Dear Brenda, 

Can’t wait to see you again. You bring a light to everyone on this mountain including the people who don’t know you yet. Their work you do just amazes people. I will testify to that every day. Before you and God partnered up bringing me here you were a light to me and everyone you came across out there. I always knew you’d have a turkey sandwich for me when I’d see you and your crew huddled on the corner. Always right on time.

Gloves, food, toiletries… You always knew what we needed and were always so full of hope for every one of us girls. You still are and I hope you don’t ever stop what you do! I hated getting locked up but thank God for it this time. Do you know how hard it is to watch these girls I knew from the corners? Girls I huddled with in the coldest nights, in the nastiest abandos… Show up here because of you (and God of course)! But you fought for an option for us and some girls don’t realize the chance that God is giving them to become New. Anything I’ve done, they’ve done, will be forgiven. It kills me when they don’t see the opportunity but Camden takes a hold and it’s a Real Battle to get out of its grip. Everybody who comes here from there knows that pain and it’s hard to know what pain they are going back to.

All I can do is pray for them and trust that a seed has been planted. I thank God for March 17, 2015 and all involved. Say what’s up to the police (crazy right?) And to Sgt. Coley.

Love you, Danielle

My testimony is below

Hello, my name is Danielle. I am 27 years old and I grew up in Pennsauken New Jersey, eight blocks outside the city that would take me to my knees. I grew up no stranger to the street mentality. I had young parents who struggled economically and we lived only one block from where my dad grew up…where my grandparents lived. I grew up daddy’s girl. He was my coach in softball all through the years. I worked my whole childhood practicing, multiple teams each year, showcase tournaments trying to achieve a college scholarship. I went to Camden Catholic High School after being in Pennsauken public schools my whole K – 8. I was completely against it and the four years of religion class. The only upside was the athletic opportunities.

I was very promiscuous and rebellious and partied with older guys. I began sniffing coke. I spent every moment in the bathroom, porta potty’s at tournaments and found myself never in class. After my dreams were answered for a softball scholarship I was put out of high school… All related to my drug use. I lost everything that I, we, my family had worked for.

I spiraled with shattered dreams and ended up in my first rehab at the age of 17. I began attending NA meetings and met my daughter’s father (who was eight years older than me). We quickly moved in together and fought all the time. He began to physically abuse me. When he relapsed, so did I. I became pregnant and we fought so badly all the time I almost miscarried early on and became high risk. Finally after the worst fight at my seventh month we split and I moved back with my parents. I continued using pain pills (he introduced me to them a year before) after giving birth and became full on addicted. When my daughter was 2, DYFS got involved and I quickly jumped on Methadone. The following two years consisted of me in an out of “mommy and me’s”, detoxes, mixing benzos with methadone and trying to stay one step ahead of the game. DYFS caught up. They removed my daughter. I went to a detox to get off methadone, a program, then a halfway house and completed. I was working and had an apartment in Asbury Park. I was just weeks away from getting custody back of my daughter when I got arrested in Neptune Township for possession of heroin only one week after trying it for the first time. Everything quickly spiraled again as it couldn’t be kept secret. So, I decided to hit the streets where that life is completely acceptable. Camden. I spent four years injecting cocaine, heroin, smoking crack, standing on the corners of Broadway day in and day out prostituting, in and out of jail, “living” in abandos, it was pure SURVIVAL. 

I was picked up in my fourth prostitution sting and once again on the run from probation for the third time. I was given the opportunity to choose help or jail. Every other time I chose jail. I was tired. I gave myself a break and chose to go for help. Brenda, a woman in Camden who we all know and love, has a ministry working with girls, prostitutes in Camden. She is a liaison type between Metro (police) and us. She hooked me and two other girls that night up with a ride to the Walter Hoving Home. I was so wrecked and exhausted from being on a four day binge. I had no idea where I woke up. Thank God it wasn’t the county jail again. I went through being dope sick for a week but after all that I was glad I was in a safe place.

God has restored so much in my life already. I had four years of No Contact with my family/daughter. Now my mom comes to visit me. I have a real roof over my head, windows without boards, can shower each day with clean clothes to wear, I can close my eyes and not worry what’s going to happen to me, I don’t have to do anything in exchange for a meal. God has given me peace. I am a survivor but I don’t have to survive anymore. I have a relationship with God. I don’t cringe at the name God anymore. I don’t know what’s in store for me but I know God has a plan for me. I want all the girls who thought there was no hope and thought they were too broken to be fixed to know that God can turn the biggest mess into a miracle if you let him.

Romans 6:13-- give yourself completely to God, for you were dead but now you have new life.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST ABOUT THE STREETS

Please be praying for the protection and safety of our women.Our girls are being,beaten,robbed,and raped regularly on Broadway.They are being targeted in their vulnerable,helpless state and the abuse is increasing.There are 2 known men as we speak that are regularly abusing and violating these girls.Pray that our Metro officers will be able to apprehend these guys and put them away for a long time.The girls are afraid to speak because of the repercussions,so pray for safety and strength and a hedge of protection for these women.They need your prayers!  thank you