Nomin

It seems rather childish for a girl of 18 years to cuddle a teddy bear but Nomin’s endured things no child should have to face. Once you hear her story it’s not surprisingly she needs something to cuddle.

To all outward appearances she could be the same as other teenagers around the world – she is wearing eyeshadow, giggling and playing with her mobile. But there’s one difference. Nomin is paralysed from the waist down…

Two years ago she took her father’s shotgun and shot herself in the stomach. The bullets severed her spine causing paralysis. After living with relatives and her alcoholic mother who tried to sell her to men, she finally came to Hope Hospice in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia where she is finally receiving adequate treatment and some love for the first time.

Hope Hospice is connected with Joint Christian Services (JCS), a Christian development organisation in Mongolia. It was the Streams in the Desert team from JCS who first heard of Nomin through a contact in their alcohol recovery program. Streams works amongst prostitutes and alcoholics to help them find freedom in a new life. Director John Koehler works with YWAM but in Mongolia under the banner of JCS. Thus Nomin became part of the JCS community even though there is no specific project for her. But JCS is more than just projects and sitting in offices; it’s about people, love and care.

John and co-workers Khash and Alimaa were touched by Nomin’s story, sought her out and placed her at HH and have only just begun to uncover her full story 18 months later.

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My mother is an alcoholic and had an affair with a Kazakh man when I was three years old. My parents divorced and my father took me to Darkhan (Selenge /aimag/, north of Ulaanbaatar) to live with his new family. But I was often beaten, sent out for days to herd sheep and would sometimes wake up with my father’s hands on my chest.

I didn’t understand why they didn’t love me and gave me no clothes to wear. My father would drink away his money but I went to school in rags. The other kids at school laughed at me because of the rags I wore to school. My Father regularly beat me when he was drunk.

When I was 13 years old I had an affair with a 40 year old man to get money for clothes. My father found out and beat me so I ran away and when I returned they had not realised I’d been gone. They had forgotten me and did not even miss me.

I was scared I would end up herding all my life, living alone and maybe going crazy like my aunt who has mental problems. So I attempted suicide several times but simply didn’t know how to do it and even when I finally shot myself in the stomach it backfired, leaving me paralysed.

My father brought me to Ulaanbaatar for treatment and I lived with relatives and my mother who at one point tried to sell me to men. I came to Hope Hospice 6 months ago. Today I am doing daily bible studies with Bimba (carer) and working through “The Purpose Driven Life”. I’ve also joined Streams in outreach nights to prostitutes.

I’d like to say thank you to everyone that has helped me. I would like to learn English and a trade.

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John and Khash arranged for Bimba, a woman struggling financially, to be Nomin’s carer to take the burden off HH who normally have cancer or other terminally ill patients. John described Bimba’s role as one of “dual redemption” as her brokenness was healed through serving Nomin’s broken body.

Nomin has her moments like most teenagers and HH staff became concerned recently she was becoming spoilt, hardly surprising considering she’s never had any love or attention. Staff have been training her to become more independent in her own health care so she is less demanding and more self governing. They hope to heal her bed sores and strengthen her arms so she can sit in a wheelchair. Then teach her a vocation like jewelery making and move her into an apartment. However Nomin has been afraid when she gets well the Streams team will abandon her. John has tried to reassure her they will be around long term. This will require funds which Streams is working towards, however any assistance would be welcome.

“We’re really praying she walks,” said John, “which would be a real miracle of God… Although medically there’s no chance.”

There’s already been a small miracle in how Nomin’s legs were saved from a bone infection which almost led to amputation but there is now no sign of the infection.

The biggest challenge now is to find her somewhere to live as she begins to overstay her welcome at HH. A first floor apartment with wheelchair access would be ideal. This will require funds and perhaps a long term carer which Streams is working towards, however any assistance would be welcome.

[Editor's note: Nomin is now at home with her Mom for a while. Her Mom has changed a lot and has a new baby, and Nomin seems to be doing okay there.]