Sexual Abuse. A Story From A Survivor.Written by Fatimah Musa
Uncle Liam was very kind to me again. He gave me more candies when I went to his grocery shop. He always did. But I did not understand why he likes to touch and pinch my cheek.My visit to Uncle Liam’s shop was quite frequent. He has a daughter about my age and we played together a lot. Mom and dad got to know him because he was friendly neighborhood grocery shop owner who always treated his customers well. He even sent orders right at our doorsteps. It’s been three years since I moved to this part of country with my mom. Dad was away working in another foreign land and he thought that it would be best that we stayed somewhere close to my grandma. That day Uncle Liam told me that his wife would be away to her mother’s house for many days. They are going to have another baby and she wants her mother to take care of her during confinement period. I did not know what it meant but it did not matter. He asked whether I would like to keep his daughter’s company and spend a few nights so that we could play, have fun and sleep together. After getting mom’s permission I was happy to be spending lots of time with my friend, Maria. There was no bed lamp in Maria’s room. The only light was from rays that penetrated through translucent window shutters. I was not afraid though, just not used to her room. But sleep came finally. And then I was awakened and saw this figure above me. He looked like Uncle Liam. He put his index finger on his lips, a gesture that I guessed was to tell me to keep quiet. Then he lifted me and carried me to another room. He laid me down and neither of us said anything. He pulled down my pajama pants, unbuttoned my blouse and touched me.
| | Leaders Learn to Affirm "4 Tips"Written by Kathy Pedeaux
LEADERSHIP "NO-BRAINERS""Leaders Learn to Affirm" by Kathy Pedeaux What an great honor to be a person of influence, a leader, but with that privilege also comes responsibility. Part of that responsibility is to "LEARN TO AFFIRM." It seems that I remember a man called Peter, and you know him as well. John 1:41-43 says, "The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found Messiah" (that is, Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter which means Rock) Jesus saw within him something that he was not, but was to become. It is a joy to be in a position to call out best and to affirm that which is good in others. Yes! It propels those who God has given us influence with to go beyond what they could ever expect. It is a continious prayer of my own that people who God has entrusted me with to lead, would do more than I have ever done and influence more lives than I have ever influenced. When I was a pre-teen, my mother noticed that I could swim well and she continued to compliment and affirm gifting in me concerning swimming. When I reached old age of 14, she decided that she would not only brag on me, but equip me to do something with what I seemed to have a gift for. Immediately she researched on what I could do with such a gift. She found that there was a YMCA about 45 miles away from our very small so-called town, and enrolled me in next lifeguard training school. She lied about my age because I was too young to enter class but she was sure that I would be such a success that age would not matter. I am not encouraging being deceptive, but you get point. Anyway, I passed physical training and academic testing with flying colors! I believe that my success was because someone believed in me, affirmed me with words and with actions. This is an example of many positive things that my parents have called out in me over several years, but even greater than what I was able to achieve, was lesson I learned in believing in others. It begins in our homes and with our families, then to others throughout our workplace and our ministries.
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