Selena

Selena is one of the laundry ladies for the compound. While I was in Moundou (over a month ago...sorry for the delay) I was able to hear her story and I felt really compelled to share it on my blog. About 4 or 5 years ago Selena's husband died leaving her with twins to care for. (The storyteller was unsure if she had other kids on top of the twins to care for). Just like during biblical times, in Tchad the wife marries the husband's brother to carry on the husband's name.

So Selena moved into her brother-in-law's house after they got married. The brother-in-law, or her new husband, was an alcoholic. And, of course, like many alcoholics here he would get really drunk and beat Selena. One day he got out of control.

The brother-in-law came home drunk, stripped Selena, and dragged her outside. He threw her on the floor and proceeded to beat her with a hoe. All of their neighbors came outside to see what all of the commotion was about. There were many in the audience, but no one ran to Selena's aid. 

Her husband was yelling, "I'm going to kill you," and beating her mercilessly. Thankfully, something changed his mind. Selena was at death's doorstep when came to his senses. Therefore, he stuffed her into a pousse-pousse (it is like a wheelbarrow but with two wheels) and rushed her to the hospital. 

Although he took Selena to the hospital, he didn't want to pay the hospital bill. He told Tammy something happened to Selena and he needed help paying the hospital bill. He didn't want to tell her that he was the cause of it. Tammy ran to the hospital to see if Selena would be ok and how she could help. As soon as Tammy heard how Selena got hurt she was furious. Tammy didn't want to help the husband by paying the bill because he caused the injuries. Yet, she knew that if she didn't pay the bill Selena's husband would let her die.

So Tammy decided that she would pay the hospital bill and take the brother-in-law's pousse-pousse as collateral. She told the husband she would return the pousse-pousse to him after the settled his debt. He agreed to Tammy's terms and Selena got the care she needed. 

Selena's husband came to work off his debt a few days later. Tammy told him to wash laundry and sweep the compound, but he refused. He said that those were jobs for woman. Tammy told him that he was the one who caused Selena to miss work, therefore, he had to do Selena's job while she recovers. He didn't appreciate her responce, but he grinned and bared it. He worked off all his debt.

Selena didn't go back to her husband, although everyone was pressuring her to return. Even the hospital chaplain said that she had to return. If she wanted to be a good wife and honor God then she needed to return. In the end she said that only Tammy and Naomi, which were the only ones that helped her, loved her and everyone else didn't. She was going to listen to what her love ones were saying. She refused to return to her husband and believed that the Lord still loved her for the decision she made. 

However, after living on her own for 2 years she returned to her husband. Tammy ensure that Selena had everything she needed to make it on her own, but the social pressures got to her. Everyone shunned her and talked behind her back. They would say things like, "she thinks she is better then everyone else because she works for the white lady." Although she heard her husband say next time he would finish the job (i.e. kill her) with her own ears, she rather be accepted by everyone and lose her life then be shunned by most of the community. 

Currently, Selena is still alive and working in the compound, but we never know what tomorrow will bring. Women are suppose to be equal now. There is even a celebration for women's day on March 8, but it is only empty actions and words. Women are still at the bottom of the totem pole, and young little girls are the lowest of low. 

Even women abuse little girls. To think that they would sympathize with the girls because they have gone through the same thing. They know how it feels,. However, that is rarely the case. For example, a little girl was caught stealing something in the market. Obviously the little girl was hungry and felt stealing food was the only way to get what she needed. The little girl's aunt wanted to teach her a lesson she would never forget. So, she tied straw to the little girl's fingers and lit them on fire.... Yes the little girl learned a lesson, but she also lost the use of her hands. She can't work to earn money to buy the things she needs in the market. Living in Tchad has opened my eyes to our cruel reality. I hear story after story about how people are misused and abused. There is a need for rules and standards to help the helpless that can be enforced somehow.

Things in Tchad remind me of Levitical times. I have been reading through the book of Leviticus and have made many connections. For instance, eye for an eye can be applied to everyone, however, I think it was written for women and servants specifically. Those are the main people who are misused and abused.

God understood the burden women had during Levitical times. That is why he made certain rules that don't really make sense to use in this day and age (some still make sense). Living in Tchad I realized that it was a blessing to be consider unclean during your period or after giving birth. Women were able to get a break from their husbands. They had a couple days, or months, rest from beatings or fulfilling their husbands sexual drives. Instead of nowadays, when periods feel like curses and I'm sure childbirth isn't desired either, yet women welcomed it with open arms. I see how after having a baby women strap their newborn on their back and get back to work. Their husbands begin having sex with them before they have finished healing from giving birth. Tchadian women need laws similar to those found in Leviticus. They have few rights and large burdens to carry. Tchadian women have to endure a lot. They are very strong people, but they need a break.

****I wanted to write a Levitical series and show the correlations between Tchad and Levitical times. However, I stopped writing and/or ran out of time. So...at least I posted one right?