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Touching Lives
Short-term Team to the Victory Center Ministry to Street Girls Share Their Experience
October / December 2003

The following article was written by Cora Paumier, who recently took a team from the Valley Vineyard in Perris, California, to the Victory Center ministry to street girls in Morelia, Mexico, which is sponsored by Arms of Love International. The Victory Center is a unique ministry in its focus on providing long-term transitional and residential care for young girls who have been sexually abused and who have been victimized by prostitution.

I've always had a fear of flying. Because of that fear, I had no desire to travel anywhere where I would have to fly to get there. But as I began to desire the things that God desired for me and sensed that going to other countries might be part of His plan, I began to pray, "Lord, if that is part of your plan, then you are going to have to give me a good reason to want to fly!"

One afternoon as I was praying, I sensed that there was a new work that the Lord was about to reveal to my husband and I. A couple of days later, I received a newsletter from Arms of Love. I had received a few newsletters before, but this time I sensed a strong nudge to really read it. As I began reading, what moved me was the story about the Victory Center for street girls in Morelia Mexico. They come from a variety of situations, some more tragic than others, but they have one thing in common: the need for someone to love them, to give them a home, and to provide an alternative to life on the streets.

That newsletter prompted me to call Arms of Love, and I proceeded to talk with its founder, Robert Benson, for more than an hour. During that conversation, I felt the Lord say that this is the ministry He wanted my husband and I, and the small church that we pastor in Perris, California, to become involved in.

The next Sunday I shared about the Victory Center at our church, and several people responded with a desire to go to Morelia. After much subsequent planning, training and preparation, in September 2003 we took a small team to minister to the girls at the Center: 11 people in all, ranging in age from 5 thru 50.

When we arrived at the Victory Center, it was a little awkward at first. The girls were so polite as they stood in front of us introducing themselves. They were so young, some of them being only 11 years old. I remember thinking how difficult it must be for these girls to have teams such as ours come into their lives for such a very short time and then leave again. I wondered if they would let us in even a little bit?

The next day was Sunday, and after church we went to a plaza where the awkwardness began to subside. We had a great time getting to know the girls as we walked up and down the plaza. We laughed a lot as we began to communicate with the girls. The girls were very patient with us as we used our hands a lot to communicate. We did have a team member with us who was fluent in Spanish and that often made it easier, but he wasn't always available.

Every day there were chores that the girls had to do, and we were integrated into their regular schedule. Some of us had kitchen duty that consisted of washing dishes, or sweeping and mopping the floor. Others would clean off the dining table and sweep the dining area. Being a part of their routine gave us the opportunity to experience what their typical days are like.

We also got to experience "real" Mexican food, and boy did they serve us a lot! Some of it was a little different for us but it was all good. One thing that was always on the menu was salsa.

While we were staying at the Center, there were a couple of rooms that needed painting, so the ladies focused on that while the men did work in the yard. Though the work was tiring (especially for me, I'm the 50 year old!), it was another way in which we could interact with the girls. I looked forward to the evenings because then we would talk and laugh, as we sat and played various card games and made jewelry.

We knew that God wanted us to be His hands and especially His heart to these precious children of His during our week at the Center. It was easy to do because we were all falling in love with them. God was doing a work in each one of us and as the week was coming to an end, we sensed that it was going to be more difficult to say goodbye than we thought.

On our last day we knew that the girls had planned a few things for us and we also had a couple of things planned for them. Towards the end of the evening each girl got up and shared a bit of what the visit had meant to them and thanked us for coming. They each said that they would never forget us. By then we were all in tears, but what really broke us is when they encircled us and prayed for us. We were so touched when they asked the Lord to bless and protect us and again thanked us for coming.

We are planning another trip in January or February of 2004. Remember when I said that God would have to give me a good reason to want to fly? Well, He gave me five. And I can't wait to see them again.

Cora Paumier

The mission trip to Morelia was an experience I never will forget. It was such a fun and eye-opening adventure to minister to and just hang out with the girls in Morelia. While we were there, our team was able do some needed work on the facility. But more importantly, we were able to express God's love with the girls and establish relationship with them. In the faces and demeanor of the girls, anger, sadness, and rejection loomed. It was so evident that these girls needed to feel the love of the Lord.

The best part of our trip was seeing the girls receive His love through the team. I realized just how rich I am here in America, not only in the daily provisions that I have, but in the many opportunities that I have to experience God's love in my life. It was such a privilege to work side by side with God in the advancement of His kingdom by sharing His love with these girls. -Tracy Allen, Valley Vineyard

Sue Leak, Director of the Victory Center, with the
five girls living at the Center in September 2003

Dulce: Is the newest of the girls in the house. She has a great sense of humor and loves to play practical jokes on everyone. She is trying to understand the difference between knowing God and knowing things about God.

Veronica: Has been with us from the beginning of the ministry, one and a half years ago. She loves to try out her English on anyone who will listen. She also loves music and drawing. She received Christ as her personal Savior last February and was baptized last April.

Vivianna: Has been with us since April of 2003. She´s struggled with a change in lifestyle but has made great advances in the past couple of months. She loves making beaded bracelets, eating chocolate and playing card games.

Ivonne: Has been with us since May of 2003. She has a learning disability and has really struggled with some of the basics of learning. Since being with us she has learned most of the alphabet, counting to 20, adding and subtracting and some reading. She loves to sing praise songs and do little jigs all around the house.

Rosa: Has been with us since June of 2003. She is in the public school system and has made tons of friends there. She loves to sing, play cards and do exercises. She is just now starting to think about spiritual things.