Theresa relives life on the streets
FOR seven years, Terisa Qacotabua, known to many as “Theresa” was among a group of violent homeless people who called the streets of Suva City “home”.
Theresa claimed peer pressure drove her to make a life on the streets of Suva, however, life took a twist when she was taken into the Golden Age Home in Samabula, Suva three years ago.
For the Ovea, Tailevu native, life on the streets was a tough one and stealing was the only means to earn easy cash.
In 2016, her right leg was amputated as a result of a sore that developed on her ankle, an event that did not even deter her from enjoying the worldly pleasures of living on the streets.
“After my leg was amputated, I went back to the streets and joined my friends because having fun with them was important to me than my health,” she said as she shared her story with this newspaper.
“Every day we were heavily intoxicated because drinking methylated spirit to us was like taking water. I did this for seven years.
“This poisonous chemical was all we could buy whenever we had money. We begged every day for this, it was like an addiction for me.
“Ask me about any information on every street corner in Suva, I will know and I saw everything that happened, day in, day out, it was my home. We would rob people and at times we become violent when they refuse to give us what we want.”
A few months after her leg was amputated, Theresa said she was approached by a police officer and government officials.
“I was drinking with friends when I noticed a ‘posh’ car with a police officer and officials from the Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation. They told me that I needed to go to the Golden Age Home in Samabula because of my amputated leg. I was arrogant and fought with them, I refused to listen to them.
“But they lifted me inside the car and took me straight to the home. To me, it was like they were taking me to get killed.
“I didn’t like the environment because I missed my friends on the streets and the lifestyle, getting intoxicated every day.”
After a year at the home, the 62-year-old said she finally realised there was more to life than what she was enjoying on the streets.
“One day I was sitting alone on my bed and started to look back at my life. I just started to cry. From there, I started to crawl back to Jesus. I prayed, requested for a Bible and started fasting,” she shared as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Today, I am not going to turn back to my old ways because I want to make the missing years between me and my daughter. I was sent to the Golden Age Home for a reason, to know Jesus Christ.”