TESTIMONY OF EVELYN GOMEZ 

I was 8 years old when my mother began to physically and verbally abuse me.  Her abuse seemed to have no limits and made me think that I would be better off dead.  Even at this early age, I knew I had to get away from her.  I left her and went to live with my father and stepmother.  Leaving my mother so I could get away from the abuse, made me happy.  I do not have many good memories of her.  She never spent time with me or cared about me.  The tenderness; the love; the caring words that a mother tells her child when she puts them to bed; bedtime stories and simply saying “I love you” were never part of my childhood.

My Father

My stepmother traveled a lot so my father was the one who watched after me, cooked for me, and provided for me.  He was both Mom and Dad.  Later, we moved to a very low-income area.  Most kids drop out of school at an early age.  Drugs, crime, poverty and sexually transmitted diseases were normal.  My father bought a small house here.  At age 12 my father and step mother separated.  I had my first boyfriend here and I became sexually active at age 13.  By the time I was 15 I was pregnant by him.  I thought he would be happy.  He was not.  He denied the baby was his and then accused me of cheating and left me.  I was all alone and left to support myself and my soon coming baby.

Job

Even though it was against the law because I was under age, I got a job.  It paid 50 Dominican Pesos a day, or about one dollar a day in US dollars.  I worked seven days a week and made about 1,500 pesos a month ($55 US).

By the time I was 16 years old I had two children and was totally on my own.  One day, when I came home from work, I couldn’t find my children.  I soon discovered that the National Council for Children had taken them.  They told me that to get my children back I had to be accompanied by an adult.  I got a ride to go see my parents.  The agency said my stepmother could have the children and I agreed to it.  After that, my father refused to allow me to ever see my children.  I could only get photos sometimes.  My family was so mad at me.  One of my aunts went to my home and destroyed it, making it unlivable, and stole everything I had.  I was now homeless, without my children, and all my family turned their back on me.

Alone and in Danger

It was night time.  I was walking, but with no where to go.  I was hungry.  A stranger told me to follow him.  He bought me some food and then took me to a small motel and had sex with me until the next day.  He left me some money to buy some food and clothes.  I was happy about that because the only clothes I had left were the ones I was wearing.

Make Money

I had learned men would pay me if I gave sexual favors to them.  A few days later I met some other women and followed them to where they sold their bodies for money, so I did the same.

The first three days everything was good.  I made enough money to eat and take care of myself.  Then a man came and said he wanted a younger girl.  The other girls told him it had to be me because I was the youngest.  I was still only 16.  Soon after I went with him, he began to beat me with his firearm all over my head and raped me with his gun while threatening me.  He wanted me to scream or cry.  I refused.  I didn’t even make a sound.  His anger grew worse.  He used his gun on me again.  But, somehow it didn’t go off.  When he pulled his gun out this time, my bowels and intestines came out with it.  He then threw me out of his vehicle.  I was unconscious.  He thought I was dead.

Guardian Angel

Sometime after, another man found me lying on the street.  He took me to one of our finest hospitals and paid for all my treatments.  I was in a coma for three months and after I awoke I spent another month in intensive care.  Little by little I recovered my memory.  I have never found out who my guardian angel was.

I moved to the north part of the city with a friend.  She was like a mother to me.  She would tell me what to do and what not to do.  My life started to change a little, but we all needed money.  I decided to go back to my old life-style, so I could help everyone with money, even my children.  Even though I was not allowed to see my children my parents were glad to take my money to help pay for the children’s needs.  As I got older I learned it was not me that caused the breakup of my Mom and Dad.  It was that my Dad was always going outside their marriage to have sex with other women.

I Survived

As time passed, I was in seven major car accidents.  I survived them all.  In the last one I was crossing a street.  I had three grams of cocaine and a bottle of alcohol with me.  The car hit me so hard, it damaged the front of the car and bent the front tire.  It threw me, and I landed on the pavement.   I was injured but not in a life-threatening way.  When I recovered I went back to what I believed was a “normal” life.

No one loved me and no matter how hard I tried, I could not fill that empty hole inside of me.  Soon after a rich man found me and took me to his mansion.  He paid me a lot of money to have sex with other women while he and his friends watched.  I found myself living in a mansion; being paid lots of money; receiving new clothes; food to eat; a place of safety; and, of course, lots of drugs.  I don’t know what happened, but he sold his house and we were all forced to move.  He gave me money, but I soon spent and wasted it all.

Alone

I found myself broke, alone, disowned by my family, separated from my children, and no real friends.   So I did the only thing I knew to do.  I went back to work selling my body.  The street and vices were once again my companion.  I was starting over.  Once, when my business was slow, I went to a witch doctor.  He said if I paid him he would put a curse on me and surround me with demons, so men would be very attracted to me.  I paid him, and my business picked up.  I gave him a percentage of all my income.  But, I couldn’t sleep.  At night the demons would surround my bed, scare me and keep me awake.  So, I paid him even more money to make them go away.

I wish I could put in words the grief inside of me from being totally rejected by my family.  It is a hole so deep that it cannot be filled.  On five occasions, when I felt I could live with it no longer, I tried to kill myself.  I’m so thankful that God helped me not to be successful.

Accepting Jesus

I was using drugs heavily to cover up my emotional pain.  One day, I met a man that God sent to me, who told me about Jesus.  His name was Moises.  I heard a voice that told me to marry this man and he will help you find a different life.  I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord.  We have been happily married for 6 years.  My children are still with my family, but they let me see them now and then.  My relationship with my family is improving.

Truly, the scripture in II Corinthians 5:17 applies to me:

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

My husband, Moises and I, take food to the girls working on street corners in the same places I used to work.  We tell them about Jesus and give them hope for a better future.

I would like to pray for you.  At the bottom of my article is a place you can leave a comment.  Please give me your situation or prayer request, so we can pray God will lead you to victory over your situation and grant you true happiness.

I know He will if you will just ask Him.