Imagine if you were a young girl living in the southern zone of Ethiopia. You were married off last year at the age of 13 yrs. and now find yourself in a grass hut, a day’s walk away from any health clinic. You’ve been in labor for three days now. Why will this baby not deliver?

You are tired and the women in the hut are yelling at you to push. You try again, but as much as you try, still nothing happens.

It has now been 6 days and your stillborn baby finally has passed. You are grieving your child’s death and trying to physically recover from the days of laboring.

You can’t seem to keep any bodily fluids inside. Urine constantly is running down your legs. And feces are unexpectedly coming out. You keep thinking to yourself, “WHAT is happening to me!!!!” But no answers come.

You smell. Actually you reek. Your husband won’t come near you. You have lost his child and you have a stench about you worse than the community latrine. All you can do is lay on the floor and cry.

Months pass and not only does your husband leave you, but now your family disowns you, saying you are cursed. You feel cursed and thoughts of death cross your mind.

There is no one to tell you that you have a curable condition called Fistula.

Although this is a hypothetical story, thousands of women in third world countries are dealing with very similar stories today. They have no idea that a day surgery could change their condition. I was privileged to travel to the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa while I was in Ethiopia and by some small miracle they allowed me to photograph. Founded by an Australian couple, they have given their lives in Ethiopia for 50 years to curing women with Fistula. What is Fistula? Fistula is when, during traumatic child labor, a tear occurs in the mother’s abdomen wall, which allows all of your bodily fluids to leak constantly. Literally, you cannot hold anything in. I met a young woman named Aslebeb who was finishing rehab in the physical therapy room. She had tried to keep fluids in by lying on their side for 6 years. It left her not able to walk. If someone had come along 6 years ago, and had told her about the Fistula hospital, her story would look different.

The grounds and gardens of the hospital are the most peaceful, tranquil, and love filled that I have seen in Africa – a far contrast from being shunned by your community. Young girls in pristine white gowns walk the paths with one another, finding friendship and acceptance by those with similar conditions awaiting their surgeries, or during recovery. God’s presence is there!

The hospital offers physical recovery, emotional healing, biblical teaching that brings comfort and a chance of re-entrance into society. The women are given worth and dignity as the hospital staff teaches them a trade such as embroidery, that they can use to sustain an income once they are released from the hospital.

I have many stories I learned from that day, that I will eventually share with you all. After meeting and talking with the 86-year-old founder, Dr. Catherine Hamlin, I am convinced even more that this is such an incredible organization to support!

As I walked the grounds that day, photographing and meeting these young girls, this new song by Christy Nockels “Healing is in Your Hands” ran through my head over and over. We ALL in our sinful nature were like filthy rags thrown out, and yet Christ comes to us, not because of anything we have done, but because of his GRACE, LOVE, FORGIVENESS and ability to change us, because of his sacrifice on the cross. HE IS willing to cleanse us forever and change our condition forever, if we will just come to him!! Ultimate healing for all of us in the hands of Christ! You can find this song by Christy on the new Passion CD AWAKENING (all the songs on this CD are AMAZING!)

To find out more about the Fistula Hospital and to learn how you can support them please visit. http://www.fistulafoundation.org/ Or to give a donation please go here: https://www.fistulafoundation.org/donatenow/index.php