Bethany… #InTheirWords
Hello December 6th, 2016
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Bethany’s Background:
Bethany’s story, told by Beka Watts of CURE International, is one of an unfailing hope despite the struggles of her disability. She was born with a deformed leg, caused when the umbilical cord became tightly wrapped around her leg. Bethany’s family saw her as an outcast, and she was told by many people that she had no hope for a good future. Read her story told #InTheirWords below…
Bethany’s Story #InTheirWords:
To know Bethany is to know love personified. It sounds like an overstatement. It’s not. It’s the unmistakable love of Jesus amplified by the life of one remarkable teenage girl.
Bethany was three years old when she first realized she was disabled. It wasn’t because she couldn’t walk properly; it was because other kids started to make fun of her. They threw stones at her. The village elder told her she might as well start begging since that was her inevitable future. Bethany’s own family told her she had no hope. She didn’t believe it. She once heard a priest say that everyone has hope, so she prayed and asked God to take care of her.
Bethany doesn’t just bear the weight of her own disability. Her older brother is disabled, too. He’s unable to speak and has difficulty moving. When he leaves the house, people throw rocks and pieces of wood at him. When he returns home, Bethany cares for him. She feeds him, bathes him, and clothes him. In return, he reciprocates the treatment he has received from the outside world. He pushes her down and throws things at her.
Bethany’s voice shakes and tears form at the corners of her eyes when she talks about how she’s been treated, but there is not an ounce of resentment to be found. Instead of retaliating in anger, she poured out more love.
The whole reason she wanted to travel seven hours from home to have surgery at the Tebow CURE Hospital was so that she would be better able to take care of her brother. When she was in the hospital, she didn’t focus her prayers on herself and her own healing. She prayed for the other kids in the hospital. She prayed for her family back at home. When she grows up, she wants to teach disabled children on the street how to read so they can have a better chance of reaching their dreams.
Bethany had surgery at Tebow CURE and is walking better than ever before. She was loved by the staff and encouraged to never lose faith in the God she’s trusted through every trial.
In typical Bethany fashion, when asked why she was excited to go home, her reply had nothing to do with herself. She was most excited to tell her brother that she was healed, and that now she’ll be able to take care of him for the rest of their lives. Bethany also has something to say to the people who’ve mistreated her back home. When they see her for the first time, healed, she already knows what she’s going to tell them.
“You know, even people with disabilities have hope. There is always hope.”
– Beka Watts, CURE International
Stories like Bethany’s are made possible through God’s blessings and our generous community of supporters. If you would like to impact the lives of children around the world, please consider donating today. For Beka’s story on Bethany in its entirety, visit this link.
