“For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.”
Psalm 116:8 (NIV)
Zarasoa
Salama tompoko! Zarasoa ny anarako. (Hello. My name is Zarasoa).
I am 25 years old and trying to finish my final year in secondary school. (Perhaps you are thinking, why is she still in secondary school at 25? Keep reading!)
I’ll tell you my story.
I was born in the year 2000, the daughter of a non-Christian father and a Christian mother. We lived in a village about 100 km (60+ miles) north of Mandritsara. My father was not only not a Christian, but he was actively worshipping his ancestors and idols and also possessed, or rather was possessed by, a tromba. (A tromba is an evil spirit which gives advice about the future etc. Having a tromba is a source of income.)
Sadly, we don’t have contact with my father any more. He didn’t want my mother and my siblings and I to go to church, so he left us.
When she was first married, my mother was a believer, but not active. We went regularly to church (FJKM). But we didn’t really live out our faith in practice.
I couldn’t go to school because my father didn’t want to pay for me. I had two older siblings, who I never knew because they both died in infancy. I have three younger siblings.
As I wasn’t able to go to school, I thought I could as well start a family. I was together with a boy and got pregnant at 15 years of age. When I was 16, I was due to have the baby, but the labour went very badly and the baby died during a very difficult and painful delivery. After the birth I was very unwell and couldn’t pass any urine or faeces for a whole week. My tummy became very swollen and painful, and I thought I was going to die.
The men from our village carried me on a stretcher to the nearest hospital which was a government hospital. From there I was sent on to the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara. By the time I arrived in Mandritsara, I was unconscious and very ill.
At the Good News Hospital, they found out that I had a hole between the birth canal and my bladder, so that urine was leaking all the time. I also had a hole in my intestines so that faeces were also leaking. The hospital looked after and cared for me and then I had several operations by Dr. Adrien and Dr. Ted and then further operations in Toamasina by “Freedom from Fistula.” A year later I was declared healed.
I am very grateful that I was looked after so well at the Good News Hospital. I am very conscious of God’s help there. I am sure that I would not have survived apart from God’s kindness.
A painting by a doctor at the Good News Hospital – showing the effects of fistula (shame, humiliation, exclusion, disgrace) – and the effects of being cured (blessing, hope, love, acceptance, honour, dignity)
I was already a Christian, when I came to the Good News Hospital, but the effect of all this on me and on my family strengthened our faith and commitment to the Lord. It was during the period of my illness that I became a committed Christian.
By the time I was healed, I was 17 years old. I was very behind with my schooling, but with some help from outside I was able to finish the first part of secondary school and pass the exams (BEPC).
At first I thought it was better for me to go out to work in order to help my mother provide for our family (my mother, my three younger siblings and I). I was able to get temporary work in the hospital. But after a while, I really wanted to finish the second part of secondary school, too. And that is why I am now in my final year.
My message to young people is this: live a life according to God’s will and trust in Him. Life with God makes such difference in how you live each day. If you are in trouble, He will help you and will give you strength.
If you would like to pray for me, please give praise to God because I was healed from a very bad health condition.
Please, pray that I will be able to finish my final year at school and then find a job.
Please, pray for my family that we may continue to testify of God’s love and care in our lives.
Thank you very much.
Zarasoa.