'Global Grandma' adopts MVC international students

About seven years ago, Mary Ann Palmer of Marshall was in need of a helping hand. As an over-the-road truck driver, her husband was often away, and there were things to be done around the house.

Because of her increasing health problems -- fibromyalgia and arthritis, among other conditions -- Palmer couldn't perform all the tasks herself, she said.

"I needed help with basically the outside things," Palmer said.

So, she called Missouri Valley College and spoke with the international coordinator, who sent her a few young male students from Serbia.

Since then, Palmer has encountered numerous MVC international students from at least nine additional countries: Bosnia, Montenegro, Romania, Kenya, The Bahamas, Zimbabwe, Germany, Israel and Italy.

"I need my doors swinging with happy young people," she said.

But, the students are much more than leaf-rakers and errand-runners. They literally become part of Palmer's family, spending holiday breaks sleeping in her basement and joining her family for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. One group of four boys from Serbia even went on vacation with Palmer and her husband to Crystal Beach, Texas.

One of her current "adopted" students, Samuel Njuguna from Kenya, dubbed Palmer the "global grandma."

She willingly accepts the name and said, about the students, "They became a super addition to my one grandchild."

And even after the students return to their home countries, Palmer remains special to them. She frequently sends and receives e-mails from some of her "young uns," and they also chat using Skype.

Palmer enjoys her interactions with the international students so much, partly because of their manners and personalities.

"They are the most generous-hearted, respectful, appreciative young men," she said. "They're all very intelligent and literate."

Palmer has learned about different cultures and different countries from her adopted students. She is especially touched by the contrast between their home situations and her own.

Although she doesn't consider herself well off, being a senior citizen on a limited income, Palmer said, "We have so very much" in comparison.

She has also heard, from the Serbian students, about living through the horrors of war, something most Americans have no concept of.

"The sadness filled my heart that they -- young, walking to school -- there were bombs bursting over their heads, and they never knew if they would be kidnapped," she said.

Palmer is currently helping Njuguna and other students plan a fundraiser for their new student organization, Together One Vision, which hopes to send school supplies to students in Kenya.

Her garage is full of items for the garage sale and silent auction, and she's baking cakes galore for the bake sale. The fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29, from noon to 6 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 30, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to noon. It will be at Palmer's house, 3 E. Rosehill St.

Although she's spent a lot of time and effort preparing for this event, and helping her international students in general, Palmer said it's been a very good investment.

"The rewards have been more to me than what I gave to them in any way, shape or form," she said. "The glory comes from my satisfaction within me."

At this point, Palmer has no plans to "retire" from her adopted grandmother status. She said she will continue befriending the students as long as she still enjoys their company; and, she encouraged other area residents to do the same because the fellowship is catching.

"They got under my skin and in my heart," she said.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net