Testimony by Stephanie Samuels
Article originally published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
‘No one came for me – until Jesus did’
Years ago, I was a broken woman with hollow eyes, selling myself to survive. Today, by God’s love, I walk the same streets with dignity. This is not a story of defeat, but of a Saviour who rescues the lost and heals the broken. If you’re facing pain, addiction, or abandonment, there is hope. There is a way out.
Lavender Hill beginnings
Born in Lavender Hill, I was one of nine children, and our busy household masked a reality of neglect and betrayal. My parents worked constantly to support us. At nine, my 17-year-old brother Jacob began abusing me. When I told my mother, she dismissed me: “Don’t make trouble.” I learnt no one would save me.
Falling into darkness
At 19, I fled to Cape Town with nothing. I quickly learnt that a girl like me had only one thing to offer: her body. I traded myself for food, shelter, and safety. The police didn’t rescue us; they often exploited us. The older women taught me to survive: “Smile when you must. Drink to forget.” Drugs dulled my pain, while alcohol numbed my shame.
The pimp’s chains
A man promised safety but demanded everything. For 14 years, I belonged to him, meeting nightly quotas or facing beatings and worse. I wasn’t Stephanie anymore, just another product to sell. Six times I gave birth, abandoning each baby, unable to keep something so pure in my corrupted world. One delivery took place in a toilet, another under a bridge… Until Sandra.
Sandra – a faint light
With Sandra, something changed. For the first time, I delivered in a hospital and wept when I saw her face. Still unable to be a mother, I left her behind, but I never stopped thinking about my daughter. Years later, when my life changed, I found her with foster parents in Athlone who initially refused to let me see her.
Betrayal upon betrayal
It wasn’t just family who betrayed me. It was schools that failed to notice an older brother loitering at the school gate, waiting for his half-sister; police who abused us street girls; and boyfriends who sold me out. Even when I tried to escape, the streets pulled me back. At Muizenberg, I lived with other addicts and prostitutes under the Clovelly Bridge. One night, a man lured me to the dunes with food and wine, then returned with friends who gang-raped me until I blacked out. I woke up at False Bay Hospital, broken but somehow still breathing.
Set free – a new beginning
On 24 March 2023, everything changed. As I walked the streets, I noticed a man, whom I later learnt was Andy, speaking kindly to another girl. Something tugged at my heart, and I approached him, asking, “Please… pray for me.” He laid his hand on my shoulder and prayed, not in condemnation but in love. Right then, I prayed the sinner’s prayer, asking Jesus to forgive and rescue me. In that moment, the chains of abuse, addiction, and shame fell away. For the first time, I was truly free.
A new home, a new heart
That night, I slept near the church steps, feeling safer than ever. I began attending services and prayer meetings, each time receiving more healing. Eventually, I moved to a shelter in Kalk Bay. Later, guided by God, I reclaimed my family home in Lavender Hill. Though the flat was in ruins, the community rallied, providing furniture and support to help rebuild it. By God’s grace, I have turned it into a place of worship, opening its doors to anyone hungry for hope.
Healing the wounds
God began healing my family and extended family, too. Sandra, now grown, chose to live with me at 18, despite years of separation and the trauma of abuse by her foster father. She’s now studying to complete her matric and plans to join Chrysalis Academy later this year. When my nephew, broken by drugs and rejection, died, God used me to organise his funeral and speak hope into the family’s despair.
A life redeemed
Today, I’m part of Bay City Church, studying at Bible College, and serving as a prayer warrior. Every morning, I walk my former streets with a new purpose, praying for prostitutes, pimps, addicts, and gangsters, knowing that none are beyond salvation.
A feared Fast Guns gang leader once came to me for prayer and later gave his life to Christ. God uses me not because I’m strong, but because I was broken, and He made me whole.
The girl who dances again
Recently, I found myself playing ball with neighbourhood children, laughing and running freely. In that moment, I realised God had restored my stolen childhood.
I am Stephanie Samuels, a daughter of the King. When I walk down Military Road, old faces barely recognise me. They whisper, “Is that really her?” The light within me outshines my former darkness.
A message for the broken
To young women who think the streets offer freedom: they don’t. They offer only pain, addiction, and death. But Jesus Christ offers real freedom. He can heal the most broken heart and redeem the darkest past. If He did it for me, He will do it for you.
This article appears in the July 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 24/06/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
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