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SURVIVOR STORIES

Today There is Hope in My Life

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At 10 1/2 years old my life was shattered forever. The abuse that I suffered at the hands of a family member altered the course of my life. I had no idea of the negative things that were going to enter my universe because of my heaviest. Self-hatred, shame, confusion, pain (both emotional and mental), and feeling my life was shattered forever. 

My abuse was continuous and ongoing over the course of five years and it would take me another 30 years before I could truly start my healing journey. After battling addiction and becoming a teenage mom I put a lid on my abuse and went about my life. Little did I know that it was affecting everything in my daily life, including my relationships with my children. 

In June 2018, I attended the Saprea Retreat. I had no idea how broken I was when I arrived. My time there was life-changing. I learned to believe in myself again. I left there with a sense of worthiness knowing that I was enough. I was able to find forgiveness, not for the benefit of my abuser but for the benefit of myself. I found my inner strength and with that came my voice that will never be silenced again. 

I know my healing process will be ongoing, but I know that I would not be sitting where I’m at today it was not for Saprea and the Saprea Retreat. I was provided with the tools to start my healing journey and to continue once I came home. I am not the same person that arrived at the retreat. Not only did I leave there a very different person, but I have continued to change and grow in the time since I’ve been home. Today there is hope in my life. There’s laughter in my voice. There’s a sparkle in my eyes that has been missing for 30 years and there is excitement for the future ahead. 

I know I will never be the same and I am so thankful for that. I am proud of the woman I’ve become through this journey and excited to watch her grow. 

-Jenny Lyn, Survivor