Delisa was often locked in the basement as a young girl. Aunt Lenny didn’t want be bothered with Delisa and her sister. In fact, she often let Delisa and her sister know they were a burden to her. She never wanted to raise two girls in the first place.
As Delisa and her sister grew Aunt Lenny complained about how expensive it was to clothe and feed the girls. Delisa remembers being hungry most of the time. The feelings of rejection caused a constant ache in Delisa’s heart that was worse than her hunger pains.
Aunt Lenny told 11 year old Delisa she would be required to earn her keep from now on. She soon learned what Aunt Lenny meant. Aunt Lenny started selling Delisa to men in the community, and she took the money to pay for Delisa’s room and board. At times Aunt Lenny would promise extra food or a nicer pair of used shoes for Delisa.
Delisa prayed and wished for a way out of her life of domestic abuse and trafficking. Her first glimmer of hope came when she met a young man as she thought loved her. But Delisa didn’t know what love looked like or felt like. She only knew what felt familiar. To her horror, her boyfriend soon trafficked her. Repeated prostitution charges throughout Delisa’s young adult years, led to her incarceration.
When Delisa was released from jail she went to transitional living where she attended her first Alive at Last small group. Filled with shame and self-hatred, Delisa attended the small group unsure of what to expect. Her small group leader dispelled shame as she boldly said, “no little girl chooses abuse. It was not your fault.” During that first class hope began to stir in her heart. For the first time she saw her childhood through the lens of truth. She realized she was a victim of force, fraud and coercion.
Each week women like Delisa have the opportunity to experience life change through small group support and mentorship provided by Alive at Last.
If you would like to help and support women like Delisa live free and find their God given purpose, then just click the links below!