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Following is the letter I read at The Daughter Project land dedication ceremony. It is from a sex trafficking victim. Let me rephrase that. It is from an amazing young lady who has survived and is moving beyond her past to help others. I have had the privilege of spending a lot of time lately getting to know this young lady and let me say - I have been blessed. She displays strength, tenacity, courage. She is happy, joyful and brave. Here's what Amira had to say about what we are hoping to do at The Daughter Project:
What an exciting day! I wish more than anything I could be there with you to celebrate the beginning of this exciting journey, that I know will not only change the lives of these precious girls, but your lives as well.
I want to share a little bit with you where I was and who I am now. You need to know there is hope for these girls.
Its hard for me to me to put into words what it was like to be trafficked. Looking back, I can see the hopelessness that overwhelmed my being. I couldn't imagine making it to 18, and most of the time I didn't want to. I was so scared of him, but I wanted him to beat me so I could feel something, anything. I was a shell, I had lost most of me on the inside but on the outside I pretended to still be me. What I could remember of me anyway. I remember thinking I wish he would just snap and kill me, so I didn't have to. I never saw my self as anything more than a junky, and would have thoughts of what I would look like in a ditch. I wrote apology notes to my parents that said, “If your reading this I'm dead”. I would hide them in my clothes so if he killed me, he couldn't find it.
Looking back, I can't believe I ever thought like that. Those thoughts seem so foreign to me now. Today I am a VERY happy mommy, wife, student, abolitionist, friend, club president, speaker, photographer and anything else I'll ever WANT to be. I am able to be who I am because 1 safe person came into my life and showed me love.
The daughter project is going to be the love that these girls need to break away. Anyone can build a house for these girls. But I know from everyone I have met there Jeff, Jennie and Tami this is going to be sooo much more then a house. This is going to be their home, their second chance. This will be where the go from survivors to overcomer's. This is where they will begin to dream, and you will have the honor to walk along side of them as the pursue them. Every girl will have her own story, her own dream, and her own future. You hold the key to help them unlock them. Thank You so much for your hearts!
Isn't she just amazing? She truly is. There wasn't a dry eye in the house after I read this (except mine because at that point, I was trying desperately to make it off stage and back to my seat without passing out - lol!!). This is why we do what we do at The Daughter Project. To see girls like Amira come out and be all God intended for them to be. To break the chains, free the captives, set people free. I can't wait to see what God is going to do in all of our lives as we pursue the call God has placed in our hearts. I am blessed and honored to be working with the people of The Daughter Project. I have made incredible friends and I KNOW it's all God. On a personal note - God has used The Daughter Project to renew my hope in people, to give me some amazing friends who are always looking out for others. To be surrounded by people who have passion and compassion for the hurting. I can't say it enough - I am so blessed.
Thank you Amira for sharing a brief part of your story with us. I love ya girl!
To hear Amira share some of her story on Girlfriendit radio - follow THIS LINK, scroll down to Thursday March 3 and click on the GirlfriendiT/GirlfriendiT talking to women on the mend link. Click and it should download the mp3. Sorry, I don't know how to insert it into this blog post!!
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