Please Help Me Rescue My Sister
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First of all, I feel very uncomfortable soliciting for some monetary help from other people. This is so hard for me right now, but I have to be bold to save my sister's life, who is in Dubai right now.
My sister Charina is a single parent to her three children. She was in a very abusive marriage for a long time. Unfortunately, she never received the support she needed from people around her and local leaders. After so many brave attempts to leave her husband, she finally did it just a few years ago. This left her the responsibility to raise her kids.
To enable herself to support her family, she studied massage therapy and that became her source of income. Last year, a terrible incident happened when she was raped late in the night while she was on her way home from a massage appointment. She was dragged into the bushes by several men. She never saw their faces, because she was beaten up until she became unconscious. Fortunately, they did not kill her, but she became pregnant from that horrible experience.
Our family found out about what happened to her after three months. She said that she attempted suicide many times and tried to abort the baby at least 7 times. Upon hearing this, we wrapped our hands around her giving her hope and comfort that she could overcome this trial. She became the subject of ridicule, especially when her belly was starting to show. It took a lot of persuasion and positive conversations with her for her to overcome what happened to her. She was in an emotional roller coaster, but she faced her tribulations with tremendous faith and courage. Last September of last year, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She learned to give that baby an unconditional love despite the dark nature of how her baby was born.
This year, my sister Charina started to have a desire to provide a better life for her children. She decided to work abroad as a housemaid. She went to Dubai in June with the hopes that she will find a good family to serve. She started running into some serious problems even during the first few weeks of service. The family worked her to death. She would go to bed at 1am and had to get up at 3:30 am. She had to squeeze in her personal laundry and other personal business during those short hours. She contacted her agency about it, but the agency kept telling her to endure it.
Due to lack of sleep and exhaustion, she would make mistakes so her employer would verbally abuse her all the time. This enslavement continued on until my sister messaged me and other relatives yesterday morning saying her last farewell. She was planning to end her life.
The night before that, she said that she was not able to wake up at 3:30 in the morning to prepare the necessary things for her madam. As a result, her employer was late for work. She was so mad, that she did not allow my sister to sleep the following night. My sister was so exhausted that the idea of suicide came to her yesterday. We had to stay with her the whole day yesterday cheering her up that we will do our best to get her out of that situation. I stayed up all night last night thinking about how to help her. She did not want us to contact her agency because she was afraid that her employer might treat her even worse.
This morning, we found out that she ended up going to the hospital. She said that her whole body started feeling numb and passed out. They took her back to the agency, but they did not feel any sympathy at all. They are requiring her to pay 150k pesos for not finishing her 2-year contract. They took her cellphone so that we could not communicate with her. The owner, also a Filipino, called my other sister in the Philippines demanding her to pay the ransom amount before they would release her. My other sister explained that Charina did not break the contract. She was abused until her body could not handle it anymore. The owner said that my sister was a housemaid so that treatment was normal. They expected her to endure that treatment for 2 years! The agency actually felt that my sister wronged them for not finishing her contract. They said that they spent a lot of money on her so we have to replace everything.
She is a hostage right now. I don't want to pay the money, but my sister's life is at risk. I would like to take this case to the authorities, but I feel like time is running out for my sister. She is very unstable right now and needs medical help. She mentioned before that the agency physically punishes those who did not finish their contract.
I need to buy a plane ticket for her and pay for the 150k pesos that the agency is demanding. We gave them our land title and we have to pay the full amount within a week. If we fail to meet their demands, they will send my sister to prison. Charina needs medical attention when she gets home. We are planning to get a lawyer, but it will cost us money. We are dealing with wealthy and influential people. My family's lives are in danger in the Philippines. In fact, the agency has started threatening our family. I know that we have to fight for our rights. Somebody has to speak up to stop this crime. We are not a wealthy nor an influential family. We don't have the means to fight the corrupt system. For now, my major concern is how to get my sister home safe and sound. I've never thought that this would happen to my sister and our family. For the first time, I felt the power of the devil. We cannot do this on our own, so I am pleading you to please help my sister get home.
The agency's family even summoned my family to appear at the barangay hall. My family explained our side and pleaded for help, but the authorities took the side of the agency. I really don't know where to turn to right now. The agency turned the story upside down telling that it was all my sister's fault. Time is of the essence right now, and we have to rescue my sister soon.
Again, I feel very uneasy to ask for help, but I have to swallow my pride to save my sister. Thank you so much!
P.S. This picture was taken yesterday when she was saying goodbye.
My sister Charina is a single parent to her three children. She was in a very abusive marriage for a long time. Unfortunately, she never received the support she needed from people around her and local leaders. After so many brave attempts to leave her husband, she finally did it just a few years ago. This left her the responsibility to raise her kids.
To enable herself to support her family, she studied massage therapy and that became her source of income. Last year, a terrible incident happened when she was raped late in the night while she was on her way home from a massage appointment. She was dragged into the bushes by several men. She never saw their faces, because she was beaten up until she became unconscious. Fortunately, they did not kill her, but she became pregnant from that horrible experience.
Our family found out about what happened to her after three months. She said that she attempted suicide many times and tried to abort the baby at least 7 times. Upon hearing this, we wrapped our hands around her giving her hope and comfort that she could overcome this trial. She became the subject of ridicule, especially when her belly was starting to show. It took a lot of persuasion and positive conversations with her for her to overcome what happened to her. She was in an emotional roller coaster, but she faced her tribulations with tremendous faith and courage. Last September of last year, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She learned to give that baby an unconditional love despite the dark nature of how her baby was born.
This year, my sister Charina started to have a desire to provide a better life for her children. She decided to work abroad as a housemaid. She went to Dubai in June with the hopes that she will find a good family to serve. She started running into some serious problems even during the first few weeks of service. The family worked her to death. She would go to bed at 1am and had to get up at 3:30 am. She had to squeeze in her personal laundry and other personal business during those short hours. She contacted her agency about it, but the agency kept telling her to endure it.
Due to lack of sleep and exhaustion, she would make mistakes so her employer would verbally abuse her all the time. This enslavement continued on until my sister messaged me and other relatives yesterday morning saying her last farewell. She was planning to end her life.
The night before that, she said that she was not able to wake up at 3:30 in the morning to prepare the necessary things for her madam. As a result, her employer was late for work. She was so mad, that she did not allow my sister to sleep the following night. My sister was so exhausted that the idea of suicide came to her yesterday. We had to stay with her the whole day yesterday cheering her up that we will do our best to get her out of that situation. I stayed up all night last night thinking about how to help her. She did not want us to contact her agency because she was afraid that her employer might treat her even worse.
This morning, we found out that she ended up going to the hospital. She said that her whole body started feeling numb and passed out. They took her back to the agency, but they did not feel any sympathy at all. They are requiring her to pay 150k pesos for not finishing her 2-year contract. They took her cellphone so that we could not communicate with her. The owner, also a Filipino, called my other sister in the Philippines demanding her to pay the ransom amount before they would release her. My other sister explained that Charina did not break the contract. She was abused until her body could not handle it anymore. The owner said that my sister was a housemaid so that treatment was normal. They expected her to endure that treatment for 2 years! The agency actually felt that my sister wronged them for not finishing her contract. They said that they spent a lot of money on her so we have to replace everything.
She is a hostage right now. I don't want to pay the money, but my sister's life is at risk. I would like to take this case to the authorities, but I feel like time is running out for my sister. She is very unstable right now and needs medical help. She mentioned before that the agency physically punishes those who did not finish their contract.
I need to buy a plane ticket for her and pay for the 150k pesos that the agency is demanding. We gave them our land title and we have to pay the full amount within a week. If we fail to meet their demands, they will send my sister to prison. Charina needs medical attention when she gets home. We are planning to get a lawyer, but it will cost us money. We are dealing with wealthy and influential people. My family's lives are in danger in the Philippines. In fact, the agency has started threatening our family. I know that we have to fight for our rights. Somebody has to speak up to stop this crime. We are not a wealthy nor an influential family. We don't have the means to fight the corrupt system. For now, my major concern is how to get my sister home safe and sound. I've never thought that this would happen to my sister and our family. For the first time, I felt the power of the devil. We cannot do this on our own, so I am pleading you to please help my sister get home.
The agency's family even summoned my family to appear at the barangay hall. My family explained our side and pleaded for help, but the authorities took the side of the agency. I really don't know where to turn to right now. The agency turned the story upside down telling that it was all my sister's fault. Time is of the essence right now, and we have to rescue my sister soon.
Again, I feel very uneasy to ask for help, but I have to swallow my pride to save my sister. Thank you so much!
P.S. This picture was taken yesterday when she was saying goodbye.
Organizer
Balanie Nietes
Organizer
Orem, UT
