Her world had been one of
Abuse, neglect and heartache.
At seventeen she ran away
Being on the streets was better
Than living under the
Same roof with an unloving
Mother and abusive step-father.
She was her mother’s only
Child. Since the day she was born,
She had never known a mother’s
Love. All the love she had
Received came from her father.
Her world was turned upside
Down when he died. She was
Seven when her mother
Remarried. Life from that point
On was nothing but misery .
When she was sixteen, she started to stay
out late just to avoid going home.
Her mother accused her of
Getting into mischief with boys
And things got so bad that
She slipped out one night
and never looked back.
She used the money she had
Stolen from her mother’s hand-bag
To buy some food—then the money.
ran out. She begged and got a few dollars
But she couldn’t get much—just a
Hot chocolate and a donut.
One afternoon, she was sitting in a corner,
slumped against the wall under
The weight of despair when a
Woman approached her. She had
A kind face and her voice was
Gentle as she asked, “Are you all right?”
The girl shook her head. “No. I’m cold
And hungry.”
“Don’t you have a home to go to?”
“No. I ran away from home and I
Don’t want to go back there.”
The woman studied her for a moment. “Come
With me.”
The girl hesitated for a moment and then
She got up and followed the woman into
A coffee shop. After the woman ordered
Two hot chocolates and sandwiches,
They went and sat at a table by the window.
After some gentle prompting, the girl told
The woman about herself. She saw the
expression of compassion on her face.
After the girl was finished. She asked, “What’s
Your name?”
“Amy.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Amy. I’m Gail. I work at
The homeless shelter just round the corner.
If you have no objections, I will take you there
After we are finished here and you will stay there
Until you are ready to be on your own.”
She handed Amy a brochure which she glanced
Through. The shelter promised food, a clean bed
and a safe place to stay. For the moment that
was all she wanted. She smiled shyly. “Thank you.
I would like to stay at the shelter.”
Gail looked pleased. “Good.” She sipped her hot
Chocolate. Then she looked directly at Amy. Her
Expression serious. “You know it was no accident
That I found you,” she said. “I believe that God
Meant for us to meet. You know that He loves you
And He wants what is best for you.”
Amy had heard about God but this was the first
Time anyone told her that He loved her. This
Revelation brought tears to her eyes. She only
Experienced love once in her life and that was
From her father. Since he died, all she knew
Was mistreatment, sorrow and cruelty. Yet, this
Kind woman, a practical stranger, was telling
Her that God loved her. It was something
That she would never forget. And tonight
She was going to sleep in a warm bed in a
Shelter and not on the street in the cold.
Yes, Somebody did indeed love her.
Source: Covenant House
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