On June 11, 1988 Two twin girls were born. Weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs 4 ounces and 2 lbs 3 ounces. A couple of months early, but from the beginning they were survivors, they were fighters. Little did they know this was not going to be the biggest fight of their life. My name is Rebecca, I was the first born twin of the two. My twin sister is Pauline. We have one older brother who is thirteen months older then us his name is Joshua
Rebecca @ about 2 years old
Pauline @ about 2 years old
We were born in California, but soon after our birth our family moved to Arkansas. We lived there until we were about four years old. In the process we welcomed a brother to the family, he was thirteen months younger then us, his name is Daniel. During the four years we lived in Arkansa, we were put in the foster care system from the age of 2-4. We moved to Bakersfield, California right before our fifth birthday.
My parents, if you can call them that were not meant to be parents. They were abusive to us children; mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually abusive. The were also drug addicts and alcoholics. I remember a lot from my childhood. I remember, a few good times with my family, but mostly I remember the bad and the ugly. I remember the times we had nowhere to sleep at night, I remember the times we had to sleep in the tunnel under the rail road tracks. I remember the times we had to scrounge the garbage cans for food. It was hard but you know what, it is the very thing that made me strong and made me who I am today.
By 1997, I was seven going on eight years old, and there was now nine of us children. Joshua being the oldest, then Me, Pauline, Daniel, Billy, Samuel, Noah, Joseph, and Jessie. In September of 1997, the county came in and took all of us children away from our parents and placed us in the Foster Care system.
Rebecca & Pauline at about 8 years old
I remember the first night we spent in Jamison Center, formally known as the Shalimar Center. They took all nine of us there in various vehicles including cop cars. When we entered the building they had us all together in a little room, and I remember sitting there and watching one by one as they took each and everyone of my brothers out of there. Because they were so young they were not allowed to spend the night at the center. I remember them coming and taking my sister and I into the back where all the other children were housed, my older brother Joshua and my younger brother Daniel were there and we were reunited. Little did we know this would be our last night together for many many years to come. The boys left to separate foster homes the next day, and all that was left there was me and Pauline. We were terrified, we were sad, and we were lost. We were there for a little over a month before we were placed in our first foster home. It didn't last long and for the next two years we were bounced around fourteen different times. By 2000 we no longer had contact with any of our siblings or our parents. Most of my brothers had been adopted in the first year or so that we were placed in the system. By the age of ten we were placed in a long term foster home, We stayed there for six years, it was good in the beginning but we soon found out that it was going to be one of the worst places we had ever been. (More about that in a future blog) We moved around a few more times before we turned eighteen and then eventually graduated high school. It took us eleven years to get into contact with our older brother and it seemed that it was a battle for the next few years to find the rest, to this day there are still two out there that we have not found. By the way my mother gave birth to her tenth child a little boy in June of 2000. That makes a total of ten of us. All from the same mother and father.
So that is just a little of my story, I didn't go into great detail because i'm not blogging this for sympathy I'm blogging this because I am a survivor and a fighter and I have seen, done, and been through the unthinkable, and I have come out on top. I want to be an inspiration, an encouragement and a person of motivation for someone who may have or is going through something similar to what I've gone through. If I reach one person, and change at least one person, then I know that there is a reason I am writing this.
Last but not least, I know in my heart and soul that I would not be where I am today if it weren't for my amazing and faithful God, watching, guiding, loving, and supporting me through this journey called life.
Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
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