By Dinah Monahan
While in Addis Ababa, we met the young women in our program. These are women who were headed for the abortion clinic but God intervened. They chose life. One of these women is Meseret. To a non-believer, her story is the example used to defend abortion. She was destitute. She was pregnant as a result of rape. She had three other children. As I stood outside her “home,” taking in the flimsy tarp construction and trash strewn grounds, I could see why they would think this. Why bring another child into this already bleak situation? Why punish her for the violent violation she endured? Why make her other children suffer with less because of a baby’s needs?
But, when I stepped inside her dwelling it wasn’t the hopeless questions I faced. It was a precious woman who took pride in her home, where her meager belongings were arranged neatly and her bed was made. I am not sure why this struck me but I think it spoke of her personhood. She wasn’t a hopeless statistic or a problem to be solved. She was a woman who responded to the message of life in her womb and made an incredibly brave, nurturing choice in spite of all the “whys.” To the humanist, the non-believer, she along with her baby were the problems. I think she could have been the poster child for their campaign of extermination. Not because they cared about her. You see, when she headed for the abortion clinic, she was poor, hurting, hungry, hopeless and pregnant. She would have left in the same condition except her baby would have been left behind dead in a bucket. It took someone who is a Christ follower, who has an eternal view, to see what God sees. It reminds me of the “problem” woman who came and washed Jesus feet in the Pharasee’s home. Jesus said, “Do you see this woman.” I don’t think he meant the obvious. I think He meant, do you really see this woman as God see’s her? Not her circumstances but HER. To Abi a committed Pro-Life Christian, both mother and unborn baby were precious. He saw them both. He cared. He returned over and over to check on Meseret and bring her food. He then brought his friend, Messi, who runs our Psalm 51 Ethiopia program, to help her. Messi brought clothes and provided money for food for this family. Meseret was treated with dignity and value not because of, or even in spite of her circumstances but because of who God is and how He sees her.
Does their intervention solve all her problems? No. Can we help everyone? No. If we truly believed that is the criteria, we would use it as an excuse to never help anyone. But this is not what we are called to do. We are called only to see through eyes of compassion, not asking “why” God, but asking “how.” How do you want me to serve this person? How do you want me to show Your love? How can I help those You bring across my path.
Soon after our visit Meseret delivered a baby girl. She named her Yablakat - “God Sent Her To Me.”
P.S. I am happy to say she has been sponsored by Christians who asked “how” and will be moved to a safe space and have enough to eat.