In a poor country like Nepal, the lower status of women is deeply rooted in society. Boys get more to eat, receive more appreciation and have better access to education and healthcare. Family problems, unemployment and peer pressure trigger addictions among women.
ACN, the diaconal branch of 47 churches in Pokhara, helps female drug users. The social workers treat the addiction and guide the women in making a successful return to the community. Family members are involved in this process, and a great deal of attention is paid to education. Pushpa Shahi is one of the women who has been admitted to the rehabilitation centre. Here, everything changed and God intervened in a miraculous way. She tells us how this happened.
I lost myself
For the past two years, I have been working at Asal Chhimekee Nepal (‘The Good Neighbour’). I now live with hope and feel that my life has meaning. But that has not always been the case.
Before I came to the rehabilitation centre, I felt completely worthless, as if there was no hope left for me. I had become seriously ill and people thought I was dying. That moment of fear, combined with painful family conflicts and financial problems, led me into the darkness of addiction. I lost myself.
At one point, my husband was so devastated by my condition that he considered divorcing me. My family desperately wanted to save me and took me to the rehabilitation centre without my husband's consent. I felt abandoned and loneliness consumed me. But God wasn't done with me yet.
Struggle and healing
It wasn't easy at the ACN rehabilitation centre. There was struggle, but also healing. And I learned to fight. I once had big dreams that never came true, but during my rehabilitation I got a new dream. Or rather, a calling.
I have found my calling to stand alongside girls who feel as lost as I once did. In this way, I can help others find their way in life.
A life-changing encounter
I will never forget one of the field visits. I met a young girl, barely 15 years old, lying by the side of the road, pregnant and alone. She had been abused and did not even know who the father of her child was. She was scared, vulnerable and completely broken. We rescued her through ACN and her life has changed. Her baby was adopted by a loving family and the girl went back to school. One day, as she was walking back to her classroom, she suddenly turned around, ran towards me, hugged me tightly and whispered, “You changed my life. If you hadn't been there that day, I would have died.”
Her words touched me deeply and continue to inspire me every day. I always wondered why I kept encountering girls like her. Why me, when there are so many others who could help? But now I understand: God chose me for this work. He took my brokenness and turned it into a source of healing.
God's hands and feet are
Even my husband, who once almost gave up on me, is now proud of the work I do. He sees lives changing and is happy about that, together with me. His support beautifully demonstrates how far we have come.
Every life I come into contact with reminds me that even in the darkest moments, hope can shine through. I feel humbled that I can be God's hands and feet in the lives of these girls. My past no longer defines who I am, but it gives me peace. And every day when I wake up, I know that my story helps to write a new story for someone else.
CGK Diaconaat supports the rehabilitation centre where Pushpa received help and is now a manager.
