BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
CHRISTMAS is really the time to celebrate children’s rights and to renew our commitment and determination to continue taking a stand for them, protecting, rescuing and saving them from harm and advocating protection for all vulnerable children. That’s the mission of Preda Foundation and we thank you for the help, support and donations that you have contributed to help many children. From the first days of his birth, Jesus of Nazareth was born a very vulnerable child. He was threatened with death by King Herod and escaped with his life when his parents fled into Egypt.
Happy days at the Preda home for girls
The past 2023 has been another successful, positive and happy year for 150 children/survivors that were helped in the Preda home for girls and recovered strongly from the trauma of their abuse. The children that flee their abusers find refuge and protection in the Preda homes. Here, they get a new lease on life, thanks to your donations and support and help. They are happy and content but wish for a happy future.
When rescued from their houses or sex bars of their abusers or traffickers, Preda staff and children give them a warm welcome, affirmation, encouragement, support, understanding, friendship, and reassurance. A great start to their recovery. They feel safe and well-protected where their abusers can’t get them. Please continue your support all the more and help us save more because there are many more frightened children in hiding, scared to tell anyone. They need to be rescued from their abusers and human traffickers and supported in the Preda family. There are at present 64 girls from the ages of 6 to 17 in the Preda home at different stages of healing and empowerment and recovery. Their dignity and self-confidence is restored, their lost childhood is recovered and they experience, perhaps for the first time, freedom, happiness and joy.
Rose Anne was 14 when she was first abused by her uncle and a cousin and they threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Just like Jesus was threatened by King Herod. She lived in fear everyday until she told a classmate of her ordeal and she told a teacher and Rose Anne was then rescued by Preda and a government social worker. She recovered at the Preda home for girls with the help of caring staff and freely joined the Emotional Release Therapy where she cried, shouted and released her pain and anger at her abusers. Today, she is recovered and has bravely testified against her abusers and convicted them both to life in prison. Rose Anne is enrolled now in college with the help of Preda supporters and is strongly outspoken and will be a great police woman one day.
This year, 18 child sex abusers were convicted by Preda children. In 2022, 20 abusers and traffickers were convicted. Victories continue month by month. Since the girls home first opened in 1996, as many as 400 plus abusers and traffickers have been convicted and are serving life sentences, thanks to the brave and courageous children that told their story convincingly and truthfully to the court and were believed.
Many more Preda children are on their way to a similar happy future as Rose Anne’s, including the 85 children that were reintegrated this year to safe, supportive families. They will join the 47 other children that were reintegrated in the previous year. They continue their education through the Preda aftercare educational financial support program and are visited and cared for by a Preda outreach social worker. (To be continued)/PN
