Abuse and poverty, Katherine tells her story to the Pope

These are difficult stories that unfold before the Pope who today decided to visit the neighborhood of Casavalle, on the outskirts of Montevideo. Like that of Katherine Silva. "At just 8 years old - she said in her testimony before the Pope - I had to take care of my blind mother. I experienced violence and abuse and, at 15, I ended up on the street. I went through very dark moments, I made decisions that hurt me and, when I thought I had a family, with a daughter of a few months old, I again suffered violence almost to the point of losing my life". So for years it was anger that prevailed: "For a long time I lived full of anger, fear and sadness, angry at everyone, at myself and at God. I couldn't love myself or even my daughter. I even thought about leaving her. But today I know that it was God who held me back."

The meeting with the Church took place through the Tacurú Movement. "I approached it looking for work and I found a family that brought me closer to God: I experienced Him through people who greeted me, hugged me and worried about me. I arrived in pieces and, with patience and love, they helped me put myself back together, one piece at a time", said Katherine again.

"Today I can hug my daughter, play with her and feel like a mother. Not everything is resolved, I continue to fight, but in my heart I have peace and tranquility. This experience of God pushes me to be a light for others. This is why I ask her - she said, addressing Leo Leone, for reaching out to us today."