From Rescue to Restoration: Jane’s Journey to Freedom

When Jane* first arrived at our safe house a year ago, you may not have guessed she was 14 years old. Having endured unimaginable abuse for as long as she could remember, this tiny, withdrawn girl was suffering from severe trauma on top of incontinence and malnutrition that stunted her growth.

Abandoned by her mother and unable to be cared for by her bedridden father, she lived with a non-relative caretaker who allowed years of abuse by multiple perpetrators. Never having attended school or having the opportunity to interact with other children, she was kept hidden away.

I first met her last summer, shortly after she arrived at the shelter. While the other children flocked to me for hugs, Jane seemed to shrink into shadows, hiding from a world that had shown her only cruelty.

But love changes everything.

By November, Jane surprised me with a warm hug, the first display of affection I’d seen from her. Medical treatment had addressed her incontinence, while counseling and constant encouragement from our staff began healing her wounded spirit. She started interacting with other children, even smiling and laughing.

During my most recent visit (June 2025), Jane was among the first girls at the gate to greet me. No longer hiding, she’d become a “big sister” to newer arrivals. After reading about David and Goliath and chatting with the girls about how to fight our own giants, Jane pulled me aside with tears in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I once had no hope for a future. Now I have big dreams. I feel love for the first time.”

I’m not the one you should be thanking, I thought. This hope, these dreams, this love…it’s all because of God. He delivered you from your enemies just like he delivered David from Goliath. He turned a shepherd boy into a king. I can’t imagine what he has planned for you.

While she has come a long way, the road ahead remains uncertain for Jane. She’s still hesitant about testifying against her abusers for fear that they’ll stop funding her father’s medical care. And, after a year of searching, our social workers still haven’t found a safe and loving family to resettle her with.

But the transformation is undeniable. She’s no longer the withdrawn girl who once hid in shadows. She’s a vibrant young woman who greets visitors with open arms and mentors younger children.

Through supporters like you, we continue providing the love and safety that makes this healing possible, trusting that the same God who delivered David from Goliath and made him king will work mightily in Jane’s life, too.

Thank you for your continued support.

*Name changed for protection