And changing gears now...
The story of the woman named Petrona Franco known as Mama Tona went viral after a post was made on the Belize Home Caregivers Association page on Facebook on Friday.
The Big Falls Toledo resident suffered a stroke - her family says due to the stress of a land dispute between her and a neighbor, despite living on her property for the past 52 years. That's how we first came to know of "Mama Tona' Petrona Franco, a Sunday school teacher. And today we met her and her family who told us that seeing their mother in this condition has been a huge injustice for them. Jomarie Lanza has this story.
Petrona Franco "Mama Tona", Sunday school Teacher
"Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world red and yellow black and white they are precious sights. Jesus loves the little children of the world. And then I sing rise and shine and give god the glory glory, rise and shine and give God the glory glory all the children of the world."
Now bed ridden after suffering a massive stroke which left her immobile and unable to eat normally, Petrona Franco known to her community as "Mama Tona" still has not lost her spark and love for singing despite all she has endured because of a land dispute. We spoke with her son today who says that his mom's health suddenly plummeted after having a dispute with a neighbour over land.
Josi Mark, Son of Petrona Franco
"It all began when she left her house that morning and walked up to my mom's property and she insulted my mom, she insulted an 84 year old lady and my mom was just there in her hammock relaxing when she just came up over something that was going on and my mom is the type of person who likes to keep her area clean she doesn't like to see garbage nothing and I guess their daughter didn't like the smoke and that's where everything started. But again it's in my mom's property and she can do what she wants so that's when everything started when my sister called and said she went over and insulted my mom over the smoke."
"We got the village police we had the police from Punta Gorda to come over, we had the alcalde the chairman look into the matter, and she just kept pushing it and now she wants it where she got it now at the high court and all this just started stressing my mom and it got her to the point where she is now bedridden, can't talk much cannot eat much you know she is just lying there relying on people to do everything for her which she is the type of person who did all her stuff on her own so all this was just very stressful for her at the moment."
The family believes that the stress of the land dispute coupled with trying to navigate the court system took a toll on their mom - reducing her from the happy healthy Sunday school teacher she once was to a hospital bed unable to move and do the things she once loved.
Josi Mark, Son of Petrona Franco
"To us it's very hard. It's very heartbreaking to see her like that because like I said she is now very dependable and it is very hard to see my mom like this. But with all of God's help she is pushing and we see some changes everyday. She wakes up everyday and we see a little change but it is going very slow and it is just very hard for a lot of us. Because in her 84 years she never visited a court, never touched a hospital bed she has been very strong up to now after the stroke she is pushing and pushing and everyday we see her there we try our best to help her push through and get her off that bed pretty soon."
And if you ask her what she misses the most about her home and life in Big Falls, her heart longs to be in church with her Sunday school babies once more.
Petrona Franco "Mama Tona", Sunday school Teacher
"I'm doing a little bit better only my back hurts."
"I'm doing plenty better than when I came in, only thing Is the pain on my back, a lot of pain."
"I miss my babies, I love my children, I love my church and my pastor, Pastor Jaime, I miss my Sunday school children too. I love them a lot and I know they love me too."
"I want to say I am very thankful for the prayers that they want me back in church."
The family is now waiting to hear when their next court date will be. They are now receiving assistance from the National Council on Aging which is trying to assist with the court process.
