Tonight's special guest is Wanda Marie Chandler from Orlando, Florida, an abuse survivor and author of the book 'Diamonds In The Rough', a compilation of healing and deliverance testimonies and stories about women who were used, abuse, and cast aside by the family and friends. She hopes to bring young girls and women back from the brink of darkness. Wanda is the 9th of 10 children born to Sylvion and Pastor Margaret Keith, both of whom are deceased, born and partially raised in the United States Virgin Island and finished growing up in Orlando, Florida. Wanda has a string of stories of early abuse. "I woke up from my sleep and the act was taking place," she explains. "The person is unknown to me because I kept my eyes shut." Later abuses came through her older brother and sister at different times, he at the beach and she at their house. Another early abuse involves the family across the street. "I don't know how I got over to the house, but I was surrounded by adults whose faces I can't recall .. only their feet." She goes on, "By the time I hit 12 I was sexually active." Her story is one of strength and overcoming. Wanda is the mother of 5. Having given birth at 13 to her first child and unable to raise the baby, he was placed up for adoption. “I was called by GOD," she explains, "to feed his sheep and through my testimony, I am an overcomer, a conqueror; strong and resilient, words used to describe what I became after GOD pulled me out and through. I owe it all to GOD, I give him the Glory for what HE did, done and continues to do. I look forward to sharing my testimony so that one may overcome by the word. AMEN!”

Tonight's special guest is Victoria Kelly from Minneapolis, Minnesota, a returning guest. She's a child abuse survivor and long-time NAASCA family member / volunteer. Victoria was abused almost from birth in nearly every way imaginable. She was sexually assaulted starting as a baby .. an experience that was repeated by numerous predators and perpetrators and went on and on. In addition her alcoholic father beat both Victoria and her mother. But Victoria thought that was simply what happened to a child and a woman when they happened to be living on the wrong side of the tracks. She became reclusive and withdrawn, and there was little justice meted out to any of Victoria's predators. Early on she began to disassociate, a condition that was later in life diagnosed as MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder), now known as DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Victoria eventually spent years going in and out of mental hospitals, where she actually was grateful. At least the staff was kind and helpful. "I went to a wonderful psychiatrist and she help me for 13 years with MPD / the ID." She began drinking at an early age but sobered up with help from a 12 step group. Her sexual promiscuity led her to numerous bad adult relationships. It took a long time to find the right therapist and path to recovery but now she's integrated and years ago things finally started to come together. Life's still not perfect but now she's active helping the struggling. Among other things, Victoria works to end domestic and sexual violence. She attends support groups, speaks out at rallies and conferences, supports police, volunteers at shelters, and works directly with women and children to get their basic needs filled: food shelter and clothing.

Tonight's special guest is Melody J Anderson, LCSW, from Los Angeles and New York City, a child abuse survivor with 28 years in private practice in Westwood and Manhattan. "I grew up in an alcoholic home," Melody reports. "My father suffered from many addictions, including gambling and alcoholism. Sadly, he never sought treatment and died at 55." She goes on, "My mother dealt with her depression from my father’s drinking by isolating and neglecting her role as a mother. My older sister and I were left to raise ourselves." Their grandmother rose to the occasion, and ".. gave us the peace to experience that we children were not truly alone in the world." Melody was beset with nightmares, believed she could not trust anyone, and made poor relationship choices. Her confusion has left her with life-long economic anxiety. Fortunately, she found help through Al-Anon and therapy. "Over a quarter of a century ago, I made the decision to pass on my experience, strength and hope to others who knew this pain, by returning to school and becoming a licensed therapist in addiction and trauma." Melody specializes in treating individuals, couples and families coping with addiction, trauma, life changes, mental illness and more. Among other things, she created and was the Coordinator of “The Intensive-Outpatient Program” and “Family & Friends Program” at Hazelden New York. She has facilitated groups for the dually-diagnosed in Los Angeles and is the Clinical Director at 'Friendly House', an all-women’s, in-patient treatment facility.

Tonight's special guest is Rita Rodriguez from Joshua, Texas, a child abuse and domestic violence survivor. A lot of the child abuse happened at the hands of her step mother, Evelyn. "She would lock me in my room and starve me until she felt like it. She would throw me outside naked with no clothes, take out the hose, wet me with it, and say really nasty things. There was a barn I would sleep in. If I got thrown outside, I would eat dog food and the peaches, pecans that grew on trees." Rita would go to school with black eyes, busted lip, her body all bruised her body aching all over. "I would lie to the teacher and tell her the chicken or the cow got me and that’s why I was bruised." Evelyn adopted other kids and worked them relentlessly, in the vegetable and fruit garden. "We mowed, hoed, water all the plants which the land was about a few acres. We would get up around 6 and didn’t go to school until 8 or 9, no food or drink, unless we ate pecan or dog food or grass. Sometime I would hide food that didn’t spoil that I took from school and give it to the other kids." Her life there with them lasted 10 years. "I ran away at the age of 18 and ran into my a guy who I thought I was in love with, he was also abusive. I later was preg with a baby girl and he would choke me and hit, tried to stab me and shoot me that didn’t last long so I tried to leave multiple time I went back to him and he would still treat me wrong finally had my baby and left him," she says. "In 2017 I was finally free of anything toxic or abusive. I’m a caregiver at Rockhouse for the mentally disabled. I now have 2 kids, 1 boy 1 girl, and I’m with an amazing guy who is there for my kids. My kids are my life they are the one that keep me going looking forward to tomorrow."

Tonight's special guest is Cynthya Hale from Washington DC, a survivor of Domestic Violence with her sons. They were abused for 17 years, had a struggle, lost, and healed through their process and now are helping others. Now Cynthya is the founder and CEO of FFT Helping Others. She also runs the National Domestic Violence Rally, saying, "The United States & International Domestic Violence Rallies and Vigils to bring awareness about DV, IPV, and Human & Sex Trafficking to the nation & the world." She explains, "The idea is that without Family without Friends, we cannot accomplish anything, without Helping each Other to heal. This is how we influence and inspire the world through peace, love, and harmony." Cynthya saw a need to draw awareness about the domestic violence epidemic, human trafficking, sex trafficking issues, hurricane epidemic, and homelessness. She gathered voices not only across the nation but internationally to assist in the change to help those in need and gathered volunteers willing to support. She started this vision as a seed and it sprouted into what's now called FFT Helping Others. "Our Mission is to bring like-minded individuals together," Cynthia explains. "We bring our message of change to those in public office as legislation must change for Domestic Violence." FFT Helping Others plants seeds of support in the community. "Through our sponsored volunteer events to help feed the hungry, encourage the weak and give love to the hopeless, seeking to connect with others with the love of Christ by utilizing local avenues of assistances and intermediary venues to meet our goal of reaching the lost, no matter the circumstances."

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