Rakhmina's hand had not yet healed properly, the stitches were still fresh after the surgery. But it worked, her hand, and she held her son tightly. Rakhmina was just grateful that she could hold and carry her son. And despite the horror of that night of fire, she thanked God over and over again - the God who had revealed Himself to her in such a miraculous way...

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‍The 35-year-old Uzbek had grown up as an orphan. Her father had died at an early age, her mother was not her biological mother and had at some point simply abandoned her on the street. She had quickly fallen into the clutches of an immoral life in order to survive. An AIDS relief organization had finally referred her to the Hope Center.

Here, a new life literally began for Rakhmina. At first, she was very withdrawn, considered herself a Muslim and was afraid tobe in the Christian community. But the sisters lovingly cared for Rakhmina and her child, praying for her and witnessing toChrist with their lives. She understood that Christians love one another, rejoice together for one another, and bear sorrow together. All this touched her heart. Then she found a job at aChristian organization that produced pelmeni (dumplings with meat filling). She operated the butchery machine (meat grinder), and one day when it was clogged, she reached in with her hand to remove the jam of ground meat. In the process, her hand was pulled into the machine and severely injured.Doctors gave her little hope. At the Hope Center and in theDushanbe community, brothers and sisters prayed for Rakhmina and her hand. Finally, the doctors decided against amputation and in favor of surgery. However, they thought it was impossible that the hand‘s functions could ever be restored.

But God answered prayer and revealed Himself to Rakhmina. She can move all her fingers, and her hand is fully functional. Today, when Rakhmina talks about her injury, she gently strokes her hand and says: This is what God has done! He isthe only one who was able to heal my hand! Today, Rakhmina comes to church regularly. She has converted to Jesus and is grateful that He has given her a life with which she too cannow be a witness to other women and children at the HopeCenter. A life of joy and gratitude, of trust and living hope in the living God.