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We also take care of children, although the majority are girls. We have an Elementary Preventative Program for girls 5 to 11 years old, and another one for girls 12 to 18 who have been abused. Also schools, institutions and churches that have learned about the Foundation bring me girls who need help. Here, they participate in a program for nine weeks, and on the tenth week they receive a diploma. They learn about family, friends, community, the church, their body, and mind, and the lessons are very interactive. Those who are older take another course where we talk to them about sexuality, “sexting” and everything else. With access to technology, social networks and the bombardment of sexuality through the media, children are more exposed than at the time we were young. Do you think cases of this type of abuse as a product of this freedom that they have now? Yes, and it is closely related to human trafficking through the social networks, where men and women recruit children. There are men between 45 and 50 years old who begin to chat with these children by saying that they are the same age, and once they have their trust, inviting them for ice cream, for example, telling them they can come with their mother. They do this to learn the family patterns. It is extremely important that parents are monitoring what children watch on the Internet. Speaking of human trafficking, ¿have you dealt in therapy with people who have endured this terrible experience? Yes, unfortunately we recently had a teenager and a 20-yearold who had been sex slaves. Here in Miami, since the age of 13, little girls are sold as sexual objects and forced to have sex with two, three or four men. I form part of a Task Force against human trafficking, and provide counseling in order to give them that hug, and love, because these women are scarred, and if they are not helped, they will be for life. I do think there is restoration through Christ. I have always thought that only He gives us that grace, especially to me, a mature person, so that girls open their hearts and tell me what happened, and I can give them the specific help they need. I tell them that God was always there, protecting them from being killed, and even though they cannot understand why He did not prevent the hurt, I tell them with love that God has a purpose in the life of each of them, so that they can become a testimony for each other. Do you think there is a way one person can identify that human trafficking is occurring? Of course! They work as a network of people that are always looking for “hire” the little girlfriend and they give her the new model of cellular so she (happy with her new phone) can enroll
other children. There are warning signs that they are being used by these criminals: they have bruises in their bodies or wear long clothes to cover up bruises, when they had previously worn skirts and shorts pants. Another signal is hiding tablets or phones from parents; there is also the controlling boyfriend that asks them for the love test, which is now cybernetic, called “sexting,” or a photograph of a girl’s private parts, sent to the boy through a text message, which he then posts it on the internet and receives money for it. The person who sells cocaine sells only to one, but human trafficking is lucrative because, just like pornography, they can sell that picture to more than one person, most of the times for sexual purposes, making millions of dollars. Your husband is a good support in your life. We have seen how the flame of love is still alive between you two My husband values and respects what I do, and that is essential in a relationship: mutual respect and admiration. Even if we have an argument, because my temper is more passionate, he supports me, and tells me I am his volcano, and he is my little water of the well. We have been together more than 13 years, and thanks to our God, we are still like in our honeymoon. How is your relationship with God? Very strong, and it is the main part of my life. I do not go out of the house if I do not spend time with him. I dedicate 45 to 60 minutes to be with Him, praising Him, worshipping Him, reading his word, placing my children, my husband and my work in his hands. Walking with Christ sometimes it is not easy, but it is safe. This is the secret of my success, because His word says that when you seek him in privacy, he will exalt you in public. And this is what He has done for me! Real Concepts Magazine • OCTOBER 2015