by Amalisa Piccinino
Monday, August 18, 2008
Tonight at dinner we sat with Gash Betta, the director of Beza International Church. The day was filled with moments that brought varied emotions. Joy and a sense of God’s love from meeting with Women At Risk. Fear, confusion, and anger from witnessing a man suffering a medical emergency. Healing and comforting from meeting with Dr. Betta. As we sat together at the table, he shared with us some further thoughts about our time together in Ethiopia and specifically about the Women At Risk program and the medical emergency we had witnessed after lunchtime. He said, “Life is real.” As I reflected on that I wanted to share about our morning at the Women At Risk program.
We met with Oneday (I’m not sure of the way that he spells his name but I liked thinking of it spelled as these two words together), one of the intervention counselors, who explained the way that W.A.R came to be founded. Cherry graduated but had no job opportunities. During an outing with her family, she noticed a woman working as a prostitute on the street. Looking at this woman, Cherry thought about how it was only because of the love of her family that she will still receiving shelter and food. She began to work with a (SIM) and share her vision with her Bible group. SIM gave her a six-month fund and in August of 1997, she rented a house and began to serve women living in prostitution. Oneday told us that out of the 232 women that they have served over the years about 85% have remained out of a life of prostitution. They know this because that is how many women have stayed in contact with their organization. He also shared with us that 31 of the women have died – one because of an abortion and 30 because of AIDS.
Oneday also explained that the counselors go to areas where some prostitutes live and begin to develop a relationship with them. Those that show interest meet with the counselors during the day and then get into discussion groups. After six weeks, the women go through an interview process and identify whether or not they want to enter the program. The program itself is a yearlong. About 20 to 22 women go through the program at a time. They meet together from 8:30 – 3:30. The first six months is about restructuring. The second six months is about skill training. Now women are being trained in food preparation. The program also covers medical expenses and day care and school fees for those with children.
We also had an opportunity to meet with the women who are in this year’s program. They have been there about three weeks already. We walked into their classroom and Oneday introduced us to the women. We shared a few words with them and then spent some time outside of the classroom with him. When asked what we could pray for, they asked for prayer that they could change their lives. Not for anything more than to be out of a life of prostitution. For me, the best part was having one of the women in the program show me how she was spinning cotton into thread. She let me hold the wad of cotton fluff and pull it while she spun the spindle. Despite my ineptitude, she was incredibly patient with me and kindly guided my fingers. We didn’t get to spend much time with these women but the time we did spend with them was enriching and encouraging. This is the freedom of Jesus in action.
So, “Yes, life is real.” Life is lived in these real moments. God is in these real moments. And I want to live my life in these moments as well. I want to be present and available to connect with people, to help them, to love them and to be helped and loved in return. I don’t want to be afraid of life but to embrace it in all its facets, in all its realness.
