Reverend Mother's Daughter - A Real Life Story
By Mary Haskett
When the wife of an English clergyman gives birth to a little dark skinned baby girl, it is discovered that this child is the result of the mother’s affair with a young Nigerian student. The family shuns the child and wants to be rid of the scandalous situation. A compassionate nun, the Mother Superior of a home for the elderly in Thames Ditton, hears of the sad rejection, and offers to take the child in, eventually adopting the little girl as her own.
As war breaks out, the Reverend Mother takes in many more children, creating a haven of safety for hapless little ones who have lost their parents and fear for their very lives. But only Mary is her child, whom she fondly calls “my Mary”. The attacks on London force the evacuation of the children to the south of England, but the Reverend Mother stays behind to care for the elderly. Little Mary endures frightening war experiences and falls into the hands of abusers.
When she returns to Thames Ditton at the age of fourteen, Mary is torn between what she wants to do and what Reverend Mother insists she must do. Submitting to the will of her benefactor, she trains as a nurse. Later, she marries and experiences the excitement of life in Paris, the Bahamas and Italy. The marriage, however, brings heartache and crumbles. But through the trauma of it all, Mary is aware of a driving force in her life that ultimately brings her to Jesus Christ and the happiness that Reverend Mother always wanted for her.
Author bio:
Mary Haskett’s writings have been published in Upper Room Magazine, Beyond Ordinary Living magazine, Christian Life in London and as a contributing author in Every Day Grace, Every day Miracle. Active for over thirty years in church ministry, she served as president of women’s ministries, ran a ministry for single parents and their children and led a vibrant prayer group in her home.
She is the leader and founder of Ready Writers, London, a Christian writers group and is Assistant Prayer Coordinator for the Word Guild of Canada. Mary Haskett lives in London, Ontario with her husband Allan and together they joyfully serve the Lord. Between them they have six children, two daughters-in-law, two sons-in-law and five grandchildren ranging in age from 1 year to 20 years, all of whom they love dearly. |
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