We welcomed 2010 with a bang. We knew that at some point our work would bear fruit when we were able to identify the abused children. We now need to make more bunk beds because we are out of beds for new children arriving at the Rescue Centre. We are dealing with extreme cases of torture/abuse that are occurring within the families and so they are being referred to us by the police, hospital, social welfare or Street Leaders.
On December 25th, a man decided to blow the whistle on the abuse that was going on next door on the little 4-year-old neighbour. On Christmas eve, while so many children were unwrapping their gifts, Lightness was cruelly being punished and was getting burned in the area of her private parts because she had wet her bed once again.
“Ukipigakelele, nitakuuwa”, her mother told her (if you make any noise, I will kill you).
Because she was forced to endure this torturing in silence, her neighbours were not aware of the nightmare she was going through just 10 feet away. The following Christmas morning, Lightness didn’t come out of the house. Her little friends came to get her but were told that she was still sleeping, which was quite unusual at 10 o’clock in the morning… so unusual that the mother, afraid of raising suspicions, put on Lightness’ nicest dress, braided her short hair and forced her to go outside a bit. Because she seemed to be walking with a lot of difficulty, the neighbours were compelled to look under her dress. In total shock at what they saw, they called their Street Leader (a very good friend of ours) who then contacted us. As you can imagine, this is when all of the legal procedures began : the police was called, the mother was arrested and the child was hospitalized.
Since there are doctors close to our Centre, we were rapidly able to bring Lightness back with us to the Centre, which is a much better environment in which she can heal. Doctors taught me how to clean Lightness’ wounds twice a day and they regularly came to visit in order to make sure she was healing properly.
I am amazed at how strong children are. Obviously it wasn’t the first time this abuse was inflicted on Lightness. Her whole body was covered with significant scarring, the sight of which can make anyone cry. How she managed to survive until now is simply a miracle. She was incapable of shedding tears, she was filled with anger, she often hit the other children and tried to destroy things, but after a short week and a lot of tenderness, love and caring (TLC), we started to see some progress. Underneath all this pain she is a very gentle and warm little girl who has already learned, at the tender age of 4, not to trust people and protect herself at all cost. Even if hope is frail, we can see that it is quite hard to destroy. Her heart and body have badly been bruised but amazingly enough not yet broken. Her flame might still be small but she is definitely filled with a willingness and eagerness to heal and grow strong again. How amazing is that?
I am wishing you all a very Strong Inner Flame for this New Year. Let’s simply remember Lightness, letting her become an inspiration for each of us when times get harder. Keeping our flame (hope) alive will enable us all to go on.
Manon Fleury
A SAFE AND LOVING HOME FOR EVERY CHILD IS NOT A DREAM… IT’S OUR GOAL.
