Undaunted

This is from the book "Undaunted:"

Sonia, a Russian girl who had arrived at the shelter (rescued from sex trafficking) the previous day, interrupted “Why are you here?” She demanded, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “There is only one rescuer I know, with the power to free us from the darkest prison. That rescuer is the God I love, who loves us so much he left everything to come for us, to free us. He makes right what the world makes wrong. He loves us broken, and he loves making us whole again. And he asked those of us who love him to love others the same way. To be agents of His hope, His forgiveness, His grace. He asked us to join him in rescuing others. And that’s why I’m here.” I said. 

Sonia’s eyes filled with tears. I could see her grappling with the concept of unconditional love, the meaning of grace, of all things being made new.  No! Sonia could not believe all this. It was too good to be true. She knew all about promises too good to be true. The risk of allowing hope to reenter her life, only to see that hope dashed again, was too much. Her anguish turned back to anger, and she pushed back from the table. “If what you are telling me is true,” She yelled, “Then where were you? Where have you been? Why didn’t you come sooner?”

I heard myself cry out as well, going under in a black despair. Why hadn’t I come sooner? On the surface, of course, there was a reasonable answer. I hadn’t come because I didn’t know about their plight. But I didn’t offer that excuse because the depth of pain, the reality of their suffering at the hands of cruel and evil men, deserved more than excuses.

“I don’t know,” I stammered at last. “I don’t know why I didn’t come sooner.” Such weak, small, light words for such a weighty question. “I am sorry. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.” The silence became even more pronounced. “I want you to know,” I said with new conviction,  “That I have now heard your cries. I have seen you. I see you now.” I turned to Mary. “I see you, Mary. And when I see you, I see Anna.” I turned to Sonia. “I see you, Sonia.” I looked intently at each girl seated at the table. “I see each of you. I hear you. I know you by name. I have come for each of you.”

“You will no longer be hidden,” I told Sonia. “From now on, wherever I go, I will tell people you exist. “ I focused on each girl, one at a time. “I will ask them the very same question you’ve asked me. I will not sit back waiting, hoping, wishing for someone else to do something. I promise you: I will be the someone. Now that I have found you, I will find other girls like you. I will do everything I can to stop this.”