A story where we sow with love the hope of a dignified life -Amada
I am Amada, a clinical psychologist, on June 29, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. we received a phone call because a 27-year-old woman had been brutally beaten by her partner. We went to the authorities to provide the necessary support and we met the lady, a short young woman, with a swollen face, bloody and purple eyes from the blows, along with her baby, a girl who did not understand what happened, holding her mother and asking for food.
The lady told us that she had not eaten since the morning for fear that her partner would return. She could not pack a suitcase and had no food or diapers for her baby. The two were physically neglected with clear traces of violence, it was very sad to see the two devour some chips and bread that we shared with them. The lady mentioned that it was not the first time that her partner had hit her, that on previous occasions he had broken a bottle on her head, humiliated her, sexually abused her when he wanted to. She indicated that many people told her that she was stupid for letting herself be beaten, another told her that it must be her fault because she is not a good wife. She told us that she told a cousin and he told her not to report him, that she cannot harm her daughter's father. She mentions that on several occasions she thought about asking for help but those words that were said to her made her regret filing the complaint and she went home.
The protection authorities that contacted us mentioned that there is no close family that can take in the lady and due to the risk of death she must go to a shelter for women victims of violence but since there is no shelter for women in Cayambe. They said we should send her and her baby to Quito, but there was a problem, we were in the middle of a national strike and the options for the lady were very few. One was to return home with her aggressor or the other was risk taking her to Quito in such a difficult context.
We undertook the trip and it was not very far after starting, a group of protesters came to our vehicle and threatened to puncture our tires. They said we had to leave. We explained to them the reason for the trip and we asked them to let us pass, which they did. We had to pass 7 demonstrator controls, in some they demanded that we present legal documents, in others they wanted to confirm the mistreatment of the lady and see the baby. Many, out of their ignorance said they must have beaten her because she was stupid, leave her here!! They made fun of us. At the last control we did not have the same luck because our tires were punctured, it was already 9:00 pm and there were no places open to fix it. We were able to advance very carefully and with fear. We did not know to what extent the protesters could attack us. While we were traveling and repairing the tires of the
vehicle, I kept thinking, if there was a shelter in Cayambe, the lady would not have had to go through this abuse, expose her pain and suffering to third parties and be humiliated again.
The trip brought many challenges, fear and anxiety with protesters was always present. I was afraid for myself, for my team of colleagues and for the lady and her baby. I saw how the family of my colleagues and director called us and with many tears asked them to come back because it is dangerous. Inside me I could only ask Jehovah to take care of us, not to stop us on the road, to allow us to reach our destination safely and I thanked Him for every kilometer we advanced. When I turned to see the back seats where my companions were sitting and the lady saw how they tried to reassure her, to give her strength, encouragement and hope. Our director told her, you are not alone, if your family does not support you, we are here. “Cheer up mija” (Ecuadorian slang for “daughter”) we are going to get ahead, you have someone to fight for and your baby.
When we arrived at our destination and left the lady and her baby, we couldn't help but cry, the lady hugged us and cried, we gave her baby in her arms and she entered the foster home.
The hope that she will be okay, the faith that maybe we prevented her murder and her baby filled us with joy and peace. Then we started on our way back, we no longer had as much luck as on the way out. The group of protesters held us back, it was already midnight and they forced us to stay there. The road was covered with mounds of earth and there was an improvised bonfire to calm the cold, we tried to talk with them but they did not agree. Our director was exposed to being beaten and we were exposed to being harassed and mistreated by them. These were very hard times, and again I thought, if only Cayambe had a shelter, reality would be different.
The one thing I have learned is that we decide from our actions to be spectators of history or to start making history. A story in which we sow with love the hope of a dignified life.
