Hope in the Shadows: A Story of Surviving Child Abuse, Part 2

How much courage does it take to leave behind everything you’ve ever known? Last week we started with the story of Abby Alvarado as an abused nine year old child who was taken from her home by authorities. They unknowingly placed her somewhere that was even worse. 

 

Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact!

 

This is Season 4, Episode 34. Our book this week is I Am Abigail: A Texas Woman's Childhood Nightmare - And Her Escape From Hell as a Sex Slave/Survivor.our guests are Abby Alvarado and Jamie Collins. Jamie wrote this story, and Abby lived it. 

 

At the end of last week’s episode, Abby was legally an adult, but felt powerless to leave. She couldn’t imagine abandoning the three children she’d had by her uncle/ adoptive stepfather/ abuser. Abby’s adoptive mother Laura developed a life threatening disease, and Chevo, her adoptive father, told her that once Laura passed, he and Abby could be married and have more children. It was all she could do not to throw up when he talked that way. She wondered if it would be better just to be dead. But Abby knew that her children needed her.

 

But Abby’s life changed when she met Rudy. They were instantly drawn to each other but had no idea how hard it would be to really get to know each other. Rudy tried messaging her on FaceBook, but Abby’s responses were usually very short. No one would ever have guessed how controlling Laura and, especially, Chevo are of Abby’s time and who she interacts with.

To get around that, Rudy adds another phone to his plan . A phone for Abby. He doesn’t know it, but that phone will be a lifeline for her and her children.

 

Isaiah 21:6-8 NIV

 

This is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys 

or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.” And the lookout shouted, 

“Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.”

 

Isaiah is prophesying here about the coming ruin of Babylon. God tells him that a watchman is needed to be aware of what is happening around the city and give the people reliable information about what he sees. A watchman’s job is to alert people of danger. 

 

Rudy was a watchman. He paid attention, and he tried to warn Abby of the dangers he saw. It was hard for her, but as she trusted him more and more, she was able to take action to save herself and her children.

 

A big lesson for all of us here is that watchmen, or we’ll say watchpeople, not only have to open their eyes, but also their mouths! We cannot forget that we live in a broken world with people who have given themselves over to evil. We must be watchers. And when we see things that just aren’t right, that just might mean danger to someone - we have to speak up. 

 

I know that can feel scary, so I want to hear what you think about the idea of being a watcher for your family, your community, and the people in your church. Send me an email a lori@theunlovelytruth.com or message me on social media. I love it when people are willing to have those hard, but impactful conversations!

 

Listen to last week’s episode

 

Please visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities. If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com. 

 

Grab your copy of I Am Abigail (and support the Unlovely Truth - this is an affiliate link)

 

Read Jamie’s first book, I Am Jessica (and support the Unlovely Truth - this is an affiliate link)

 

Link to Jamie’s website

 

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» National Domestic Violence Hotline (800) 799-SAFE (7233)

» National Child Abuse Hotline (800) 4-A-CHILD

» Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (800) 656-4673