickoo's a lot. She would always point to a picture of Jesus in her room affixed on the wall and say "Jesu, ho poi Rohan (Roffan) aila" which meant "Jesus, look Rohan is come".

At the funeral as we laid her body to rest. I knew that although her body remained, she was gone to be with Jesus. Her faith, devotion to family, and unconditional love remain the most precious gifts to us all.

Some photographs of Mai

A group photograph of Mai with her children and grand children


Mai, Uncle John & aunties Neves, Antonetta, Alice & Elvira


Mai with grandchildren Nirmala and Sharmilla


Mai giving blessing to aunty Antonetta on her wedding day


Mai and other family members on the day of the wedding of Aunty Elvira

"Grandmother"
God gave us Grandmothers to cherish and love us.
To brighten our days,
To think the world of us.
When God gives us Grandmothers,
It seems that he knew,
that we'd cherish and love them,
and do all we could to make them happy too.