As I sat in the living room with thirteen other women on this cold, rainy day in February 1997, I was so enthralled with the lady that was telling the story of a woman and child that had flown into Houston Intercontinental Airport on December 16, 1996 from Turkmenistan.
The Women's Mission Group from church that I attended was discussing ways that our group could assist others. Today's discussion was what could we do for this mother and daughter that were here in Houston for the next six months while her daughter underwent surgery.
As I listened to this story, I could feel God's spirit touching me. I am not a very emotional person, but tears began to flow down my cheeks. As I looked out of the windows with rain hitting the glass pane, I could picture this woman fleeing a country that had been under the communist regime. I began to feel "a mother's love" for her child.
Asiya and her nine year old daughter, Elvira had flown over 7,000 miles to get medical attention. This child had been born with hemifacial microsama. This is a congenital disorder that affects the development of the lower half of the face, most commonly the ears, the mouth and the mandible. It usually occurs on one side of the face, both both sides are sometimes affected. This young girl was only affected on one side.
When Elvira was born in 1986, Turkmenistan was a part of the Soviet Union and the president was a former bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. I am telling you this so that you understand the medical facilities were not the best. When Elvira was born, her mother knew that her daughter was going to need medical surgery to repair her face and need the support of encouragement to overcome the obstacles of life.
During those early years, Asiya took Elvira several times to Moscow for surgery, as well as going to a private clinic in Russia. There was only so much that these doctors could do.
As the child grew, the mother could see all the turmoil and ridicule that her daughter went through due to her facial situation. This woman began to write every country that she could think of to see what they could do to assist her daughter with surgeries. She wanted her daughter to have a life where individuals would not stare at her lovely daughter as she walked down the road. God had allowed her daughter to live and she knew that Elvira would become a woman of confident and that she would have a better life.
Finally, Asiya made contact with a woman, Mary Lou Koster in Beaumont, Texas. Mrs. Koster wrote Asiya and said that her foundation would assist her and her daughter. As Mrs. Koster had read the letter from Asiya, she also felt God pricking her heart. She knew she needed to assist them, but deep down she really didn't know what or how she would do this.
One day, Asiya went to her mailbox and saw a letter from Beaumont, Texas. This letter was written in English. Asiya knew no English, but she took the time to translate this letter from Mrs. Koster. Her heart was filled with joy and she felt that God had answered her prayers.
Mrs. Koster was crippled herself and in a wheelchair. Her doctors were at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. A few days after sending her response back to Asiya, she had an eye appointment. While there, she handed the letter from Asiya to her doctor. He read it and said "I will create a Medical Team and we will reconstruct this young girl's face". There would be no charge for all the surgeries and reconstruction that needed to be done.
Now that Asiya had the doctors in place for the surgery and a place to stay while she was in Houston, she still needed to get the plane tickets. There was a Foreign Oil Company that was in Turkmenistan. Asiya felt no shame in asking for help. She met with the medical doctor of the oil company and he said that they would pay for the tickets. Asiya met with the American Embassy and Foreign Affair to get her passport and VISA. There were several loopholes, but God assisted her with each step.
After the meeting, I approached the lady and said I want to meet this mother and daughter. She said she would find out where they were staying and when a good time would be that I could go visit them.
A time was set up. I wasn't for sure what we would do, since I didn't speak any Russian. I didn't realize that this young mother and daughter started learning English as soon as they arrived in Houston. They were determined to take advantage of every opportunity that they had while they were in the United States. They learned English by reading the caption on the television and reading the Houston paper.
When I met Asiya and Elvira, I felt that I had known them all my life. We went to the IMAX and then went to eat pizza. Here we are twenty-two years later and we are still good friends. There is so much more to their story.
Elvira had her surgery and her face was reconstructed. They did file for asylum from Turkmenistan and have become citizens of the United States.
One day I will write more about them, but this article is for Mother's Day and for all the mothers who have made sacrifices and were persistent in getting aid for their children. I have so many friends who have gone through infertility treatments as well as adoption so that they could love a child with all their heart. My sister has a child with special needs and throughout the years I have observed all that she has done for him to give him the quality of life that he needs.
Due to medical reasons, I was not able to give birth to a child. My husband and I even worked with four different birth mothers, but they all chose to keep their child. Even though, I don't have a child, I have given my heart to my nieces and nephews and to my friend's own children.
I end this to thank God for all the mothers that have influenced their child(ren) and made a difference!
Asiya and Elvira, Christmas 1997 in Houston, TX
