Final Reflections of Austria from Sue

Rose and I met a young refugee woman from Armenia who was just placed in the village of Altenmarkdt. She looked weak and sick. She told us she's on dialysis. An ambulance has to come 3 times a week, take her to dialysis in Baden (the biggest town), and return her late at night. There is no train and only limited bus service to that town. I asked why did they put her in a place so far away from the hospital? She is hoping for--and they have talked about--relocating her in Baden. We were eager to listen to her story, but she did not want to talk of her experience in Armenia. Her eyes showed a hopelessness I had never before seen. What could I say?

I found out later that she probably had one or both kidneys removed--not from disease or illness, but to raise money to help pay for her journey out of Armenia. It's quite common to sell a body part for this purpose. I was shocked. How desperate they must be! I say now that I would never do that, but under her circumstances, would I be tempted? Could I be tempted? Or is it not even a matter of choice but of necessity?What necessity will drive people from their homes, homeland, family? What would drive me? How desperate would I have to be to leave all I know? May we never have to face this decision, but what would God have us do for such as these?