Mi arrived at ARC late in 2006 at the age of 12. She had been severely abused physically, sexually and emotionally for several years with deep trust issues because she had been sold into sexual slavery by her own mother. Through the loving guidance of Mi’s counselors and house mom’s, hope for a life apart from the horrors of the brothels blossomed in Mi’s heart. She slowly accepted her worth and the love of Jesus.
She applied herself in her academic studies because she wanted to learn to read the Bible. Not only did she learn to read it, but she began to memorize it. She learned the entire chapter of I Corinthians 13, and recited it at morning devotions.
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1Corinthians13:6-7
Mi continued to apply herself and was selected to enter vocational training at Bloom Café, a bakery and coffee house where ARC graduates can gain life skills and make a living. Now she creates beautiful cakes, and has even created cakes for the Prime Minister and the King.
With a full time job at Bloom Café and earning enough to support herself and her siblings, Mi was reintegrated to live with her aunt. In December of 2010, she wrote a beautiful letter expressing her gratitude and love to her Agape Restoration Center family. The following is an excerpt from her letter:
I desperately miss all of you Mom and Dad also older and younger sisters in ARC too. I hope and wish all of you miss me too. I was so happy when I lived at ARC.
When I returned home I started to face so many problems, but I try to be strong in prayer to God for His intervention and encouragement for me to do everything well. Although being at home there’s many struggles, yet they motivate me to be firm and strong and persevere in dealing with my life circumstances. Every day when I come back from work I teach the poor kids in my community how to read and write so they can live good like other kids as well.(She uses her own money to buy the teaching supplies.)
I sacrificially lay out my life style to help those kids like ARC helps me no matter how trivial my problem. Now I can help others, and I do it with everything I have and all of my heart.”