"You Protected Me"

Vicky was born to a drugged addicted father and a alcohol loving mother. She was born and then taken to a Central American country where in her very first few days of life, her parents decided to put her on the auction block to fuel their drug addiction. Before the transaction happened, the police intervened to rescue the young infant.

Gifts of Grace encountered this young girl over the last several years as she grew up in a small little orphanage in the capital city of this Central American country. Upon further discussions with her and the directors of the orphanage, we found that she struggled to learn. This little girl asked for our help and we gladly provided. Due to your generous donations, we discovered that she suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and that's why she was struggling to learn. Her mother was drunk quite often with little Vicky.

Time passed and sweet Vicky was placed in a new school more tailored to her learning style. During that time she continued to grow and graduate out of kindergarten. During this time, her parents both passed away in jail and an internal investigation was done of their pasts. The father was from South America and the mother was from Europe but little Victoria was born in the United States of America..

Despite her not knowing English, having special needs, and having lived all but 5 days of her life away from the United States, both countries decided to have her deported.. She waited in limbo for almost 5 months, waiting for the time that the country where she lived would send her back to the country where she was born and spent the first 5 days of her life.

When the time came for her to come to America, Gifts of Grace was there to provide emotional and financial support in whatever way she needed. They helped her arrive company to travel with, and we were there to meet her long before social services came to find her off her plane. Due to her special needs, her language barrier, and the fact she will be in foster care, she is a prime target for those looking to exploit children. Gifts of Grace will continue to walk with her in her journey in the United States. Once we come into contact with a survivor, we consider them family for life.

Before us leaving her in the hands of her foster family and on our continued follow up, she says "thank you for protecting me."

Thank you to all who's donations make this possible! We couldn't continue to serve survivors of trafficking and fight for an end to human trafficking in Latin America without you.