Melesse

Melesse was a cheerful boy born into a loving family. His father was married for the secon and mother for the first time. Melesse loved to play on his home vilagges red clay streets with a football put together from materials so that dustclouds pillowed and compete with the neighbouring boys in any game of skill. One day Mellesse fell ill and not lightly but with polio. As result he lost mobility in his legs. In Ethiopia disbility is considered a curse or a punishment for your parents sins. Thus people with disabilities are ashamed and often kept in hiding like animals. Melesse did not want that kind of destiny and knew he needed crutches to move around and the ones made from local materials would break easily.

The boy had heard that the crutches he needs are available in the Soddo Christian Hospital. He haggled himself onto the roof of a vehicle heading that way and made it safely to the hospitals doorstep. Getting in there was not as simple as he had imagined. Since he was dirty from the ride the guard refused to even let him onto the premises. Melesse was determined and decided that he is not returning to his home village before he gets the crutches. During the day he begged for money and tried getting in but with no success.

Then one day he noticed a white person in the courtyard and istead of adressing the guard shouted to him. The boy was allowed inside and besides the crutches an operation was performed. The boys family had obviously felt relief of the boy leaving and didn’t show any interest in him. Though usually in Ethiopia the whole family is in the hospital to support the patient the boy spent three months in the hospital proudly in solitude. After the recovery period after the surgery was over he bargained to stay in the hospital a little longer because he knew noone one was expecting him back home. Eventually the time came to return home. A local doctor told him before leaving “Pray for that I’d find you a job. Come back in three months for a check up. Hopefully I have something for you by then.”

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