Journey with "N..."

"N..." came to Project Destiny Kids, tough sassy and with a tantalizing smile. Her new best friends were the 13-16 year old prostituted girls of Butuan City. We soon learned that "N..." had run away from home due to the abusive treatment of her mother and stepfather. She shared with us how they would tie her in a rice sack, hang her from the ceiling and hit her with a stick while hung in the sack. Her parents even shaved her head bald in an attempt to curve her wild ways. She made the decision that she would have no more of that and off to the big city she went. When she arrived in the city "N..." was quite innocent of city life and the life of a street girl. Soon, sniffing rugby (glue), stealing, and a life of prostitution became her new found life.

"N..." quickly shared that she was not satisfied with her new life any more than her home life. She talked of going to school and having a home. She faithfully came to the center day after day. We shared the love of Jesus with her, feed her, clothed her, and offered advice. We enjoyed friendship with "N..." for several weeks, then suddenly she was gone. This is an all too familiar story for us as we work with street kids.

However, "N..."'s story does end there. Almost 9 months later, one of our staff members to a trip to visit the province, as the staff stepped down from the bus she heard a familiar voice calling her name. It was "N..."! The two ran and embraced. "N..." had decided to follow the advice given her. She returned home and talked to her parents and agreed with them that she would go to school and stop running around wild, in return her parents agreed to not tie her in a sack and hit her anymore. Her parents gladly took her back. Today "N..." is attending high school and living at home. She is so happy and so thankful for friends who encouraged her and walked a bit of life's journey with her.