Sanichari Ramcharit

Good afternoon to everyone and thanks for joining us to honoring Sanichari Ramcharit. In celebration of her life, we will share a few stories and a glimpse of her well-lived journey.

Sanichari was born September 26, 1925, in Plantation Albion, Guyana. Her mother’s name was Gehranya and father, Goodoon. She had two sisters—Etwaria and Bachney, and three brothers—Nagasar, Boodoo and Nannan. All of her siblings have long passed.

Back in the late 1920s and 1930s, life inside and outside and of the plantation was demanding. As a little girl, Sanichari worked alongside her dad raising cows and other animals. Caring for the animals created many chores. Sanichari and her sisters would go into the forest to cut grass to feed the cows.

Because of the demands to assist in her family’s livelihood, Sanichari quit school after just two weeks and began to work in a Bora Gang at the Plantation. A Bora Gang is a group of women who examine the sugar cane plant and pick the worms that invade the core of the plant.

They collected the worms and stored them in a container, which they tied around their waists. At the end of the day, they counted the number of worms collected and get paid a few cents for the day’s work. Sanichari’s gang also molded the sugar cane plant. They did other chores such as peeling the straw from grown sugar cane stock to get them ready for planting by other workers. When the sugar cane fields were overgrown with weeds, the gang apportioned the field and cut away the weeds so the plant can grow freely. They fertilize the sugar cane with manure and white lime. They also fetch water in buckets from the canals to water the newly planted sugar care. It was tough and demanding work. But her gang made lasting relationships and she was always surrounding by her family, extended family, and friends. She worked at the plantation for 13 years. Hard work defined her early childhood and adult life.

A story was shared that when Sanichari was a little girl growing up, she would go with her brothers in the fields to help reap rice paddies at harvest time. They would pack bundles of rice stock and pile them up on a tarp. In the middle was a pole and they would yoke the cows together and attached the rope to the pole. The cows would walk in circle on the rice stock and separate the rice paddies from the stock. On this day, she was with her brothers on the threshing floor. Apparently, the bulls were not moving fast enough. Her brothers whipped the bulls. The bulls broke the collar in a frenzy, and Sanichari was knocked unconscious. And while she was there on the threshing floor, her brothers recounted that the bulls thought she was dead, and they came over and stood over my mom’s body with tears in their eyes. Her brothers were stunned by what they had just seen.

By 1940, at age 15, Sanichari married my dad, Ragoobeer Ramcharit. He was 21 years old. The newlywed couple worked hard to build their lives and start a family. They built a grass house as it was called back in the day, made of clay, wood and grass. They had no cameras and so we never saw them in their youths and later adulthood.

My dad worked for the plantation, planting sugar cane, chopping pieces about a foot long and pushing them into the ground. His job required waking up early to get ready for the truck that would bring them to the plantation sites. My mom would wake up about 4 am every morning to prepare his lunch for the day. There was no electricity in those early days, and my mom used a kerosene lamp to move around the darkness. She cooked her food on a fireside, a clay stove that uses wood. After the food was ready, she would pack it into an aluminum saucepan, my dad would fill his water bag, and leave for the day. When my dad was gone for the day, my mom would tend to all the chores of the household. My mom knew how to be a supportive spouse. She took care of the kitchen. If my dad washed the dishes, my mom would wash them again. That was her role. My dad could not do it good enough to satisfy her. My mom cooked meals every day, going to the market to buy fresh produce, fish, and meats on the weekend. She took care of her home and embrace her roles. When my dad received his pay, he gave it to my mom, and she oversaw the finances of the home. My mom developed some medical skills as well during her early days which she learned from her elders. Mothers would bring their crying infants to my mom because they would not breastfeed or having trouble swallowing their food. My mom would clean and massage their throats and do her thing. The infants would immediately stop crying. Sometimes, people would bring their crying infants to see my mom late in the night. My mom would get up and tend to their needs, free of charge. In my early childhood, I saw her do this many, many times. God bless her soul.

When my dad returned from his plantation work, he planted a kitchen garden, finding every corner of the yard to grow vegetables. Life for both of my parents was hectic. There were many chores: raising chickens, ducks, turkeys, fishing in the canals, swamps, and seashores. Sanichari and a few of her friends would walk to the seaside about two miles away to cut and fetch wood for cooking on the wood stove. She had a stall at the market to sell the produce from the garden. The money generated would provide for the daily livelihood of her growing family and to make ends meet. The small amounts of money generated from their jobs provide for the other necessities. They built a lasting stamina from their toils and demands of life. They truly believed that work was “Honor” no matter what it entails. My parents were a team and it is really impossible to talk about one and not the other.

After seven years of marriage, my parents had their first child, Samuel. At that time my parents were still living in the grass house outside of the plantation in a village called Williamsburg. They went on to have a total of seven children spanning 24 years. Samuel, Daniel, Mary, Lynette, Isaac, Paul, and Janet. Isaac passed away 25 years ago.

By the time the older kids were born, my parents had built a wooden home. It was on the main road and many families and relatives, and neighbors would stop by to visit over the years. At the end of a hard day’s work, my mom would cook dinner and we would all sit in hammocks and chairs at the lower levels of our home. We shared many wonderful memories as a family under that roof. I recall that just before bedtime, my mom would wash all of our feet before heading to bed.

My family recounted that when I was a little baby, I was in the care of my maternal grandmother. One day, mom and dad went fishing by the seaside of the Atlantic ocean. They had a hand seine. It was a net which they drag in the waters by the shore and trap the fish and shrimp. Mom would pull one side and dad would pull the other. On this day, for some reason, there was a misunderstanding between mom and dad. They picked up the seine, rolled it up and walked back home in a hurry. When they arrived home, baby Paul was unconscious. Mom and dad quickly got into some clean clothing and rush the baby to Dr. Deonarine in the next town. The doctor took the baby into a room and mom and dad were asked to stay outside. While they were frantically worrying outside, the doctor revived the baby. The doctor said that bringing back the baby was no less than a miracle. It is amazing that an argument came up, they quit their fishing and rushed home, not knowing it was to save my life.

Both my parents were Hindus in their youth. After they got married, my dad heard the preaching of two evangelists in the next town. He came home and told my mom he wanted to become a Christian. My mom told him that she would also convert and follow him. All seven of their children were born in a Christian home.

My mom could not read nor write. But she was smart, intelligent and kind. My mom was quick to ask for forgiveness, whenever she realized she had hurt someone. She always worked to do what’s best as she knew how. It was a beautiful attitude of humility. My dad became an evangelist and travelled to many parts of Guyana. My mom would take care of the household and care for the kids. My mom was an incredible mother to all of us. She did her best for her family, relatives, friends and neighbors.

My parents moved to the United States in the late 1990s. They left behind their homeland and became US citizens. My nieces and I took them to visit many places across the country. They even visited the world Trade Center towers, destroyed in 2001. They continued to grow a kitchen garden in Oakdale, MN. They also continued to embrace their Christian faith and go on their knees and pray every night. I strongly believe that their prayers have blessed our family. I had several misses in life and I know that the prayers of my parents played a miraculous role.

My dad passed away 8 years ago. We didn’t expect my mom would live another 8 years. God blessed her with a long and fruitful life. Mom developed dementia the past 5 years. It was not easy but we took care of her as much as we could. My brother Daniel was there with her 24/7 and made countless sacrifices to care for my mom over the years.

To my brother Daniel, I cannot say enough to thank you for taking care of our mother these past years. Your sacrifice and dedication, through the daily challenges of caring for her was just amazing. Caring for her with dementia for all these years, every day, and every night, was the greatest gift you have given to our mom, and to all of us. Your name “Daniel” means, “God is my Judge”. We have a glimpse of the greatest of deeds you have done, but God knows the depths of your love, the daily sacrifices and endurance. God bless you, my brother. On behalf of everyone who have witness your sacrifice, thank you.

And my sister, Mary, thank you too for your love and sacrifice to care for mom especially during the past few years. It was not always easy. But you were there for her. Thank you. And to my sisters Janet in Canada, and Lynette in Guyana, and my brother Samuel from Florida, you were not able to be here in person over the years, but thank you for your love, support and sacrifice. And to the rest of our family including Rebecca, Salomie, Naiomie and Reinaldo, thanks for taking care of my mom. The greatest compliment, gratitude, and honor we can bestow upon Sanichari and Ragoobeer is to continue to live in unity and peace. Their lives were the greatest role models for us.

My mom’s life was touched by so many of you here—family, friends, and others. Thanks to everyone for your love, encouragement, and support. We appreciate all of you.

On Friday, June 10th, my mom went into a coma. Her eyes were closed, and her body was still. She could not eat nor drink for the next 5 days as she was surrounded by her family, praying, crying, sharing stories, so many over her long life. In the nights, Daniel and I were keeping watch over her as we got some sporadic sleep. I would get up every few hours to check up on her. On the morning of Wednesday June 16th, I woke up and went to see her. I found a long tear in her right eye, I told my brother Daniel. I told my mom that I loved her and everything will be ok. I slowly wiped away the tear from her eyes. I felt saddened and knew in my heart that today might be the day she will say her final goodbye. By 11 am, her breathing was beginning to change. At noon, Cordelia, her nurse over the past several years, stopped by to pay her final visit. When Cordelia came into the room and saw my mom, she said, “Momma, you have to go now. Your kids and family have taken care of you all these years, and it is ok for you to go now. And to rest in peace. Cordelia turned my mom, placed a pillow between her legs and rubbed her back. She turned my mom and placed her on her back, and at that moment my mom took her last breath at 12:06 p.m. She was the last standing soldier among her siblings.

My mom was a pillar in our family. I love this woman for all she has done, and we will miss her dearly. We have a lifetime of memories to reflect on. After my dad passed, mom reminded me of a story that happened when I was about 10 years old. My dad was getting ready for a bible study upstairs and it was time. But my mom was running behind on her chores to get things prepared. My dad came down and rebuked her for not being on time. My mom got emotional and went outside in the yard under a tree. I left my dad and went under the tree and stayed with my mom. She always recounted this to me for being there with her.

Momma, I look forward to the day when we can reunite again in God’s Kingdom with my dad and brother Isaac and all of our friends and family. You were the most amazing mother we could have asked for and an incredible person. I love you and I always will. Rest in peace until we meet again.

I would like to end with the words of my brother Samuel. He wrote, "Sanichari Ramcharit has rocked the cradle and she has ruled the world". Mom, with deep emotions in my head, I am proud to say you were the greatest mom I have ever seen and know. You were industrious, kind, loving, serving, giving and caring. You raised up with the help of my late dad, seven wonderful children. You gave us education, taught us moral values, and above all, you taught us to walk with God. You were a great teacher and counselor. Mom, you should be happy for living such a long life. You have fought a good fight and you have finished your course. May the lord bless you and keep you, may the lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the lord lift up his holy countenance upon you and give you peace. And, now mom, enjoy the hospitality of God’s kingdom with dad and your late husband, Ragoobeer Ramcharit, and our brother, Isaac.

Thanks again to all of you for sharing this beautiful moment and beautiful day with us as we celebrate and honor my mom’s long and wonderful life. And Thank You to Pastor Palmer for being with our family at this time and conducting the funeral services. I want to end with a song from the Louvin Brothers titled “God Bless her cause she is my Momma”. I Love you, mama and God bless your soul.

Paul Ramcharit