Orphan Stories:

A message from Terry and Alison: The stories below are real. They were written by girls that we work with at one of our orphanages and are anonymous to protect their identities. Please exercise caution when reading them as some parts get violent or graphic. These authors are real examples of strength and courage. We respect and love them very much.

We send our special thanks to K.G. for her help and direction.

Anonymous:

Hello. How are you all?
I am going to tell you my story.

I am 18 years old. I have an 11 month old baby. Since I was a child, I have been a victim of physical and sexual abuse from my family.

When I was 9 years old and my sister was 8 months old, my mother abandoned us. She told us that she was going to buy groceries and that she would come right back. It was a lie. She never came back.

Four months after my mother left, my father began to sexually abuse me. By this time, my little sister was a year old and I was scared that he might abuse her too.

My brothers were sent to live with my father’s sister and I was kept locked up in my father’s room. He arranged for my brothers to live with his sister with the idea that he was going to look for my mother, but it was all a lie. He stayed home all day and did nothing.

When school started, my father allowed me to leave his room and go to class but threatened to beat me if I told anyone what he did to me.

I started to study but it was difficult for me because of my life. Things went on like this until I got to High School.

When I was 12 years old, I saw my mother again. She met me on the street and I was crying. She said to me “Why are you crying bitch!!” I told to her not to bother me. She knew what was happening to me.

I smoked. I used to steal and I came close to using drugs. My parents didn’t care about me. I stayed out until 3:00 in the morning trying to get their attention. It was all in vain, they didn’t care about my life.

Anonymous:

With much love to you:

Hi. I hope you like my story. I’ve not written before so I hope that this is worth reading. I just want my story to be apart of you.

Greetings to everyone who is going to read and listen to my story.

It’s hard for me to write because when I remember it, I get sad. But, I am going to write it for you anyway.

Everything started when I was born in 1992. My father did not want to know about me so my mother traveled to a town called Oroya so she could work. I was there with her for two years. I was cared for and loved very much by my mother’s friends while she worked as a cook.

When I was 4 years old, my mother brought me to Huancayo to live with my grandmother.

When I was 5 years old, my mother told me I had a brother that lived with my father. Six months later I met him.

When I was at school, I had to repeat the fourth grade. I did not want to study. My mother asked me why but I didn’t know. I left school to move to our capital city of Lima to be a baby sitter. After 4 months of babysitting, I returned to Huancayo to go to school. This time I was willing to study.

I had no idea why my mother decided to send me to the shelter. The day after she decided to send me away, she told me to wash my clothes and get ready. She took me that afternoon to the orphanage and I was introduced to everyone. She left immediately after that.

The next I awoke to see the other girls doing their chores. This was my new life.