First of all thank you for what you have done for my daughter and me. My name is María Roa, I am 22 years old, I travel with my 1 year and 11 month old daughter. I am Venezuelan, born and raised in Maracay, Aragua state.
Today is October 22, 2020. 2 years ago I arrived in Puerto de Santander with my ex-husband, my daughter’s father. I had already lived with him for 7 years, I never thought that my life would change as a result of this trip because when the year passed in Puerto Santander (border) my ex-husband began to change, the insults, the offenses, the blows began, even my face. I started working, I was afraid of separating from him because I didn’t know how to do anything, but as I already mentioned, I started working as a truck driver, I left my daughter with a neighbor, I was doing very well but my ex was looking for me and I fell again , I did it because I thought: he is the father of my daughter. Again all rosy, as time passed we fell into the same thing. One day I got up very early and looked at myself in the mirror and said: I am no small thing, I am a woman, I am young, I can.
A friend went to Medellín with hers, her children, I contacted her and she told me to go to where she was and I did. Right now I am in the shelter with my baby, I came walking, I got fellow countrymen walking in search of happiness just like me. I was afraid of the idea that the police would give me back or take my daughter from me for the simple fact of having her at that time of the night and at dawn on a road that did not have lights. I asked for a queue at times when I was left alone walking because it was very slow due to the weight of my suitcases and my baby and well nobody gave me a ride, even, for the glory of God a bus did not run me over with my girl on the way , I made two stops to rest my feet that were already inflamed and injured from walking so much, I walked more than 28 hours without eating anything, sometimes one that other cars would stop to give me some water or bread but that was what for my daughter, I still have a way to go but I know that we will arrive safely in the name of almighty God.
I am a living history of sexual, physical, verbal and psychological abuse.
God bless and keep you, God sees all the good works of him.
