Courage and Commitment: "Dolores L.G. Benavente, My Mother..."

   Through the many disappointments and adversities, a person can survive and carry on. From that I wish to tell you about a living testament of great faith, determination, and strength during a period in America of racial prejudice, war, and western expansion.

  Born the first child of Jesus and Amparo Leon Guerrero in 1924. Jesus was a Police officer and a member of the Guam Militia. Members of the Guam Militia were trained by the Marines who were assigned to Guam after World War I. Amparo was working as a nurse for the Naval Government at the time. Though Dolores' parents were born in 1900, they were still traditionally accustomed to the Spanish and Chamoru culture. Both were devout Catholics, and preached heavily on the belief in God, and that devoting yourself to the faith will save you in the after life.

  Going to school as a child, teachers enforced to the children that only English will be spoken, and not the native language of Chamoru.
  My grandfather, Jesus Leon Guerrero dies, leaving my mother the responsibility of assisting in the caring and upbringing of her four younger siblings. After the death of my grandfather, my mother made a commitment to maintain her faith through prayer to help her through a time of mourning. It did. During the Japanese occupation in Guam from December 10, 1941 - August 10, 1944, the Japanese kept my mom and her younger siblings separated from her mother and were placed in working (concentration) camps. During the Japanese occupation, the enforcement of speaking Japanese by the prisoners was mandatory, and nothing else was accepted. If one was found speaking English or the native Chamoru language, they were either be-headed, or punished severely in some other form, such as, flogging, etc.. Again my mother maintained her sanity and safety by keeping her faith in God through continuous prayer. It worked.

  Married in 1947 to Cristobal Benavente. Dolores gave birth to eleven children, three of whom died during infancy. The first child who died during infancy was June, who died in 1948 as a blue "baby." The second child to pass away was Lillian, who died 1958 due to unknown causes. The last to pass away was not even named. The child was lost as a result of a miscarriage in 1960 at about four to five months into the pregnancy. Again, my mother was faced with great periods of mourning and sorrow. But, with faith and prayer that she continued, she pulled through each moment of sorrow and depression.

    In July 1973, my father Cristobal passed away. Again, my mother was left with the responsibility of raising the six younger children of our family by herself. My mother was in mourning for over seven years after. Her partner and friend for close to thirty year was gone forever. But, again she maintained her faith through prayer.

  In February 1983, my grandmother Amparo passed away. Since my grandmother's passing, all my mothers siblings referred to her as the mother. And to tell you the truth, she practically was their mother.

In Closing:
    ~ And so, in commemoration to my mothers dedication to faith, commitment to family, and her head strong determination in surviving moments of disparity, I promise to commit myself in completing my goals by emulating her practice in faith, determination, and personal strength.
  ~ If I should find myself in great disparity, the thought of the perils my mom has endured is fuel for me to keep driving on. In the name of my mother, "I WILL CONTINUE ON..."