Today, Victorita is a valued social worker at The Salvation Army’s EU (European Union) centre in Stockholm, Sweden, where she supports vulnerable EU citizens, third-country nationals and adults seeking asylum. Victorita is grateful that she can now financially support Christian missions in Spain and enjoys travelling to her homes in Romania, Sweden and Tenerife.

Growing up, Victorita lived in an abusive household where she was deprived of a standard education to instead work as a launderer at nine years old. As a young adult, she was tricked into sexual exploitation where she developed an addiction to drugs to cope with the ‘pure hell’ of the abuse. 

Even after Victorita escaped her traffickers, the addiction remained. Her mental and physical health had sunk to an extreme low. One day, as she walked along the street, a stranger approached her and said: ‘Woman, why are you crying? Jesus loves you.’ 

After this encounter, Victorita started attending church. Over time, she stopped using drugs and alcohol, found opportunities to study and work, and made the decision to be baptised. Shortly before she was baptised, Victorita participated in a Christian conference where there was a lot of talk about miracles. Victorita remembers how a preacher pointed out that in just three days, three weeks or three months one's life can change. It gave her hope.

Though hard times still come, notably in times of injury and chronic illness, Victorita has a new perspective: ‘I see it as Jesus has saved me several times, not just when I was first saved… Knowing that God’s grace is new every morning has helped me throughout my life. When you make mistakes, it can be easy to judge yourself and find it hard to forgive yourself, but when God forgives us, he doesn't remember the sin anymore.’ 

Victorita's story was originally reported by Teresia Jansson, Sweden and Latvia Territory.