ROOM AT THE INN

Erteb is one of the many women who has come to Grace Center. Erteb was raised without knowing love. Her parents died when she was young, and she went to live with a relative. It was not an easy childhood for her. As she became a teen, she thought her life would get better because she was able to go to school. However, one day a classmate she thought of as a friend, locked her in a room while her friend’s brother then came in and raped her. When she became visibly pregnant, her aunt kicked her out. Erteb then came to Bahir Dar and lived on the street. She went to the hospital when she was in labor and delivered a healthy baby girl. When the hospital staff realized she had no home, no family and nowhere to go, as they do with every other mom, they brought her to Grace Center. We could have said, “We are full. There is no room at the Inn.” But we don’t do that because each person we receive, we treat them in a way as if they are Jesus. Even when life seems so full, there is always room at the Inn. “As you did to the least one of these, so you did to me.” (Matthew 25:40)

When Erteb arrived she seemed quiet and scared. We brought her in, gave her food, clothing and all the things she needed as well as having people around her to help her. It wasn’t until she had been with us for a few days that we saw the result of the trauma she had experienced, uncontrollable screaming one minute and barely moving the next. We spent many hours praying with her.

Once she was freed from this trauma, she opened her eyes and I saw the immense joy. She had this beautiful smile like I had never seen before. You can see her smile in this photo. A couple of days later, she even said to Amy and one of our other staff that she never imagined her life could be this good. Imagine her saying that with what she has been through. This is the amazing healing power of God! We are a new creation in Christ Jesus!