When I was writing about persistence the other day I was tempted to tell the story of my roommate when I was on a pilgrimage tour to Israel with my mentor a couple of years ago, but decided not to. It came to mind while I was doing the Instagram Live and I told it then, so, being that persistence has come up again after only a couple days, I’m getting the feeling that Spirit really wants the story told now. So, here it is. I hope you enjoy.
Serwaa Donudenu is from Ghana and was born with polio. No one ever expected her to walk and no one made any effort to help her do so. But like most every other toddler, she saw everyone else walking and was determined to do so herself. With persistence, she grabbed onto the legs and edge of the coffee table and pulled herself back up time and time again until she no longer needed the support. As a child, hating the heat and humidity of Ghana, she grew up dreaming of playing with her children in the backyard of her home in England. Her mother would say to her, “Stop dreaming child. That’s never going to happen.”
Years later, when she and her husband were living in England and planning to have their second child, she went to the doctor and told her of their plans. The doctor said she may not be able to get pregnant and certainly wouldn’t be able to have a natural childbirth. She said to the doctor, “I’ve already given birth to my daughter naturally. Why wouldn’t I be able to do that again?” The doctor completely ignored what she’d just said and continued on telling her that if she did get pregnant, with the misalignment in her hips, they’d need to do an examination every two weeks to make sure that everything was okay, etc. She tried once more to explain that she’d already carried her first child full term with no complications and without the need for a C-section and again the doctor ignored what she was saying. At that point she left, scheduled one more visit with the doctor, and that time brought her daughter with her. The doctor said, “Oh, you were serious.” Needless to say, when she got pregnant again, she ignored the doctor’s demands for bi-weekly appointments and let her husband field the angry phone calls from the doctor. He simply said to the doctor, “I can’t make her do what she’s unwilling to do.” Their second daughter was born naturally after a full-term, uncomplicated pregnancy.
Her husband’s job in the British Army has him stationed in different foreign countries for two years at a time alternating with two years back in England. They’d been living in Cyprus and her husband knew it would soon be time for them to return to one of the bases in England. Meanwhile, Serwaa and her daughters were deciding where they wanted to live next. Her daughters had been growing into beautiful, athletic girls and had fallen in love with gymnastics. They were nurturing their dreams of becoming Olympic gymnasts but didn’t have anyone to coach them there in Cyprus. They also knew there weren’t any clubs in England where they’d be able to get the coaching they wanted either. Therefore, the three of them did their research and determined that they were going to move to Canada. Her husband was given a form to submit with his top three choices as to locations to live in England. He asked Serwaa where they wanted to live and she said, “The girls and I have decided that we want to live in Canada.”
He said, “Canada’s not an option. We have to go back to England for two years and then we can request Canada.” They had a full discussion in which she explained the reason and he again repeated that the Army’s rules are that he has to return to England first.
She said, “We’re not going to England. We’re going to live in Canada.”
Annoyed, he said, “What am I supposed to put on the form?”
“Put Canada, Canada, Canada.”
“I can’t put Canada. It’s not allowed.”
So she took the form, wrote Canada, Canada, Canada, as his choices and gave it back to him saying, “Tell them your wife filled it out.”
Shortly thereafter he received his orders. He was being stationed at The Hague in the Netherlands, a very prestigious opportunity. His peers were very jealous that he’d been given that position and upset that rules had been broken. He told Serwaa they needed to start packing as they’d be moving in two weeks and she said, “We’re not going to the Netherlands. We’re moving to Canada.” The orders were clear and she knew what they said, but she also knew that she and her daughters had made up their minds and, therefore, they’d be moving to Canada. At his insistence that she start packing, she said to him, “I’m not packing for some place we’re not going.”
He didn’t know what to do with her or the situation. Fortunately, a couple days later he received another notice. It turns out that the soldier he’d be replacing had decided to retire instead and would have to fulfill the remaining year of his contract with the Army there at The Hague so that position was no longer available. A week later his next orders came through. He was being stationed in Canada.
As soon as they got settled in to their new home in Canada, Serwaa took their daughters to the gymnastics club nearby and signed them up. It was the middle of the season so the woman suggested they wait to join so the girls wouldn’t feel too much behind the others but Serwaa said, “Just let them join now. They really want to do this and won’t mind being behind the others.” Her girls brought home medals from their very first competition; one gold, two silver, and a bronze.
How would you have responded if you’d been in her shoes? Would you have started packing to move to the Netherlands? Is your pattern to settle for less than your dream?
Serwaa was born into adversity. It’s nothing new to her. When something’s important to her, she makes a decision and sticks to it. She’s also very certain in her faith and has full confidence that the Universe, God, will, one way or another, fulfill her request. When things seem contrary to her desires she declines to be discouraged. She knows it’s up to her to remain steadfast and true to her vision confident that, since she’s asked, it will be given.