I was born and raised in Colombia during very difficult times. I can still remember how we lived in very poor conditions. Even after all of these years, it still hurts to look back. The civil war had made our hometown a very unsafe place to live. Corruption was every where… Extreme poverty, lack of food and shelter inundated the place. My mother struggled to keep me safe and provide me with food and shelter.
I can still remember when I was about 7 or 8 years old, a group of men broke into our one room home. They beat and raped my mom numerous times right in front of me. They looked at me while they were abusing my mom and said terrible things. They would laugh and tell me to watch closely because once I grew older, they would come back and do the same to me. I would never forget the terror in my mother’s eyes and the screams that filled the room that day. I was so terrified… I can barely remember anything else after that. All I know is that right after that, maybe the next day or so, My poor mom still bruised and in pain, packed some of our clothes and we walked for endless hours and miles until we were able to find transportation to Bogota.
Once we arrived to the city, my mom found work as a housekeeper. For many years she worked for 2 to 3 families at a time and eventually, I started to help her as I grew older.
Because of the circumstances, I never had the opportunity to go to school. Therefore, I do not know how to read or write.
When I got old enough, I found a job as a waitress. I worked there for several years. When I was in my late twenty’s, I met a young couple. He was American and she was German. They had little children together. They offered me a job taking care of their children and their home. The job offer came with an airline ticket to the United States. I took the job with the hope to help my mom financially and start a new life.
Once in the United States, I worked with this family for about 3-4 years until they had problems with the government and had to move out of the country. At that time, they asked me if I wanted to go with them, but I decided to stay and try to find another job.
The jobs I found after that paid me very little money and sometimes they did not pay me at all… The people were not as friendly and they treated me very bad. I found myself being abused and in some cases tortured with fear and threats. Not knowing how to defend myself or what direction to take, I would just stay and live with the situation.
But no matter what, I always held on dearly to the hope of being able to find peace and tranquility in my life.
In 1978, I was hired by a veterinarian as a live-in housekeeper to care for her children and her home. That is when my life took a drastic turn. The doctor was a single mom who was very cruel and abusive towards everything and every one. I am not sure what happened to her marriage but I do know that her husband had left her and their children. She had an addiction problem with prescribed medication and alcohol which made her a very angry and abusive person. Living and working under her was a dreadful nightmare with no end. I lived in fear not knowing what would come next. I felt that I had reached the end of my limits.
I had no one to speak to because I was not allow me to communicate with anyone.
I could not stand the mistreatment any longer. I did not want to live in this world anymore. I was tired of trying to find peace… I did not see any other way out but to end my life. I figured that the only way to find peace was to end my life.
That morning I woke up with a plan. I cleaned the house, did my chores for the week, picked up my room and prepared the meal for that night. I knew the time and the place… I had the hour calculated to the very end. I knew that I had to leave the house before the doctor came home. To my surprise, as I was getting ready to leave when the door bell rang. I did not know who it was since no one ever came to the house. Surprised, and confused at the same time, I was led to answer the door.
I opened the door slowly and only half way. I found two women smiling right at me and I noticed that one held a book in her arms across her chest. At that instant I heard a strange but loud powerful voice inside of me saying, “That is the Bible, the word of God!”
Soon after I heard that voice one of the women spoke and said,“Hi! How are you today?…” At that instant, I could not help but to brake down and pour out my heart and share everything I was going through with them.
They introduced me to the Father and Jesus Christ. That day I learned that God loves me and that Jesus gave His life for me, that there is hope and that through Christ all things are possible.
From that moment on, I felt a peace that I can’t describe… A peace that has never left me to this day. The urgency to end my life ended that afternoon never to return. I was cleansed from all the depression, even of my situation.
The women left and I continued my day as any other day. That night while I was asleep I had a dream. In the dream all I can hear was the same voice that spoke to me earlier when I answered the door. The Voice said, “You will never be alone, the Lord is with you. You will travel to Florida and there you will find peace. You will never suffer again”
A couple of days later the two women returned to the house and they instructed me that if anyone came to the house and asked me if I wanted to return to Columbia or stay in United States, to let them know that I wanted to stay here. They gave me their number to call them as needed.
A few days after that, a couple of gentlemen came to the door and asked me a few questions, including “Would you like to go back to Columbia or stay in the US?” I answered, “I want to stay here”
I don’t know what happened to the children or the doctor, but I do know that I called the two ladies and they took me in. They helped me find a job where I was treated better. A few years later, I was taken to Florida just like the Voice told me in the dream.
I have been here since. Several years after my arrival, I was hired by Ms Lady who has been so good to me. She has been like an Angel from God. I am an old woman now… My body is old and achy. Today, after 23 years of working for her, she takes good care of me. I know it was my Father who placed it in her heart to keep this old woman in her home, even though I am not able to work like I used to. I am so grateful to the Father for such a gift of mercy and kindness.
I now see that God was always with me even through the terrible times… It was He that sent those women to save me that night… I thank Him everyday…
I live in such peace and with joy in my inner being knowing that God is real and He is with me all the time…
Although I still do not know how to read or write, my Father God always communicates with me through dreams and daily talk. I know that I am here today because of His loving kindness. He is such a great merciful Father! Oh How I love Him!
I don’t desire wealth or riches… But I do wish I was able to read so that I can read the Bible daily and serve my Father by ministering to others about His goodness… I pray blessings over Ms. Lady every day… I pray that people seek my Father daily and that they too find peace in Him like I have…
The world would be a better place if everyone follow the Father… The world needs our Father. Oh how grand is to be in His Presence! That is where I want to be always. Oh how I love Him!
Robertina
Florida, USA
Note: This testimony was translated and written from Ms. Robertina’s spoken words with her permission and willingness to share with others what God has done for her.
In His Grace 