Every young person who pursues education, do so to earn a living and to become independent economically and socially. But, this was not the case for Mara moyo the daughter to Joseph Moyo who has been in the charitable causes for over 30 years, now bedridden due to a host of medical conditions that have left him confined to a wheel chair.
Mara Moyo graduated from the Livingstone School of nursing in the republic of Zambia at the age 22 as best student in surgery, and overall best in theory. For her, life offered a bright future with unlimited opportunities.
However, by the time Mara was graduating, she found her father in more ailing health and a frequent flyer travelling in search of better treatment here in the USA. Due to his condition, airlines were not accepting to carry him without being accompanied, Mara says. So I immediately jumped in to begin traveling with him and took over the nursing and caring duties. My father’s medical diagnosis changed my whole life. My clock immediately came to a halt. I had nothing further to plan for. I had to stop my clock and focus on my dad’s health and life. My plans were all about my sweet dad she explains in an interview:
You started nursing and caring for your dad at age 22. What is it that really made you stop your life’s clock for him?
It was love and still is love for my dad. He is my everything. I would die for him. But, above all else, it was his life which inspired me. My dad has given everything in his life for the good of others. He built homes for others, without building for himself. He took other people’s children to the best schools, and yet took his children to ordinary state schools. I grew up seeing a man sacrificing for others, and not himself or his family. It was his life of giving, sacrifice and service which inspired me to sacrifice for him. I am simply doing that which I grew up seeing him do for others”.
In a few months’ time you will be celebrating your 31st birth day. This amounts to ten years down the years from the time you started nursing your father? What does the future hold for you?
The future holds two possibilities for me. Firstly, my priority is to be by beloved sweet dad’s side until available medical science helps him recover. He has received no help in my country because of limited medical capacity, to deal with his medical condition of intractable hiccups. He also suffers from chronic back pain, chronic insomnia as well as his latest diagnosis of an enlarged prostrate. He is a multimorbidy patient. (Several medical conditions)
The second future possibility is one I deride. It is one of him passing on. If that happened, it would be my last chapter in the journey of nursing and caring for him. So, really in a nutshell my future hinges on those two possibilities
Are you not worried about the passage of time and missing out on love, employment and having a family of your own? Don’t you admire your peers who have perhaps found love and married with children?
No, I am not for the following reasons. On the aspect of love, I am already in love with my dad. It is love for my dad that has made me be in the situation that I am in. My dad deserves my undivided attention. He is in a vulnerable state right now, as a result of his medical state. I have decided to put my life on hold for his sake. If my sacrifice for him can help him live, then, it would have been worth it. But, even if he passes on, he would go a happy man knowing I gave my all in his most vulnerable time on earth
Employment? I am employed and practicing as nurse as per my profession. The only difference is that I have one patient in one ward. I am proudly practicing as a nurse of my sweet dad. I am as dedicated, as I would be in a medical facility. I love my work, profession and my patient
Marriage and children? I am often asked that same question and my answer is that I have one baby to care for and that baby is my dad. He is for now, as vulnerable as a baby deserving all my care and nursing skills. For now, this baby is enough for me. I also say I am engaged to my dad through my dedication of caring for him. This, I will do until he is well enough or death do us part
Do you get paid by the government as a caregiver of your dad?
No I don’t get paid. In my country they don’t recognize caregiving like the way they do in the USA. They simply don’t care. This is my own sacrifice. I get nothing from my government. This is where the danger lies in this world. Not all things must only be done because of monetary gain. Love of money has destroyed the world. My father had access to huge sums of money meant for charity. He never abused it for personal gain, but used it to change people’s lives. He is my inspiration
Further, Mara says her life revolves around her father’s nursing and care duties. Mara’s love and dedication to her father, is one never seen in the common human life so far. She is an example of the most outstanding human love especially between father and daughter deserving celebration across the globe
On his part, her father, Joseph moyo had this to say “My daughter is my angel, my friend, nurse and caregiver. I have never seen this kind of sacrifice. I have told my daughter to move on. But she says not until I am well or dead. She is the most amazing human being I have ever come across. She literally gave her youth for me. She takes me to my hospital appointments both locally and abroad by accompanying me especially that airlines don’t accept me when I am by myself. Before she graduated, I used to hire sky nurses from Orlando Florida. But, now she is my ever present helper. Most of her age mates are married, working with families. But she chose this hard life and sacrificed for my sake. She is so amazing.., Many times she wears her nurses uniform just to remind herself of her dedication. She is an extraordinary human being. I am alive because of her unwavering support. Because I take too many different types of medications in a day, she strictly ensures I avoid polypharmacy risk or adverse drug reactions
When further asked how much coverage story has been in their country considering how rare it is, joseph had this to say;
Not much because my daughter is a silent hero. There is only one paper that has published this story once. It is called The Mast Newspapers. They have basically covered my charitable work over the past years when they were called Post Newspapers. But God in heaven knows her sacrifice. That’s what matters. In fact, it is ironic that this story is more covered in the USA, than our country. That probably tells the story of what kind of a country we come from. It is a country were people don’t celebrate goodness
We end by saying this: Mara Moyo is an ordinary human being who has done and continues to do what is extraordinary. Hers, is a story unmatched selfless love and dedication. It is story that showcases the best of humanity in an imperfect world, were we all focus on our own interests than the interests of others. But we ask this question: What if we all became a Mara moyo?. What if we became a Joseph moyo, who is the very embodiment of the inspiration that led Mara in the sacrifices she has made for her father who himself has lived selflessly for others? Wouldn’t our world be a perfect one? May we all be inspired to be like them for a better world? We wish Joseph well in his health struggles and wish Mara strength as well as the support of all those of good will.
