The young woman's story came out — a history that is so horrifically unique, but painfully common among women refugees in Utah.

She described a peaceful childhood. But when she was a teenager, her father became more involved in a political movement against the country's oppressive government.

As his involvement increased, soldiers frequently came to her home, threatening her father. At age 12, she watched her father beaten and taken away.

Shortly thereafter, the young woman herself was kidnapped by soldiers. A sack was placed over her head. She passed out. She was held for 15 days in a dark place, falling in and out of unconsciousness.

"She woke up in a hospital with evidence of repeated rapes and beatings," Lambert said.

She was able to return home — with acute post-traumatic stress disorder — and her father sent her to another city to live more safely with her uncles. But there she witnessed the death of one of the relatives. Later she returned home.

In 1998, soldiers came to her house again. They detained her father and brothers and beat her mother. The girl escaped through a back window as soldiers held a gun to her mother's head and threatened to kill her.

She has been on her own since that moment. She was 17.

She hid out for years in the nomadic, hidden life of so many refugees. Eventually she made her way to Kenya and was granted status as a refugee.

She has been in Utah 18 months, and today believes her parents are dead.

Her diagnoses from doctors and psychologists included: severe and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, panic disorder with agoraphobia (the fear of public places), severe fatigue, chronic headaches, muscular pain and anorexia.

With weekly therapy from a social worker, nutritional counseling, weekly supportive checkups and a mentor, the woman is making some progress, Lambert said.

She is living now with a Utah family that has taken her in. The family also gets support and education about torture survivors.

"She still struggles," says Lambert, who has been careful to protect the woman's country of origin.

Successes are rated in small accomplishments.

The woman is gaining weight. She is less isolated. She is able to smile and laugh.

After being so terrified of new places and new people, the woman recently registered for classes at Salt Lake Community College by herself.

"She decided: 'I can do this and I am going to do this,' " Lambert said. "That decision, on her part, is amazing."