Neeha always wore long sleeves even when it was hot and humid outside because she didn’t want anyone, especially her friends to see the ugly cuts on her arms. She wanted to stop cutting herself but she couldn’t seem to. It started when she became pregnant and told her mother who said, “Unless you get married or give up your baby for adoption, I won’t have anything more to do with you. What you have done is a disgrace to the family–getting pregnant before you’re even married.”
Neeha was devastated. She needed her mother but was rejected–shunned. Marriage was out of the question. Her baby’s father was already married and he didn’t even want to acknowledge the child. He had even suggested that Neeha have an abortion which he was willing to pay for but she refused. The thought of killing an unborn child horrified her. So, she decided to go through with pregnancy. When she started to show she would wear loose clothing.
When things got really bad and she felt there was nowhere or no one to turn to, she began to harm herself. She used a pair of scissors to do it. Soon, the beautiful, clear skin on her arms was covered in red, ugly welts. What she was doing to herself horrified and repulsed her but she couldn’t seem to help it. It was better than turning to drugs or alcohol or even committing suicide.
At the office, she would go into the bathroom and cut herself and when she came out no one suspected anything. She kept to herself because she feared the backlash from her mother and the rest of the family. This kind of behavior wasn’t something one would imagine would happen in an Asian family. It wasn’t something that they would want to acknowledge or talk about or want their white friends and neighbors to know about.
One afternoon, she was flipping through the channels when she came across a program. It was a sermon. She decided to watch it. It was about a demon possessed man who was living among the tombs. He was naked and in chains which he broke. What got her interest is that the man cut himself with stones. When she heard how Jesus freed the man from the demons and clothed the man, she began to cry. The man was in his right mind and no longer hurting himself. She heard the preacher say, “Jesus can help you just like He helped this man. Whatever you’re going through, come to Jesus, fall at His feet and He will free you. He will heal you. You don’t have to go through what you’re going through alone anymore. Jesus can help you. All you have to do is to cry out to Him and He will hear you.”
At the end of the service, there was a free offer of a book, entitled, Hurts So Good: Exposing the Lies of Self-Injury. She quickly scribbled down the information and sent for a copy. Afterwards, she cried out to Jesus whom she had heard so much about. Now, she needed Him. She wanted to believe that He could help her. Tears poured down her face as she asked Him to free her from this cycle of intentional self-injury like He freed the demoniac.
When she was finished, the tears subsided and she felt a peace she had never experienced in her life before settle over her. She knew then that Jesus had answered her prayer. With the nine action steps outlined in the book, she was on the path to hope and healing in Christ. She replaced the knife or scissor blade with the Bible and its promises. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl and called her, Prutha which means “daughter of love”.
Neeha found a church nearby and began to attend their worship services every week while her best friend, Farha took care of Prutha. There at the church, Neeha met Safal, a widower with a five year old son. They struck a friendship which soon blossomed into a romance. Two years later, they got married. Neeha’s mother attended the wedding. She apologized to her daughter for the way she treated her. Neeha readily accepted her apology. She was just happy to be back on speaking terms with her mother. Prutha never knew about her biological father. As far as Neeha was concerned, Safal was her father. He was happy to adopt her as his own. He doted on her and she adored him.
Neeha is currently expecting another child and she is ecstatic. Prutha is now six and is excited about having a baby brother or sister and Taj, Safal, son, whom she adopted, was looking forward to the new addition to the family as well. Neeha is thankful that she watched that Christian program. It changed her life in so many ways. She is a volunteer for an organization called, Samaritans, a unique charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide. Some of the people she has helped were victims of self-harm and a few of them have requested prayers.
Self-harm is a very serious issue. If you find it difficult to speak to a family member or a friend or even a co-worker, here are organizations you can reach out to for help:
- Samaritans – The Samaritans provide a free anonymous helpline. Someone will listen and help you, 24 hours of the day on 116 123. (UK)
- Harmless – A user-led organisation for people who self-harm, and their friends and families.
You can also ask your GP to give you advice and direct you to the best place to get help, whether it is counselling or some form of treatment.
Self-harm is something that can happen among Christians as well. Read this story of a Christian student who struggled with self-injury. Please reach out for help. Don’t let fear or shame prevent you. Take the first step toward healing. Take the path from self-harm to self-love.
Source: Desiblitz; Samaritans; Blue Letter Bible
Notes to Women 