Motherhood: the purest expressions of love, spirituality, endurance and devotion -

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Food For The Poor staff photographer Hilda Perez writes about the resilient spirit of the mothers we serve.

On Mother’s Day we set aside a time to honor mothers. I’m fortunate to still have mine, the center of my universe, but this day of honor can be difficult for those who have lost their mother, who have an ill mother, or for those who grew up without a mother. It doesn’t matter what age or circumstance, but the loss of a mother or a parent, seems to be one that leaves your heart ripped open like an earthquake fault with a hurt so deep it becomes a quiet, permanent ache.

"I'll do anything for my kids," said mom Maria, in Honduras. "I'll push ahead regardless, tell them to push ahead regardless. I ask God to give me strength and life enough to see my children grow and have life in abundance."

As she rocks her baby and sways with her, Adeline, in Haiti, said, "I ask God to put someone on my path to help me feed my kids."

"My kids are a gift that God gave me," said Leidy in Honduras as she hugged her child who has Zika. "I would die myself if God would take one from me. I asked God to heal Elias and not take him away from me."

“We want good for our children. We want to be a good example,” Lillian in Guatemala said.

Shanika, in Jamaica, prays for her children. “I ask God to help them so life can be better."

"I built this home myself, said Narcissa, in Nicaragua. “It's not well-built but I didn't want to get wet with my children. The most important thing is that it's shelter for my children."

"When I cook, I usually send the kids outside because the smoke is bad for their health," said grandmother Vertila in their makeshift indoor kitchen in El Salvador.

Instead of experiencing joy after birth, Youselande, in Haiti, felt sad. "You look at this place I live in. You know children shouldn't be living like this," she said. "Maybe you can succeed, maybe you want something better."

"When there is nothing else to eat, I let the kids eat." When she doesn't have enough food to feed her whole family, Maria Magdalena, in Honduras, will give whatever morsels she can find to her children.

“I would like for them to achieve their hearts' desires,” said Cassandra, in Jamaica, as her son leaned in to hug her.

"I don't know what tomorrow brings but I'm hoping that it will be better than today," said Melissa, in Guyana, as she cradled her baby.

When I travel to the countries we serve at Food For The Poor, there are many themes to be found among those struggling daily with extreme poverty. But for me, one theme has always emerged consistently and apparent, and that is the resilient spirit of the mothers and their sheer resourcefulness. I often encounter the truest testaments of faith, devoid of any material consideration or attachment, and the purest expressions of love, spirituality, endurance and devotion.

Often, the obvious care and love we are conditioned to expect and see is there, which is why I selected these photographic moments of mothers with their children. But what I cannot always transcend and often goes unseen in these photographs, are the daily choices, the sacrifices, the dreams, the desperation; moments of determining how to feed a child or provide safety and shelter, water, education… and all the while, I see these mothers sweeping dirt floors, rationing food, sometimes skipping meals themselves so the children eat, sectioning what little water they may have for washing the child’s hands , rummaging through dumps to provide a toy or shoes, reinforcing faith and teaching and praying with the children, mothers, sharing what little they have with other neighbors in need…

I could go on and on with this list…but on this Mother’s Day, let’s honor the commonality we all share, in the wishes and dreams, heartaches and challenges we all face, be it in the form of your own mother, mother nature, a grandmother, the mother of God, a man serving in the role of a mother or, as I hope these photos to convey, a mother in a distant place. l am thankful for my mother, our generous donors and beneficiaries, colleagues, friends and family. Together let’s celebrate, the best embodiment of humanity and love: a mother.

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