Back in the fall, I went on a trip to a country in Central Asia. The memories from the trip are stored in my heart, and this experience is very clear to me. I am about to do an interview with a young woman, Afsaneh, who has been living in a shelter supported by the Danish European Mission's improvers and donors after fleeing an abusive relationship. Her story is not alone, as many women in Central Asia experience oppression and severe marital violence. The shelter also helps women who have been involved in prostitution or trafficking.
"When I was in my marriage, I was in a very desperate situation"
We sit with an interpreter and Afsaneh begins to tell her story: "When I was in my marriage, I was in a very desperate situation. My in-laws created such a life and atmosphere that I had to escape from. I was all alone with my baby." In some countries in Central Asia, it is traditional for a woman to move in with her in-laws upon marriage and say goodbye to her own family. Afsaneh suffered mental and physical violence at the hands of her in-laws and was forced to flee. That's how Afsaneh came into contact with a shelter supported by the Danish European Mission's patrons and donors. She found it online and contacted them. With the help of a lawyer, she made it to the shelter and to safety.
She continues: "When I arrived at the center, I was filled with fear because there were so many new people. I didn't know anyone. Also, it was a strange house. Everything was foreign. But this is where my whole life took a turn for the better," she says with a smile and continues: "Before I came here, I already believed in God, but it was only in my brain. Living at the shelter among other believers gave me a new interest in it. I wanted to get to know God properly. Here I started looking and searching for God by reading the Bible and through prayer."
"When I look at the woman I was before I came to the shelter, I am filled with sadness. I complained a lot about my situation, but I also knew that it was my own choice to stay in it. I knew that if I wanted to be free, I had to do something. I had to act on it." Afsaneh pauses and continues with a smile, "and that's what I did. They are two very different people".
Read also: "When you don't know God, it's like your wings are broken"
"God showed me my value and now I know that he loves me"
Afsaneh continues: "When I left my in-laws, I decided not to live in confusion anymore. I said goodbye to the woman I was, who lived in the abusive relationship. I found hope and that's how I became free! God showed me my worth and now I know that he loves me. He protects me and I know what I mean to God. I will never allow others to hurt me in the same way again. I no longer think about the past because I only live for today. I am grateful to God and for the day he has given me. He gives me everything! My hope is only in God."
We sit with tears in our eyes, filled with gratitude that she has been set free and that she has a language for her sorrow and her joy. It was incredible to see her tell her story, and it became even clearer that God's love fills her. He never gives up on us.
Today, Afsaneh has been trained as a coffee barista through the shelter so she can take care of her child and herself. The Danish European Mission's project partner also helped her get an apartment so she could get back on her feet. Now she stands with a smile on her face and strength because she has found her value through God.
