“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring praise." ~ Proverbs 31:31
The first time Olivia saw
orangutans at the world-famous Henry Dooly Zoo, a mother-infant pair caught her
eye. Baby Meras rested on her mother's tummy as she hung from a vine, unbothered
by the people watching from below.
A mother’s love is like no other. As
mommy Dora swung among the foliage, Meras clung firmly to her belly. Everything
about Dora seemed inherently beautiful - strong, confident, and nurturing. It brought
to mind Olivia’s own story.
Like many kids today, young orangutans rely solely on their
mothers to learn life skills, such as what to eat, where to find it, and how to
avoid dangerous predators before they finally reach independence almost a
decade after birth.
The largely-solitary nature of orangutans also means that a
mother orangutan cannot count on others in a group for support. Orangutan
mothers must be brave supermoms in order to raise their offspring in the wild!
Olivia’s husband abandoned the family when the children were
too young to remember. Reeling in shock and pain, she learned to navigate a
mortgage without child support, two little kids, and a lack of recent job experience.
Everything was harder. She no longer had a partner to help
with family chores. The girls helped when they could, but Olivia demanded that
school was always their highest priority.
She wistfully remembered pouring
out her heart to God in a tattered journal in the wee hours one morning,
accompanied by a cup of coffee and a Bible. Though scared, Olivia’s faith sustained
her. She discovered an intimacy with God she’d never known, forged in her
darkest hours.
Over time, her smile returned,
but the joy she’d discovered from being a single mom was different from the joy
she sought before. This joy wasn’t based on a “happily ever after” paradigm; it
was now grounded in an awareness of God’s provision and sustenance. He remained
an eternal ally.
Like most humans, orangutans raise their young with love and
care. In doing so they help them develop into well-adjusted young adults with
the skills needed to thrive within their own setting and communities.
Neither mother might get credit for the long nights and
endless days when their babies were small, but someday, they’ll be appreciated
for their sacrifices and their joy will be complete!
