Tweet

Aster is a beautiful 24-year-old woman from Addis Ababa.

She is studying pottery in the hopes of being able to support her young daughter. She feels empowered and loved. Her future is bright. Aster’s outlook used to be much darker.

As a child, Aster’s father had abandoned her and her mother died a short time later. Aster had gone to live with an aunt. She was raped while receiving treatment for a medical problem and became pregnant. Her aunt kicked her out, and a neighbor took her in. After the baby was born, Aster attempted to earn a living through prostitution, but couldn’t earn enough to support her child. Aster’s aunt reluctantly agreed to take in the child, but left Aster to fend for herself.
She had no hope for her future.

Then Aster met her boyfriend while working one night. He began to take care of her. They began living together and Aster able to leave behind her life of exploitation. Aster became pregnant and was hopeful for a family life, but one day her boyfriend brought home a woman to be his second girlfriend. When Aster refused to accept the new woman, her boyfriend kicked her out of their home. Pregnant and desperate, Aster considered harming herself and her unborn child.  Without any options to provide for herself when the baby was born, she returned to working in the red light district of Addis Ababa.

Two years ago Aster heard about a ministry that was helping women escape sexual exploitation, a ministry supported by Samaritan’s Purse. The next day Aster attended a meeting with other women. Although she initially felt discouraged and was tempted to stop coming, she soon realized that this might be her only chance to change her life for the better.

Soon Aster and her daughter were brought into the nine-month program that includes both structured counseling and skills training in an environment of love and acceptance.

“I vowed to God not to look back, but instead put my trust in him and work hard to live a life free of prostitution,” Aster says. “It was a very good opportunity for me to meet God and know how much I am loved by Him, even when I was selling my body. Jesus empowered me to deal with rejection, anger, and hopelessness.”

Back to last page

Ways You Can Help
Pray Please pray that God will restore hope and dignity to hurting women around the world, and that He will provide abundant resources, effective partnerships, and meaningful opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.		Give Partner with Samaritan’s Purse to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation that is oppressing women in the developing world. Donate Here.