‘The love of Jesus has made me live!’ Hadija’s journey to freedom

When mums and babies are at risk, we move with compassion. It’s amazing how helping one mum can have such a ripple effect. Hadija shares in her own words how Compassion’s Child Survival Intervention offered support in her pregnancy and helped her find freedom from an abusive marriage.

Content warning: contains references to suicide and domestic violence

I lived a very difficult life. My husband used to beat me at night; my children would wake and be scared. I don’t like to remember that time; that is not who I am.

I wasn‘t able to continue living with him because of his abuse towards me.

I wanted to go out and work. He said, ‘No! You want to go out for prostitution.’ But when I stayed home, he gave nothing for our needs.

I chose to go out for farming to get something for my children. Unfortunately, he ate even the little I got. He was able to go out to work, but he used to say his money was for big things, my money was for the food.

I was exhausted. I didn’t want the children to know that there was no food.

“I will not leave you in peace”

One time, I feared for my life. After I’d given birth, he said, ‘This baby is not mine.’

He took a knife, threatened to kill me and the baby. He said, ‘I will not leave you in peace.’

I saw that this was not life at all. At the end of the day, he might kill me. My children would be orphans. Maybe one day I would reach a point of losing hope and decide to take poison and die; there are cases of women doing that.

I said, that should not happen to me. It is better if I separate with him, so that I may start my life afresh with my children.

Hadija and her children

The Compassion programme helped me

I got to know Compassion when I was pregnant with my youngest child, Heri. Compassion registered me in the Mums and Babies Programme. They knew all the difficulties that I was going through in marriage and with my pregnancy.

The church and Compassion, together with the local government leaders, helped me to get out of my difficult situation at home. Eventually, my husband and I divorced, and I returned to my parents’ home.

At the Compassion programme, they encouraged me and they continue to pray for me up to this moment. There was a difference with this pregnancy compared to my previous children. This time I was receiving provision, from the Compassion Centre.

I received nutritional porridge, sugar, beans and rice. These gave my child good health while in the womb. On the day that I went to give birth, I received clothes for me and my baby. God bless you so much.

You can give mums and babies like Hadija and Heri the gift of a healthy start in life. Give a Gift of Compassion today.

We learned a lot of things in the programme at Compassion. We were taught how to know God, how to know the Bible. Honestly, if it were not for Jesus, I would not be here right now. The love of Jesus has made me live until this day, that’s all!

We were also taught about nutritional food and child protection. We learned how to make clothes, baskets and soap, and we also received capital so we could start a business. I keep livestock today because of the Mums and Babies Programme. They have helped me so much. I thank you and God bless you.

Hadija cooks for local construction workers

My children are God’s gift to me

In the future, I would love for my children to know God. If they know God, life will be good to them. And through my business, my children are helped with a lot of things. It gives us money for food, for clothes, and for school fees.

My children are happy seeing me meet their needs. Before I even give them something, they say ‘thank you, Mum.’. They never stop saying thank you.

My children are everything to me and I love them so much. I want my children to have a different kind of life. They should not go through the same kind of life I went through. My children are the great gift that God has given me. I am proud of them.

You can help a mum like Hadija to meet her children’s needs and share the love God has for them. Give a Gift of Compassion today. Your support will multiply to bless whole families and communities.