An Ongoing Story of Redemption
It’s easy to conclude that the odds were stacked against Merigin before her life even began. With a mother struggling with addiction and a father desperately trying to get by, Merigin was removed from an abusive household and raised in a government-run institution. However, what every child longs for is to grow up in a family. At 18, Merigin aged out of the system, and seeking her biological family, she found them exactly where she had left them. Merigin stayed with them anyway, juggling various jobs to make ends meet. By 19, she was pregnant and living on the streets.
Merigin reached out to our Tulong Kay Nanay Facebook page. Her only hope was for her son to be placed in an institution – it’s the story she knew. But this time, she has a choice, and the story is still being written. Our team responded and walked alongside Merigin throughout her pregnancy, providing her with medical and financial assistance, and mommy and baby essentials. She was connected to the church, received counseling and spiritual support. She was also brought to a home for pregnant mothers. Merigin did not have to walk the overwhelming road of pregnancy alone. She found a group of dedicated people who would fight for her towards breaking the generational cycle of poverty and vulnerability.
Today, Merigin dreams of a different future. She has decided to raise her child and give him the love and security of a mom. She is braving the difficult yet purposeful steps of building a stable life for her son. She is currently a Public Administration student and growing into the woman God has destined her to be.
It’s a hard path, with highs, lows, twists and turns, but it’s the right path. Her son is currently in temporary care of a children’s home, yet Merigin is committed to fighting for him. Right now (as of October 2026), we are working alongside Merigin towards their reunification. She is in the battle of breaking the cycle of poverty, vulnerability, and orphanhood in her family line.
Though the journey ahead is not easy, her life has drastically changed. God is redeeming not just her story, but the story of the generations after her. God’s grace is greater than the odds stacked against her. She is not alone.
