I’ve found a place of love and hope

I am a mother of two boys, one who is 16 and my younger son who is seven.

I grew up in the Islands and life was hard. I have a disability and my thinking is quite slow, and I have a speech impairment. My family always looked down on me. I was the girl who would do all the chores and was always teased and mocked for being the “slow one”. I remember that once in my late teens my eldest brother punched me in the face when I had done something wrong. I fell dead flat on the floor.

When I was 21, I moved to New Zealand. I was hoping for a better life. I met a guy and became pregnant with my first child. He was very abusive and an alcoholic, and he left me for another woman.  I heard later that he died of an overdose.

My life at home was not good either as I was always being beaten by my elder sister. She would use a cricket bat or baseball bat on me or my children.

She applied for my sickness benefit, but I was never allowed to touch my bank account.  I was told that I was useless, and I wouldn’t know how to handle my own money.

I was never given a chance to learn anything or to better myself. I always felt dumb and insecure because that is what I was always told. I felt helpless, depressed and tired. I had constant thoughts of taking my life.

Finally, I had a breakthrough when a support worker said she would try and get me out of my unsafe situation to somewhere safe.

This is where my life started to turn around. I found a new family within the Mother of Divine Refuge. I met Mother Susana who is the boss of the refuge but she serves all the families like she is a servant.

Mother Susana treats me like her own daughter, and talks to me with love and encouragement

even when I do wrong. She may be in her seventies, but she works and moves faster than the young ones.

I was raised a Catholic but this is the first time in my life that I have seen a real Catholic who lives for Jesus and lives like Jesus. Mother Susana loves Jesus and Mother Mary.

I have learnt so much in the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge. I am a different person, even my children see that in me.

Today I am independent, strong and able to stand on my own. I am not stupid or weak. I believe and know that Jesus really loves me and my children and wants me to have a blessed life.  I have confidence that I didn’t have before.

The refuge is supporting me and my children to have a better future.  I thank God for this place and will never ever forget all that Jesus has done for me through the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge.