Last updated on July 4, 2024
Table of Contents
A Mother is remembered on this wonderful day called Mother’s Day
A brief memoir of my mother Saramma Verghese (85 years) Promoted to Glory on July 8th, 2008
Contents
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| Screenshot of Google’s Knol Page |
July 8th, 2011. Years Passed by… Pleasant Memories of My Mother is Still Lingering In Our Minds………..
My Beloved Mother Saramma Varughese A Brief Story
This is a brief memoir of my mother ‘Saramma Varghese’ (85 years) who passed away on 8th July 2008.
She was the first daughter of Mr. Thomman Chummar and Sara. Her parents were from an aristocratic family named Pappalil. They lived in a village called Maaraady, near Moovattupuzha town.
She was brought up with the strict discipline of the Syrian Christian tradition. Her mother Mrs. Sara was the first person (who came to know the Lord in their family) in her family to know the Lord.
Along with her conversion, some wonderful things happened in their home. Her father Mr. Ulahannan Kakkatuputhenpurayil was staying at Palakkuzha village. At that time, there was no gospel preached or heard in that village.
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One day two evangelists visited the village and decided to do some open-air preaching, they started singing some songs and were about to start preaching, but all of a sudden an angry mob reached the spot caught them, and started beating them.
Their plan was to kill them and throw their bodies into the nearby river. One of the evangelists was Br. P H Peter lovingly called “Peter Upadesi” (Now with the Lord), father of Evangelist George Peter of Chittoor.
Hearing the news Mr. Ulahannan, my mother’s grandfather ran to the place, he was the village leader, and no one was brave enough to protest against him.
By the time it was dark, fearing that the angry mob might attack them again he gave shelter to them at his home.
That night the servants of God shared their testimony and spoke to the family about Christ and the salvation they could gain by believing in Christ.
That was a turning point in their family and my mother’s mother accepted Christ as her savior.
Her faith was so strong and she started witnessing the truth to other members of her family.
Her husband Thomman expressed his displeasure and was dead against to her new faith.
But among the five children, Saramma and her younger sister Mariamma accepted Christ as their savior.
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Later they decided to take baptism according to the Word of God. The news spread throughout the village and it was shocking news to the relatives and the orthodox Christian society.
The Orthodox Syrian Jacobite Church ex-communicated them and they were considered outcasts and were not allowed to participate even in the funeral services of their relatives.
They faced severe persecution from inside the family as well as from outside.
A Photograph with her Sister, Sister-in-law, Children & Grand Children
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| This Photograph was taken 20 years back at the time of my younger brother’s marriage. My mother sitting along with her sister Mariamma (left) and my father’s sister at the center. My two sisters at the left, with my brothers and their families. Myself and my wife standing at the right with my son Charles |
Some of the prominent evangelists at that time in the brethren movement M/s. K V Simon, Lonappen Upadesi, Peter Upadesi, K G Kurian, E P Varghese, C T Mathai, A P Paily, Vattakattu Varkey Upadesi and a few others through their inspirational messages and classes strengthened them to be firm in their faith.
Though they faced many problems from their family members, whenever these brethren conducted gospel meetings and Bible classes in nearby places, they made it a point to attend those gatherings.
A few more Christians joined the faith and started a small gathering at Pothanicade near Parambencherry.
My mother’s brothers were dead against her faith and they were not willing to take care of their parents so she decided to stay unmarried to look after her parents.
Meanwhile, her younger sister got married. The years went by and the parents were getting old. After their death, Saramma’s life and safety became a question, so they convinced her to get married.
A few years passed by and their firm faith in the Lord and the exemplary life they led in the Lord enabled her other family members too to come into the faith. Some of their children are in the service of the Lord.
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| Another Photograph was taken at the time of my younger brother Shaji’s marriage day. PV and his wife standing on both sides |
The Lord was faithful to His daughter and gave her a partner who was a believer. Mr. P T Varghese from Kota, Chengannur, was a God-fearing, humble, loving and well-disciplined person.
Evangelist K P Stephen of Thiruvankulam and his wife (she can be seen in the above picture–in a white dress holding a bag) took the initiative in this matter and they were united in holy matrimony.
At that time my father was working as a pattern maker in the carpentry section of the erstwhile British company, Pampa River Sugar Factory – Now Travancore Sugars and Chemicals Ltd.
An ideal wife to my father a loving mother to all of us and an excellent homemaker like the woman in the book of Proverbs 31.
She was a mature woman, a devoted wife, a mother, honorable, humble, unselfish, and kind. She was a caring and loving mother not only to us but also to the neighbors, especially to fellow believers.
My mother was so keen to share whatever we had with others, especially with those in the Lord’s service. Despite our tight financial budget, she always made it a point to set apart some amount for this purpose.
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| PV with his parents and younger brothers Sunny & Shaji at his right and left. A Photograph taken at our company Quarters. |
Those days running a family of nine members was a great task. With my father’s meager salary, it was difficult to make both ends meet.
On my mother’s initiative, my father bought a cow and started selling milk and manure to the neighboring people and earned a small income from that.
At that time, we were staying in the company’s staff quarters. There was a high demand for our milk as it was not diluted.
My mother was so strict that she never diluted the milk with water for sale. Apart from this, my father used to work in the evening hours after his eight hours of duty at the factory.
He made different types of wooden furniture with good quality wood. This too was in high demand because of carpentry skills and reasonable prices.
Through their dedicated life, all the children get educated and are settled in different parts of the world.
By the grace of God, all are in the Christian faith. She was an instrument in bringing them up in the fear of the Lord.
She continued steadfastly in the faith till her departure from this earth. My mother set a good example for us to follow. We, her children are very happy to follow in her footprints. Though she was a silent doer of the Word of God we are sure that her reward in heaven will be much greater.
We thank God for being the children of this loving mother. We are seven children, five brothers, and two sisters – Rosamma John Secunderabad, P V Thomas Bangalore, Ammini Daniel U S A, P. T. John Chennai, Philip Verghese Secunderabad, Paul Varghese Pulikeezhu, Shaji Varghese Palghat. Out of this list, two are departed to glory: 1. Ammini Daniel USA, and P T John, Chennai
Departed to Glory
Ammini Daniel USA – Daughter
P T John, Chennai – A Tribute – Son
Sons and Daughters-in-law: John Philip Secunderabad, Glory Thomas Bangalore, M V Daniel U S A, Sally John Chennai, Annamma Philip Secunderabad, Nessy Paul Pulikeezhu, Annie Shaji Palghat.
Annamma Philip, Daughter-in-law (A Tribute)
PS:
(Note: For the early history of my mother I am indebted to her sister Mariamma’s elder son Late. Joykutty Chacko, an evangelist in Kothamangalam, Kerala)
Related posts:
As usual Google, this year also created a wonderful Doodle on Mother’s Day
Please click here to know more about this year’s Google celebrations:
Google Doodle
Also, read the Original Mother’s Day Message
Watch an informative video, a brief history of Mother’s Day by Time Magazine’s Christian Bryant.
Comments Received from Google’s Knol Pages:
Thanks, Murry
Thanks for the comment, good to know that you are touched by your mother’s exemplary short history.
Thanks again for your genuine concern about this subject.
Yours lovingly
Phil
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Philip Ariel, My Deepest condolence.
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Dear Dr. Saab,
Thank you so much,
I just missed this great feedback,
I am sorry, kindly accept my heartfelt thanks to you for the uplifting words
Yes, I a really proud of my mother who left behind us many good examples to follow.
Have a Happy Sunday
Keep informed
Best Regards
~Philip Ariel
Nice memoir, even I come from a Jacobite background, Kottayam.
God Bless.
Abeesh
Hi Abeesh,
Good to meet you here at my page
Nice to know more about your background
Thanks a lot for your kind words too.
Keep visiting
Keep informed.
May you have a good time of week ahead
Best Regards
~ Philip
This is really fascinating!
You are an overly skilled blogger.
I’ve joined your rss feed and look ahead to
in the hunt for more of your fantastic post.
Additionally, I have shared your site in my social networks
Keep Sharing
Keep in touch :-)
~ Katheleen
Hi Philip sir,
This is a treasure. I am so touched reading this. Its the strength of our parents that make us what we are. All the moms in the world are truly great. Since God didn’t sent any instructions manual explaining how to live life, He sent moms to be our guide.
Thanks for sharing this heart touching writeup.
~ Rohan.
Hi Rohan,
Thanks for dropping by and adding more insight into it. Yes, no doubt Mothers are the inspiration to us. But I glad to say that, Bible is an instruction manual God has given to human beings, and it is filled with lot of instructions and guidance to live an exemplary life. And I firmly believe that my mother drew lot of lessons from it and applied it thru her life.
Thanks again for your valuable time here.
Best Regards
~ Philip
Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking
a few minutes and actual effort to produce a top notch article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
Hi Philip ,
what a beautiful post about your mother and family .
It is amazing how she managed life .
Good you did write this down it is good to remember
how the life in the past was and what difficulties
Mothers had to overcome to care for the family.
Thank you for the family story
Erika
Erika Mohssen-Beyk recently posted…Flow Like A River Towards Your Dream
Hello Philip,
It is indeed a great joy to read about a loving mother
indeed she left behind a great and exemplary footprint to follow. She was indeed like a woman mentioned in the book of Proverbs. She showed a cool and pleasant life to follow. Thanks for sharing more about you and your loving mother. With thanks and regards.
Sincerely
Micha Lyster
Dear Philip,
your mother is exceptionally a loving mother. she proved it through her doings.
We need such mothers in this world. May her tribe increase.
Thanks for sharing your life experience with your readers. Indeed a timely one as the world over is celebrating Mother’s day.
Hi Philip,
your mother is very impressively a loving mother. She always has a good looking after .it is a good idea for sharing your personal life experience with the people around the world in celebrating days.
Nice to read your personal experiences through these pages. Keep sharing.
I like to be here again.
Keep sharing
Muhammad Asif
[…] she was indeed a real hero to me. Yes, she left behind an exemplary life to follow. I have posted a memoir of my mother elsewhere in this blog a few years […]
[…] PV was an avid reader in his childhood and many of his Knols capture the memories of this time. As an example, you can read A Brief Memoir of My Mother. Saramma Verghese […]
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