When Marianne* first came to StreetLight USA, it was a relief to be in a safe place, knowing she would get the care she needed. She has done very well in the program, making great progress in her education, behaviors, and in changing her thinking about herself. However, as Christmas approaches, she is facing a new onslaught of emotions, which can become overwhelming to a teenager.
This is the first Christmas that she is far away from her family and friends–people in her life who have promised to be there for her. The lack of ongoing connection with those for whom she cares brings sadness, anger, and depression that hang like a rock in her gut. She feels betrayed, abandoned, and rejected, even in the midst of kind and nurturing caregivers, because her own people haven’t followed through with their commitments. There is a hole in her heart that won’t be filled by gifts and a nice Christmas dinner, neither of which she would have expected if she were still with the pimp.
On the other hand, Rebecca* has a mom who is in the picture. She struggles with some different emotions, because it doesn’t seem fair for her to have joy with family members when the other girls have no one. She doesn’t want to hurt any feelings, nor give the impression that she is “special” or “more worthy” than the others, so it is really difficult to share the hope and expectation that she feels when he mother comes to visit. She knows that jealousy and resentment among the girls for one getting “better treatment” was a way of life when they were on the streets, and these feelings can be easily triggered even by small things.
The physical wounds these girls bear when they move into StreetLight can be healed over time with proper care. The deep-seated emotional scars are a different matter. It takes a lot of healing and maturing for sexually abused and trafficked children to get past the relational barriers they have learned for survival, such as territoriality and looking out for themselves. Additionally, they have been forced to numb many of their true emotions to get through the shame and humiliation of each day. In residential treatment, they are learning to accept and express their emotions, and life feels pretty raw most days, giving potential for conflict and volatility between the girls.
The caregivers are extraordinary in giving consistent, loving parameters for behavior, and they are quick to intervene if situations are escalating to keep the girls safe.
Ongoing prayer is appreciated for the girls during this very difficult season as well as for the StreetLight staff and volunteers.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
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