As I have gradually learned during my travels in Central Asia, women are generally very open-minded and freely share their stories, woman to woman. The same is true in this conversation, and without much prompting, Mariema begins to tell her story:
"I got married when I was very young. But after my husband and I had been married for 7 years, he took a second wife". This practice is common here. Living in polygamy is not allowed by law, but is a tradition within Muslim communities. "I went crazy when he remarried and I became sick with grief and anger. That's why I started drinking. I wanted to forget." The memories of this time are painful for Mariema, and tears run down her cheeks as she talks. "My husband couldn't help me. He couldn't handle my abuse and anger. So one day he threw me out of the house and I ended up on the street with my son."
"I got married when I was very young. But after my husband and I had been married for 7 years, he took a second wife... I became sick with grief and anger." - Mariema
She continues: "We stayed with different friends. I had no money and no job. But one day there was nowhere to go. My friends could no longer have us in their homes and I was left on the street with my child. I got in touch with the authorities who referred me to a shelter called the House of Hope. At first it was very difficult to accept their help because the anger of what my husband had done filled my mind and I fought with the other women at the House of Hope."
Gradually, however, Mariema began to open up more. She says: "As a child, I attended a Korean church with my mother. But when I got married, I stopped going because my husband was Muslim and I feared the consequences from him and my in-laws if I went there. At the shelter, I gradually became more open to the faith. A woman at the House of Hope prayed for me and she invited me to church. I didn't have very high expectations for what was about to happen, but I was still curious about the church I had once known and loved."
God spoke into my life and slowly it began to change" - Mariema
"I clearly remember the day I came to church. The Holy Spirit came to me and touched my heart." Mariema has to pause in her story as she is once again overwhelmed by the experience. "I'll never forget it," she continues. "When I came back to the House of Hope, I wanted to read the Bible. I started reading and I felt I was getting closer to God. God helped me. I started to hear God speaking in my life and slowly it started to change. I learned to take care of myself. God gave me the strength to stop my addiction. I felt a freedom. After I got to know God, I also had a greater love for my son. Before, I thought about giving him away, but God gives me the strength to take care of him."
During Mariema's stay at the House of Hope, she also participated in job training with the aim of supporting herself and her son. "I got a diploma after attending job training and it helped me to get a job. It's now 10 months since I left the House of Hope and today I work as a buyer. I am very grateful for that and my workplace is happy for me."
"Today I have forgiven my husband. Before, I was angry and didn't want to forgive. But now I have let go of the anger. In myself I couldn't do it, but God is helping me to let go. I would get sick if I held on. Now I try to focus on my son and my work. I want him to go to a good school and have a good upbringing. I want to be there for my son and focus on him," Mariema concludes and then notes - "now I have to go to work".
For 10 years now, since 2012, Danish European Mission donors have supported the House of Hope in a country in Central Asia. Christian women lead this work, where battered, trafficked and prostituted women are offered medical and legal assistance, job training and not least pastoral care.
