Sitting on the floor, we watched as her daughters, age 3 and age 4, traced and colored in preschool workbooks. My visit with Aishya was similar to my other visits: we sat on the floor, the children colored and played, and we chatted while enjoying a mango-flavored drink.
“I’ve been beaten all my life,” Aishya quietly stated. “First, by my father. Now, by my husband. I’ve been beaten all my life,” she repeated.
I sat quietly for a couple of minutes before I responded. Over time, I have learned that sitting with someone in their sadness helps them to feel heard and seen. “I know. And I’m sorry,” I said, trying to identify with her and her pain.
As we talked more, she mentioned her dream for her girls. “I really want them to go to school and get an education. Because I didn’t,” she added.
I reminded Aishya of God’s love for her and that she has worth and value in His eyes. I also emphasized that God loves her daughters in the same way. Before I left, I prayed with her that Jesus would protect her and her family and that He would help her daughters to be able to go to school.
- Please pray that Rohingya women will know that God loves and accepts them.
- Pray that Rohingya women are moved by stories in Rohingya from the Jesus film, such as The Sinful Woman Forgiven, that clearly demonstrate Jesus’s love of women.
- Educational opportunities for Rohingya refugees are very limited in countries such as Bangladesh and Malaysia. Pray that there will be more schools for Rohingya.