The Runaway Teen
On Friday, December 16 a older gentleman, and a young 16 year old girl came into the center they were referred to us by a local church. It seemed odd to me why this older man that looked homeless and scary was with this young blond girl but I put my fears aside and listened to their story. She was a runaway. She lived in Houston, Texas. She got on a Greyhound bus and wanted to come to Long Beach, California. But while she was traveling on the bus she was sexually abused and the man kept her captive on the bus. When she arrived in Long Beach she was able to get away. She ran to this gentleman for help. He took her to the church and there they referred them to Harbor Pregnancy. While here we were trying to see if her foster family would wire her money for her bus fare back home. Because not being 18 she wasn’t able to receive the money. We called the Greyhound bus to see if the money could be wired there and that’s when we found that Greyhound has a program called “Home Free” where a young runaway will be taken back home free of charge with and escort. We packed her a lunch we gave her tamales, soda, fruit and a few dollars and the gentleman took her to catch the 8 o’clock bus back to Houston Texas that night. Before she left I asked her do you believe in Angels, well today and pointing to the man I said he is your Angel. I called her on Monday she said she arrive in Houston on Sunday afternoon. I asked how do you feel about your experience, she said, “I will never do that again”
On Friday, December 16 a older gentleman, and a young 16 year old girl came into the center they were referred to us by a local church. It seemed odd to me why this older man that looked homeless and scary was with this young blond girl but I put my fears aside and listened to their story. She was a runaway. She lived in Houston, Texas. She got on a Greyhound bus and wanted to come to Long Beach, California. But while she was traveling on the bus she was sexually abused and the man kept her captive on the bus. When she arrived in Long Beach she was able to get away. She ran to this gentleman for help. He took her to the church and there they referred them to Harbor Pregnancy. While here we were trying to see if her foster family would wire her money for her bus fare back home. Because not being 18 she wasn’t able to receive the money. We called the Greyhound bus to see if the money could be wired there and that’s when we found that Greyhound has a program called “Home Free” where a young runaway will be taken back home free of charge with and escort. We packed her a lunch we gave her tamales, soda, fruit and a few dollars and the gentleman took her to catch the 8 o’clock bus back to Houston Texas that night. Before she left I asked her do you believe in Angels, well today and pointing to the man I said he is your Angel. I called her on Monday she said she arrive in Houston on Sunday afternoon. I asked how do you feel about your experience, she said, “I will never do that again”