What Child Is This?

This is the author's true life story that begins as a child with no "constants" in her life. She was bounced around from boarding home to boarding home and from one relative to another, missing her mother desperately. She was the victim of extreme sexual and physical abuse at the hands of her stepfather. Starting at ten years of age, it went on until she was able to get away by age sixteen. What makes her story so compelling and disturbing is that her mother learned of the abuse and did nothing to help her, in fact she encouraged her to participate in order to "keep peace" in the home. The breaking point for her was the day her mother turned a blind eye to the abuse she knew was continuing. The author writes in descriptive detail, in a transparent style that holds the reader's attention. She captures the different periods of time in American history that are the backdrop for her story, through World War II and the Korean War. She kept striving to better herself through the upheaval of the "70s, against overwhelming odds. She has a gift for describing times and things, like an old-fashioned toaster, and how folks saved rags and tinfoil to benefit the war effort. She tells of her failed relationships and marriages. It was her acceptance of Jesus Christ that changed her life. She credits Him for the opportunities to use her gifts of musical and theatrical talents that gave her much fulfillment and an avenue for ministry. The many photos also add interest to the story and times.