God's given me this amazing friendship with Marie, and the last couple of months have been pretty bad. Today I got talking to her and again said about I would like to help her, but it ended up with Marie getting very annoyed at me. I need help because I don't know what to do now. I've learned so much about Marie in the past, and the majority of it has made me feel really bad, made worse, because I really want to help her. Marie had a terrible childhood: left on a doorstep her parents left her at around two years old. Marie prayed that her mother would come back but she never did, so Marie lost faith that there was a God, because she couldn't see why her prayer wouldn't be answered. After this, I learn about how she doesn't want to be loved; how her step-dad who takes responsibility "hates" her, how he tries to kick Marie out every day, and how he spends her money and the money that they get in on alcohol, and not on much food, which means Marie and her half-sister (her step-dad's daughter) most days don't get a proper meal. We've texted since the 'fall out' at lunch, and the texts are so upsetting to read. "I don't care about being loved", "don't bring it up I will never think about those things unless someone does", "I love people I just don't care about being looked after I can do that myself" and "I'm being deadly serious if you remind me of sh** it will upset me and pi** me off". I don't know what to do, because I've been praying but all that's happened is we've talked more about the same topics and as a result, further been hurt. I really want to help them, so one way I suggested would be to assist in the term break doing up their house (I know a scheme where they could charitably source the materials (local church scheme)), but Marie refused saying that they couldn't afford the materials, and that they will not accept help. Marie gives me this really bad image of her step-dad, as a person who spends the money on alcohol, but I don't want to be so quick-to-judge. Although brief, I spoke with him and asked where I could wash my hands when I was at their house, and he seemed really pleasant. (He said "when we get this place done" which made me think that they wanted to get the house done up) I wonder if he turns to the alcohol "every day" because he has no-one to talk to. Marie said that her and her sister and him rarely see each-other - they don't spend time together. Marie said they'd once spent a whole week without talking :/ Everything I try to say to help her makes things worse. I don't know what to do. :( I've never been in a situation like this before where I'm friends with a person with seriously low self esteem, has never really known love and who doesn't care about herself. I know God says he won't put us in situations we can't handle, but this is really testing me. I've got exams coming up in 11 days, so I really don't want to be upset going into them. I really love Marie (I fancied her until she said she won't date friends anymore), and I really want to help her, but I can't see any way to. Marie talks about how she wants to leave her home and take her 14 year old sister with her (they're very close and basically survive by being so close sisters), and how she probably won't go to uni because she wouldn't be motivated enough - I tried to convince her it's what she needs in order to get a good job these days, and I think she understood my point. God has put us together because I know how she feels - my parents split up when I was young too, but I kept my faith which (although I didn't know at that age) has always helped me. I've experienced the same pain she feels, so I know how she feels. I really want to help, because I'm that kind of person - I'm also her last male friend (her group of friends left her when she dated two of the guys in the group and it didn't last (separate times)), and apart from her best female friend and sister, one of the few people she's close to. I'm begging for help, because it's getting worse and worse, and time is moving on. Thank you. Jake.