From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Sep 24 2009 - 15:41:12 EDT
http://habenhager.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=1
Destiny
Strong love changes Destiny
Shumendi Medhane and his wife Qumesh Sied having paralysis of spinal cord
never thought they will fall in love let alone to have a child of their own.
The couple met in Port Sudan after both were injured in a war for struggle
for independent Eritrea.
It was a busy day when Qumesh first saw the man of her dreams. She, being in
a wheelchair didn’t think such a beautiful thing would come to her way again
as she has lost her spinal cord for her country. Like the other days though
she told herself to focus on her daily activities but Shumendi came along.
First she was not sure what was happening to her. Of course she liked the
man but was it wise to follow her heart’s desire or else, she thought.
As time went by they began to spend a quality time together. Shumendi was a
librarian and Qumesh was a diligent student in which she spent a lot of time
in the library studying. Through time their romance flamed and began to be
noticed among the others.
“I was a librarian in Port Sudan and used to tutor colleagues who had low
educational status,” said Shumendi.
It is true that they say ‘communication bears love’. In spending more time
the couple began to develop feelings for each other though they didn’t
notice it.
The couple was not ready for what was to come as their first mission when
they got in Port Sudan was to get used to their paralysis.
While they were still in Port Sudan some doctors told them that it was
impossible for them to have a child and yet became the father and mother of
a beautiful girl.
After the independence they came to Asmara and in 1993 Shumendi got admitted
to Orotta Hospital for he was not feeling well and this made Qumesh to be a
regular visitor. Shumendi’s doctor found about the couple’s relationship
then he suggested that they can have a child yet they didn’t trust him.
Four years later they decided to have a try and after a medical check up the
couple's beautiful daughter- Nadia Shumendi was born.
When the doctor first suggested they could have a child, they didn’t trust
him. They thought he said that just to make them feel good.
"Nadia is the best present we could have had. We are so lucky," said
Shumendi Medhane.
"Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I can't believe it's real. It's
absolutely wonderful,” said Qumesh.
The couple didn’t only face challenges of reliving romance life; however,
there was a great opposition from Shumendi’s family as they had different
religious backgrounds. His grandma, who was Christian, was furious about
their relationship and insisted him to leave his wife.
But the couple’s love was beyond their circumstances and helped them to
overcome all the oppositions. The couple are capable of leading an
outstanding life both have no difficulties of obtaining their desires.
Currently Shumendi works with the ERREC and his wife Qumesh is a housewife-
she can manage every domestic chores with no ones support. Their daughter,
Nadia is a fourth grader in Italian School and gets full treatment from her
parents.