Abaynesh Before and After Surgery at CURE Ethiopia

Abanynesh suffered from a severely crippling condition called knock knees. She lived a life of isolation, never leaving the walls of her hut. When she was 10 years old, Abaynesh’s mother told her that her crooked legs were a curse from evil spirits.

“They called me ‘the crippled one.’ Everyone in my village made fun of me. My knees crossed each other like this.”

Abaynesh’s mother gave her away to another family to cook and clean. Horribly neglected by the family she was placed with, Abaynesh was given little food and was forced to search outside for scraps. When her mother found out, she took her to another village, hoping she would be treated better.

“I never thought I would be able to get a job to support myself, because I was only able to sit down and do the simplest of work.”

As her time inside the house increased, Abaynesh lost hope she would ever look or feel normal. She feared that she would be cursed this way forever.

“I prayed and promised God that I would devote myself to Him if He healed my legs.”

That healing came through CURE Ethiopia in November 2010. After a long and painful recovery Abaynesh’s results are dramatic and her life has been drastically changed. Abaynesh now earns a living working for a different family as a housemaid where she cooks and cleans.

“With my straight legs, now I can walk to the market. Without CURE, I would still be hidden away inside the walls of my hut.”

The changes to Abaynesh’s legs were dramatic, but even more so is the change in her now smiling face. Abaynesh is filled with joy and she has hope for her future. Thanks to CURE, children like Abaynesh are constantly being given a second chance at life. A second chance for which Abaynesh says she is eternally grateful.