A Walk to Beautiful
A few weeks ago I watched a documentary titled "A Walk to Beautiful." It tells the stories of a number of Ethiopian women who have fistulas (a hole in the bladder or rectum due to prolonged labor) and their journey to a hospital in Addis where it can be treated.
When I first heard about the documentary, I was somewhat interested, but thought 'Well, there are health problems everywhere. Why should this get special attention? What's the big deal?' So, with that attitude I put it in and was immediately broken.
Suddenly I was looking at a woman, about my age, who could be my future child's sister or aunt. What was she suffering from? What had happened to her? She had gotten married, become pregnant, and when the time came, began the labor of childbirth. Her friends told her to keep working and then the pain would be over. But, it wasn't. Her labor continued ceaselessly for one week. When a doctor finally came, he came to extract death, not life from this woman's womb.
She thought that was finally the end and she could mourn and heal. But, she didn't heal. Instead, she lived day in, day out, covered in her own excrement. Her husband sent her back to her family. Her family would not let her live in their house because she stank. Instead, they built a twig lean-to by the animal shed for her to live in. Here she lived, wanting to die, but too fearful of God to take her own life. She was shunned by everyone and laughed at when she went out in public.
It went on to show her journey, by foot and bus, to one of the few hospitals who will actually accept fistula patients. Most hospitals shut their doors to such outcasts. However, at this hospital, she was welcomed, loved, and treated. During the course of her stay, she met many other women with the same condition; Some had been beaten by their fathers and husbands, some had been married off by age 10, all had lost a baby and their dignity.
I was overwhelmed by the stories of these women, most of whom were years younger than me. This documentary was made just last year. Unlike most things I watch, I could not separate myself from these women. Like I said, they could be my child's aunts, sisters, cousins. Suddenly I realized that Africa's problems are my problems, just as their wealth (their children) is my wealth.
"A Walk to Beautiful" ends with hope, and you should watch it for yourself, but it was missing the hope of the gospel. By taking one of Ethiopia's children into our family, we are hoping to, in a small way, give the gospel to Ethiopia. After all, Christ can make a meal for thousands out of a few fish and loaves of bread. Think of what He can do with one child.
When I first heard about the documentary, I was somewhat interested, but thought 'Well, there are health problems everywhere. Why should this get special attention? What's the big deal?' So, with that attitude I put it in and was immediately broken.
Suddenly I was looking at a woman, about my age, who could be my future child's sister or aunt. What was she suffering from? What had happened to her? She had gotten married, become pregnant, and when the time came, began the labor of childbirth. Her friends told her to keep working and then the pain would be over. But, it wasn't. Her labor continued ceaselessly for one week. When a doctor finally came, he came to extract death, not life from this woman's womb.
She thought that was finally the end and she could mourn and heal. But, she didn't heal. Instead, she lived day in, day out, covered in her own excrement. Her husband sent her back to her family. Her family would not let her live in their house because she stank. Instead, they built a twig lean-to by the animal shed for her to live in. Here she lived, wanting to die, but too fearful of God to take her own life. She was shunned by everyone and laughed at when she went out in public.
It went on to show her journey, by foot and bus, to one of the few hospitals who will actually accept fistula patients. Most hospitals shut their doors to such outcasts. However, at this hospital, she was welcomed, loved, and treated. During the course of her stay, she met many other women with the same condition; Some had been beaten by their fathers and husbands, some had been married off by age 10, all had lost a baby and their dignity.
I was overwhelmed by the stories of these women, most of whom were years younger than me. This documentary was made just last year. Unlike most things I watch, I could not separate myself from these women. Like I said, they could be my child's aunts, sisters, cousins. Suddenly I realized that Africa's problems are my problems, just as their wealth (their children) is my wealth.
"A Walk to Beautiful" ends with hope, and you should watch it for yourself, but it was missing the hope of the gospel. By taking one of Ethiopia's children into our family, we are hoping to, in a small way, give the gospel to Ethiopia. After all, Christ can make a meal for thousands out of a few fish and loaves of bread. Think of what He can do with one child.
posted by Heidi Bayly at
3:58 PM
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