Monica's story
When Monica was 13 years old, her father died from brain tumour. She was the oldest among four siblings, with two boys and two girls. The youngest brother was only two years old when their father died. Growing up Monica lived most of the time in her grandmother’s house together with her uncle’s family, not far from her parents. It is quite normal in the Philippines when both the parents are working. Half a year after her father died, her mother went to Manilla to find work. This is the last thing Monica remembers from her mother, the word is that her mom started a new family in Manila, but Monica doesn’t know anything for sure about that. From now on her uncle (brother of her dead father) was the one who provided money for Monica to go to school. Because of that, there was no more money for her younger siblings, so Monica is the only that went to school. Growing up in her uncle’s house, however, was not easy. He was often drunk, and that made him violent. Monica tells about beatings and threats both towards her and her brothers. To avoid this, she went to school early in the morning and came home late at night. She just could not bear to watch her younger brothers suffer. Her head was full of concerns for them – and she just wanted it all to stop, to avoid more days of suffering.
One night, when Monica came home, her uncle had found a wooden plank with a spike in it that he started hitting the children with. All of them were beaten, and the blood was flowing. Eventually, Monica managed to escape out of the house, barefooted, and without any of her stuff. She jumped on a motorbike in a hurry, and she told the driver “drive!” Where they were going, or what should happen next was unknown to Monica, but something came to her mind that a classmate had told her: “If you are in trouble Monica, then pray to God”. While sitting on the motorbike Monica shouted: “If you are real God, have mercy on me and help me”. Suddenly the motorbike stopped outside a house and told her to get off the bike. Without asking for payment, the driver left Monica standing outside a house. She knocked at the door. She had never been to this place before. A woman opened the door and let her in. She got treated well, got to wash off the worst blood, and received a big hug. Suddenly, Monica realised that the woman who opened the door was Helen, the mother of Isaac in her class that told her to pray if she was in trouble. Isaac’s parents took Monica to the police and reported her uncle. Then she was taken to a place where they helped mistreated children. Another church in Ozamiz was in charge of this center. During her stay here, she felt like she was not alone. Most of the children at this center were younger than Monica, so she was very surprised to hear them praying their evening prayer, and to see the joy they had despite all that they had been through. During the next days, she participated in bible study, and her classmate Isaac came to visit her. Monica was offered to move to school office’s location, where 10 children already were living. Here she found a new home and a new family.
With the education that Monica now has, she has a great opportunity to get a permanent job in Ozamiz. Her greatest goal is to be able to help her brothers. She has managed to forgive her uncle and she also wishes to support him. There is a spark in Monica’s eyes as she says that more than anything else she wants to serve God. He has helped her, and brought her out of her misery, given her a completely new life, a future and a wonderful hope.
