Beatrice is a shy, reserved, serious, young lady who struggles with self-confidence and social interaction. People around her would misconstrue her as someone who is snobbish and rude, but behind the mask is a child longing for affection, acceptance, and love. As she becomes comfortable around someone, she slowly lifts the mask. She can be bubbly, expressive and animated when she’s at ease. She is a kind, young lady determined to fight her battles, hoping to be victorious in the end.
Beatrice is fifth among her eleven siblings, and five of them are currently residing in a shelter. Providing for such a large family is financially challenging. Their small, humble home is made of bamboo and nipa with only one room for them to sleep in. Beatrice grew up with an abusive father. She can still vividly recall how her father beat her mother to the point where her face would bleed. Her mother passed away in 2012, and life became more horrible for Beatrice and her siblings. Her father often left them home alone and would return home drunk, angry, and abusive. He would do unimaginable things as a form of discipline even if the children did not do anything to provoke him. Since her father struggled to financially provide for the family, Beatrice and her four siblings were placed in a long-term shelter.
The new living environment was challenging for Beatrice, and it caused the effects of trauma to resurface one by one. She struggles with aggressive behavior towards her younger siblings, hurting them both physically and verbally. She is having difficulty with healthy communication and establishing good relationships with others. Behind the behavior, Beatrice longs to express her love and to feel loved especially by her family, but she doesn’t know how so she ends up hurting them.
In November 2021, the shelter where Beatrice was placed referred her to Restore because of self-harming behaviors. This was her way of coping with the recurring flashbacks and intrusive thoughts. With the help of Restore, Beatrice learned about God, herself, and trauma. Restore also taught her emotion regulation skills, anger management, developing her skills in photography, effective communication, social skills, improved family relationships, and self-awareness.
Beatrice is only one of the many children who have suffered from domestic abuse and neglect. Despite the many hurdles she faced, she has fought hard and firmly stands. She endured the hardships, stayed resilient, and remains hopeful for a brighter future.
We praise God for how He changed and sustained Beatrice throughout her journey and for her healing and restoration. As Beatrice starts her new journey of independent living, let us continue to remember her in our prayers. The Lord will surely continue to work wonders in the life of this young lady, Beatrice. Soli Deo Gloria (All Glory to God.)
