Tamara’s Story
Hello friends, I am writing this to bring to light a story of success through perseverance and the undying ever present love of Jesus Christ. Today I am a loving mom, a wife and a giving member of the community. Almost 10 years ago that was not the case.
I began being sexually exploited at the age of 5. I came from an extremely alcoholic and multi-abusive home and was sexually abused by every man in my life including my father. I had zero support in the way of a loving family member or perhaps a mentor to rely on and go to for help. I was threatened in such a way that I believed if I were to ever tell anyone of my life that I would never see my mom again.
I was then, at age 12 pushed through the foster care system where I was nothing more than a pay cheque. It is little wonder how I ended up selling myself on the streets at age 13. I was exploited and used and tossed away by any and every man who came into my life and I eventually started using heavily to numb the pain. By 19 I got coaxed into exotic dancing by an abusive drug addicted boyfriend.
As the years passed and my addiction got much worse I was sent for drug treatment and counseling in West Palm Beach Florida by a wonderful man and his always hopeful and patient wife. These two were the VERY FIRST people in my life who had helped me out of an actual kind place in their hearts and did not have ulterior motives. They were also the first people to show me a small glimpse of what it truly looked like to walk in faith and to trust in God.
When I arrived in Florida I had good intentions of bettering myself however the hold that drugs and alcohol had on me was far too strong and I ended up on the streets of Miami. It was there that I experienced the absolute worst side of the world of pimps and human trafficking. Just one of my MANY memories was running down a busy street naked, bloody and beaten because I did not bring in enough money the night before, the saddest part was that nobody stopped to help. However graphic that is it is the truth and only merely touches the surface of what can happen to women involved in this lifestyle.
Fast forward a few years. I am back in Canada.
I have had enough. I am scared and alone and really just want the pain to stop. I was in and out of programs and drop in centers where I was fed and let to have a shower but they lacked the one thing I was searching for…God.
I had heard of this overwhelming love and inner peace that was experienced by people who had accepted Christ, trusted and followed him no matter what life brought forth. I wanted that…more than I had ever wanted anything in my whole life.
I found it! I met God in jail, I met him on my knees, I met him with tears flowing down my face and in a type of despair I wish upon no human being. I FOUND HIM! And he gave me the permission to lift my head high and embark on a journey to healing and wholeness.
I found God! And for the past 7 years I have relied on him through many things in my life, I am clean and sober and living my dream life however the wreckage of my past and new hurts and bumps along the way have happened yet have only pushed me deeper into my relationship with God.
Today I am whole, I am not perfect, I am funny, I am loving, I am helpful and I am a woman that despite the sins against me, am able to carry on and seek out opportunities to be a part of things that can help women just like me find their missing piece.
I am extremely proud and honored to be a part of helping other women, and I am ON FIRE for an opportunity to walk hand in hand with God and the amazing women around me to spread the word that there IS a way out, that there ARE people out there that want more than anything to help provide a safe and supportive environment to women who feel like there is nothing.