<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Maria talked…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>I listened…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
Maria hurt…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
I hurt…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Maria doesn’t cry anymore…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>I didn’t cry then but later in the quiet of the night I shed many tears for her pain…</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
<a class=”asset-img-link” href=”http://trinitysangels.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341cd7d953ef019aff6f8195970d-pi&#8221; style=”display: inline;”><img alt=”IMG_8506″ border=”0″ class=”asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341cd7d953ef019aff6f8195970d image-full” src=”http://trinitysangels.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341cd7d953ef019aff6f8195970d-800wi&#8221; title=”IMG_8506″ /></a><br /></span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Maria’s story is sadly common. ABUSE. Whether it is emotional or physical, it STINGS. It HURTS. It affects more than just the two people involved, the abuser and the abused. It affects families, friends and the cycle continues.
</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Maria and her “husband” have been together for 27 + years. Legally they are not married. Conditions of extreme poverty brought them together in a culture where survival is a daily concern and struggle. Enduring years of her husband’s infidelity and even more years of physical abuse, beatings, threats of death with a knife, hands or a gun were common. Countless times she was literally thrown out of their house and told never to return. </span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
I cannot imagine the feelings that race through a woman in this situation: fear, sadness, agony, powerlessness, shame.
What made her return time and time again? Why did she just not leave I asked? Questions I always ask as I hear more and more similar stories. Unimaginable details. Unimaginable pain and at times I imagine the better word would be unimaginable agony. </span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>What would make a woman stay? One common thread in all the stories…</span><span style=”color: #0000ff; font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;”>The love, unconditional love, women have for their children. They stay for their children.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
It was this day, her story for some reason, that something finally hit me and I fully understood what Jesus endured for me, for all of us as he endured beatings and walked to the cross to endure physical agony. HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for each one of us.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
Between 2 women a personal story was shared.
</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Between 2 women it was all understood. For the love of children.
</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>Between 2 women the embrace of a hug soothed the words, the story, the memories.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
Loving children in His Mighty Grip,
</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”>
Stephanie</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”><a href=”http://www.TrinitysAngels.org&#8221; target=”_self” title=”Trinity's Angels website”>http://www.TrinitysAngels.org</a></span></p&gt;
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: #0000ff;”><a href=”http://www.TheAngelHousePeru.com&#8221; target=”_self” title=”The Angel House Peru”>http://www.TheAngelHousePeru.com</a><br /></span></p>