My name is Meseret Wolde Amanuel, and this is my story of how God brought me from a life of rejection, suffering, and hopelessness into a life filled with love, purpose, and hope.
I was born in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, about 80 miles from Addis Ababa. I grew up in an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian family with my brothers and sisters. When I was 20 years old, I left home and moved to the city, hoping to find work and help support my family. I found a job as a waitress in a hotel, where I met a man who eventually became my partner.
We began living together, and about a year later, I discovered I was pregnant. When I told him, instead of being happy, he accused me of being unfaithful. Our relationship became filled with conflict, and when I was six months pregnant, he abandoned me.
I was alone, pregnant, and had nowhere to turn. My life became what felt like hell on earth.
Rejected by My Own Family
By the time I was seven months pregnant, I had no home, no food, and no one to care for me. Desperate, I returned to my family after being away for two years. But instead of welcoming me home, my family questioned me about my husband and whether we had been married in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. When I explained what had happened, my family and relatives gathered together.
They told me I had two choices: end my pregnancy and return home, or leave. They even threatened the life of my unborn child. They gave me two days to decide.
That night, while everyone was asleep, I quietly left the house. I walked to the main road, crying and not knowing where I would go. Around 1:00 in the morning, a passing driver stopped to help me. He took me to a nearby town and gave me a little money for breakfast. I was grateful, but I was still completely alone.
“Lord, Where Can I Go?”
With nowhere else to turn, I found a nearby Orthodox church. I entered the church grounds in tears and stayed there for more than two weeks, sleeping and sharing food with others who had nothing.
Eventually, a family friend recognized me and told my father and older brother where I was. They came to see me and arranged for me to stay with an aunt until my baby was born. But my family wanted my situation kept secret. In their eyes, my pregnancy had brought shame upon them.
Then came news that would make everything even harder.
An HIV Diagnosis and an Even Darker Road
Because I was severely underweight, my family took me to a hospital for a pregnancy checkup and a general health examination.
That was when the doctor told me I was HIV-positive.
When my father and brother heard the diagnosis, they abandoned me at the hospital. At that time, HIV carried tremendous stigma. Many people believed that those living with the virus were cursed. I felt completely rejected.
Overwhelmed by fear and despair, I attempted to take my own life by drinking poison. But I survived. When my aunt learned of my diagnosis, she told me to leave her home and never return. Once again, I had nowhere to go.
I returned to the church, and the following day, I found a driver willing to take me to Addis Ababa. There, I began living on the streets among homeless children who welcomed me and helped me survive. These children, who had so little themselves, showed me compassion when so many others had turned away.
They eventually helped me get to Gandhi Hospital, where a nurse listened to my story, offered counseling, and helped me receive care. With the support of the hospital staff and the children who had befriended me, I gave birth to my son, who is now 15 years old.
Love That Refused to Give Up on Me
I spent more than seven years living on the streets. During those difficult years, two people became an important part of my life: Elsabeth and Ayele from He Intends Victory Ethiopia.
Elsabeth regularly visited me, encouraged me, and reminded me of the hope found in Jesus Christ. She encouraged me to attend church, while she and Ayele continued bringing food and clothing for my son. They didn’t just visit once or twice. They kept coming back.
Even when I pulled away, they never gave up on me. Their consistent kindness began to change my heart. Through their help, I eventually found a job and was able to rent a small room. For the first time in years, my life was beginning to move forward.
Later, I met a man who was also living with HIV. We began a relationship and had a daughter together. Unfortunately, after our daughter was born, the relationship ended.
Once again, I found myself raising my children alone. But this time, I wasn’t without support.
Finding a Family Through He Intends Victory
Elsabeth and Ayele continued encouraging me and eventually invited me to attend He Intends Victory support group meetings.
What I discovered there changed my life. I met people who understood my pain because they had experienced many of the same struggles. They shared their stories of rejection, illness, broken relationships, and despair. But they also shared how God had restored their hope and given them a reason to keep going.
Their stories were so much like mine.
I began attending the weekly meetings and found a community where people genuinely cared for one another. Members shared their burdens, prayed together, encouraged those who were struggling, visited those who were bedridden, and helped others remain faithful in taking their HIV medication.
For years, I had felt unwanted and forgotten. Now I was surrounded by people who loved me and understood what I had been through. I learned so much from their faith, their compassion, and their willingness to help one another.
Three years ago, I made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and became a born-again Christian. My life continued to change as I grew in my faith. With the encouragement of Elsabeth and Ayele, I began helping lead others in the support group.
Today, I serve as a He Intends Victory support group leader, caring for and encouraging more than 35 people.
From Receiving Hope to Sharing Hope
I am now a mother of two children, and although I have experienced tremendous pain and loss, I no longer live without hope. Through the prayers, encouragement, and fellowship of my He Intends Victory family, God has helped me move beyond the darkest days of my life.
I once had nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat, and no one to turn to. Today, I have a home, a purpose, a community of people who love me, and a relationship with Jesus Christ that gives me strength. The same woman who once desperately needed someone to help her is now helping others who are facing their own struggles.
I know what it feels like to be rejected, forgotten, and hopeless. And because of what God has done in my life, I want others to know that their circumstances do not have to define their future.
God knows how to lift up the weak and lead us into a brighter future.
My desire now is to help guide others who feel hopeless toward the hope that only Jesus can give. Thank you, He Intends Victory, for showing me the love of Christ and never giving up on me.
God bless you.
Meseret Wolde Amanuel
Meseret’s story is a beautiful reminder of how the love of Jesus can transform a life, turning hopelessness into hope and giving someone a new purpose. Once in desperate need of help herself, Meseret is now sharing that same hope with others.
If you would like to help Meseret and others like her find hope, healing, and a community of support, click the Give Now button below. Your generosity helps make stories like Meseret’s possible, transforming lives through the love of Jesus Christ.
