the story of one - ebook

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This is The Story of One, one special child who represents thousands and gives a face and a real life story to the many just like her who have—with the love and support of a sponsor and Compassion’s holistic child development programs—been released from a life in poverty. Angelica has shared her life story in the clip found on the DVD in this pack. In turn, you can share her story with your friends, family, church and online social networks. Together, you CAN make a difference for children like Angelica.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Story of One - ebook
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Page 4: The Story of One - ebook

M y dad is missing. Last time we lost him, we found him after a few weeks. But this time it’s been

months and we still don’t know where he is.

Sometimes at night I worry about him and if he’s warm.

Page 5: The Story of One - ebook

H e used to work on the farm, strong as a water buffalo. But one day he came home and

just kept saying, “They are going to kill me, they are going to kill me, they are going to kill me”, over and over again.

I was really scared. Nothing has been the same since then.

Page 6: The Story of One - ebook

N ow we know that no one is trying to hurt my dad, just that his

mind is sick.

My mum had to work really hard to earn money and look after me and my three older sisters at the same time. She got paid 1200 pesos a month—that’s $28 in your money—for being a maid at a big house in the nighttime as well as during the day.

I got lonely sometimes.

Page 7: The Story of One - ebook

T hen my mum got sick too, but in a different way. She gets tired really quickly and a doctor told us there is something wrong with her heart. She needs something called an ECG test to find out what.

But that would cost 140 pesos—around $3.30 in your money. That amount would buy our food for a whole week!

Now she can’t work, so I’m not lonely anymore. But now I worry about her too.

Page 8: The Story of One - ebook

I nstead my sisters have to work to earn us money. Alfie is 14, Alma is 13 and Hazel is 12. Alfie and Hazel sell steamed duck eggs to motorcycle-taxi drivers in the evenings after school. Alma has

stopped going to school to help our mum at home.

I’m six, and they say I’m too small to work yet. They call me Little Angel, even though my name is really Angelica.

Page 9: The Story of One - ebook

I am really a very lucky girl. As well as my sisters, I have lots of friends at the Compassion child development centre in

our village and a sponsor who writes to me all the way from South Korea.

I nearly missed out on being registered, because we didn’t know the centre was opening. But Michelle, one of the ladies from the centre, heard about us and came to visit four times—except mum was always out working.

Page 10: The Story of One - ebook

A fter a month, the centre was ready to open, but Michelle still hadn’t seen us. So she decided to visit one last time, late at night and during a storm so we would definitely be home!

Michelle always tells me it was the first time in her life she was thankful for lightning, because it lit up the way across the bridges to our stilt house. Otherwise she might have fallen in the swamp!

Page 11: The Story of One - ebook

W e were so surprised to see her! Mum says when Michelle arrived in the middle of the storm, she knew how much Compassion cared and that they really wanted to help us.

So now I go to the Compassion centre, and we all go to church next door to it. Mum says Compassion reminded her that God never forgot about us.

Page 12: The Story of One - ebook

I love going to the centre—it’s my second home. I play there with all my friends and the workers tell us stories. They help me to study, and now I can read and write on my own.

Best of all, we get lovely snacks and fresh, juicy fruit. A few months ago, it was Hazel’s birthday. I saved up my food from the centre to give her when she got home from work.

I felt so happy to share it. Hazel cried.

Page 13: The Story of One - ebook

O ne of the best things I’ve learned at the project is how to talk to God. This is what I say:

Lord, please make my mother healthy and help my father find his way back home. And Lord, all the money that you see just lying around, please get it and give it to us so that my family won’t be hungry anymore. Amen.

When I talk to God, I know that one day, everything will be okay.

Page 14: The Story of One - ebook

www.compassion.com.au/thestoryofone

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. “ ” ­—­Matthew­18:5