I (Maggie) was at a conference in Awassa last month with medical staff from several clinics. During a break, I chatted with a doctor – let me call him Dr. Samuel – that I had met a few times before from another clinic in the city. After multiple ‘hellos’ and customary Ethiopian greetings, I asked about his family, and whether he had any children, as this had not come up during our previous conversations. He replied that he had one daughter and another child on the way. I quickly congratulated him but he said “No, don’t congratulate me – my wife cheated me, I didn’t want another child”.
I was surprised by his reaction and then he said. “I don’t want my children to grow up with no father”.
This doctor had always appeared to be in good health to me, so I said causally with a smile “you are not old, what will happen to you?”
At that point, a small bell rang, signaling the start of the conference session. So our conversation came to a premature end. However, we met up later in the day and before the conference began he turned to me and started telling me about his sister in the USA. So I enquired whether he had ever had the chance to go to the USA.
Dr. Samuel replied with the following story. “I have only left Ethiopia once, actually 7 years ago to go to Kenya. I had had a cough for a few months and on the x-ray they saw a growth and referred me for more tests. They discovered a tumor but no treatment was available in Ethiopia. I arranged with my sister in the USA and she coordinated everything to get me there for treatment including her commitment to pay for all the hospital and travel bills. We had all the paperwork complete and I went to the US embassy in Addis Abeba to apply for a travel visa. Without a thought to me or a thorough read of my papers, the woman at the desk with skin even darker than mine, quickly stamped REJECTED on my papers. I was so hurt, not only because of the rejection but mostly because of the disregard I was shown. With this door shut, I had no option but to try to get to Nairobi, Kenya for treatment.” Dr. Samuel paused and while staring me straight in the eyes, he then abruptly interrupted his story by venturing down a side tangent: “You know, I should be your age….. do you know I was in prison for 12 years?” I kept silent and Dr. Samuel went on.
“When the DERG (the communist regime that held control in Ethiopia from 1974 until 1991) took power in the 1970’s, many university students were imprisoned because they were seen as a threat to the socialist manifesto. I was kept for 6 years. Following my release I went back to school and completed a Masters degree, but a few months later I was re-imprisoned again by the regime. I sat 6 more years in prison…. By the way, how old are you Maggie?” he asked me, but before I could peep an answer, he directed his eyes in a blank stare back to the wall and added: “If only I could have those years back.”
“When I got to Kenya, I failed to find any treatment for my tumor, so I ended up entering a refugee camp, thinking I might be able to get to the US for treatment but after three months they were on to me and they deported me back to Ethiopia.” He paused again.
“So what about your health now?” I cautiously enquired. “I don’t know” he replied. “I guess I’m doing okay. The tumor is still there.” The little bell rang again and with it, our conversation came to end as the conference session resumed. We didn’t meet again afterwards.
Last week, I ran into Dr. Samuel and heard his good news. His wife gave birth to a baby girl, his new daughter, shortly after the conference. Dr. Samuel smiled as he shared about his baby – a smile which at least for the moment seemed to soothe his scars from yesterday and fears for tomorrow.
– Maggie, Mark and Emebet, Comboni Lay Missionaries, Awassa, Ethiopia
