Colleen, a 32-year-old single woman who dreams of having children someday, often walks her dog in the park. Every evening, she notices twin girls around eight years old sitting alone on a bench in ragged clothes. Their sad eyes pull at her heart, and she becomes increasingly worried about their well-being.
One chilly evening, she decides to follow the girls to see where they go. As darkness falls, the girls hold hands and leave the park. Colleen’s concern grows as they board a bus, looking small and vulnerable under the bright lights. After traveling nine stops, they arrive in a wealthy neighborhood, walking into a large house that seems out of place for them.
Confused and alarmed, Colleen approaches the house and rings the doorbell. A maid answers, and after some hesitation, a man in an expensive suit appears. He dismisses Colleen’s concerns about the girls and slams the door in her face, leaving her feeling uneasy about the situation.
Determined to help the girls, Colleen returns to the park the next day and introduces herself. The twins, Hannah and Lily, share their story: their mother died three years ago, and since their father remarried, they have been neglected by their stepmother. They are made to stay in the park daily and often go without meals.
Colleen’s heart breaks for them, and she offers her help. The girls express their desire to leave their home, longing for a safe and caring environment. Colleen records their story and gives them her phone number, urging them to reach out if they need help.
Later that day, Colleen confronts their father again, but he angrily dismisses her concerns, insisting that the girls should be grateful for what they have. Feeling a sense of urgency, Colleen calls social services the next morning to report the neglect. Within days, social services remove Hannah and Lily from their home due to neglect and abuse. Colleen eagerly volunteers to be their foster mother, feeling that it’s the right choice.
When the girls arrive at her apartment, they are cautious but hopeful. Colleen reassures them that they are safe and welcome to stay. Over the next few weeks, she creates a loving environment for them, taking them shopping for new clothes and enrolling them in school. Colleen finds joy in caring for the girls, who quickly become an important part of her life.
Three months later, while at the park, Colleen asks the girls if they would like her to adopt them. The twins burst into joyful tears, eagerly agreeing. As Colleen holds them, she realizes that the love she sought in a partner has blossomed into a family bond with these brave little girls.
The adoption process is challenging, but together, they navigate it and six months later, Hannah and Lily officially become her daughters. Colleen reflects on how her life has transformed. By following her instincts that night in the park, she not only changed the lives of two girls but also discovered the love and purpose she had longed for. To anyone reading her story, Colleen emphasizes the importance of speaking up if something feels wrong. You never know how your actions might change a life.
Meet Nyakim Gatwec, A Model That Was Dubbed ‘Queen Of The Dark’
The woman was shocked when her Uber driver uninvitedly offered advise on how to take care of her beautiful skin.
The “Queen of the Dark,” as the fashion diva was affectionately called, laughed off his comments and embraced her breathtaking beauty.
Continue reading to find out what this Uber driver said her and how she utilized it as a teaching moment!
Nyakim Gatwech, who spent her early years in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, thought that living in America would “be like heaven.”
But when Gatwech moved to Buffalo at the age of 14, she stayed by herself a lot, crying over comments made about her very dark skin tone.
“You don’t wash your hair. Because of this, your skin is filthy.Or, “Nyakim, smile so we can see you. You are invisible to us. You have dirty skin as a result. Or grin for us to see you, Nyakim. We cannot see you.
In class, for example, the instructor might ask a question and say, “Oh, Nyakim, can you answer that?””How about a toddler asking, “Who are you talking to?”? We cannot see her. She’s not here. The now 31-year-old woman says, “I would just cry, and the whole class would start laughing,” as reported by Cosmopolitan.
The innocent young girl just wanted to fit in, but it was difficult when random people were speculating about whether or not she was indeed that dark-skinned and whether or not she was wearing leggings.
I did think about [bleaching my skin] at one time. I was 14 years old when I fled an African refugee camp and moved to Buffalo, New York. The beauty admits, “After being teased [about my skin], I would cry myself to sleep.””So many stunning Sudanese women with dark skin tones bleach their skin.”
The model continued by saying that her own sister was one of the Sudanese ladies who had bleached her skin.”It was my own sister.” However, after a few months of living in America, I told her that I wanted to, and she said no. I will not allow my kid, you, or anyone else to do it.
Dark Queen
The woman, who has encountered prejudice from makeup artists, designers, and other models, is now referred to as the Queen of the Dark and feels strong since she has triumphed over the criticism.
Additionally, Gatwech’s 962,000 dedicated Instagram fans encourage her self-assurance and amazing fondness for her deep chocolate skin tone.
“My chocolate is sophisticated. Thus, I stand for this. A country of fighters,” she writes in one of her posts.
And the incredibly beautiful woman’s admirers can’t get enough of her.
One fan writes, “Omgggggg I love your skin and melanin,” while another exclaims, “I love your beautiful skin tone so much!” God creates exquisite things like you to serve as a constant reminder of His majesty.
In response to the tremendous outpouring of love, Gatwech adds, “I learned to love myself.I’m not troubled by the negative anymore. I love and embrace my skin, and I no longer feel insecure about it. I no longer believe I’m ugly. I am confident in who I am.
“The silliest queries”
Speaking about her odd skin, Gatwech recounts about meeting an Uber driver a few years ago who asked if she would ever consider whitening it.
“Oh, you’re dark,” he remarked.Gatwech describes her chat with the driver to Cosmopolitan.”I merely chuckled. I was curious as to why he felt that I ought to. He said that because it would make my life simpler. If I were lighter, I could get into a relationship more easily and guys would be more drawn to me. I’m lighter, so if I went to a job interview, I would receive the opportunity. I just responded, “I’d rather take the [hard] road, even if] being lighter would make my life easier.”
The woman goes on, “I’m used to people asking the stupidest questions ever [about my skin].”
Gatwech then shared the story on Instagram along with a stunning picture of herself with three other stunning dark-skinned Sudanese women.
“A country with people so dark you won’t believe your eyes,” the author writes. Teeth so brilliant, skin so rich. Oh, how I cherish my nation, my people, and all that it entails.
“[SIC] I was asking my Uber driver the other day, and he said, don’t take this personally, but would you bleach your skin for ten thousand dollars?” she says, going on to describe her interaction with the driver. I couldn’t even respond because I was laughing so much.He then responded, “So that’s a no,” to which I replied, “Hell to the f*king yeah, that’s a no, why would I ever bleach this gorgeous melanin that God bless with me?””So you see it as a blessing,” he continued.
Her backers applauded Gatwech right away and raced to her defense.
“I suppose he missed the memo.”Black is gorgeous,” an admirer writes.
Another person says, “I cherish you for cherishing me.”A third wonders, “Why would we ever want to mess up something so beautiful?”
Asking Yahoo Beauty for guidance, she said, “You are beautiful, you are unique, and there are people who love you just the way you are” to young black girls suffering comparable struggles. It’s said that the juice of a cherry is sweeter the darker it is. Accept your gloom!
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