Note from Editor: This story, which I have titled: "Determined Little Girl" was told to and recorded by me, the editor. I later transcribed what you see below, including questions asked of “The Child,” which is the nickname she chose.

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Editor: What was your first experience of God?

Well, I was real young and my parents carried me to a revival meeting. They were with me and I was sitting in a bench in front of them and my feet were so short they stuck straight out. This preacher was preaching a fire sermon and carrying on and shouting. He was talking about hell which I knew nothing about and I burst out crying. And nobody knew why I was crying. So that night nothing was said but the next morning when I woke up I was still worrying and my mother said: “Why were you crying last night [the Child]? And I told her “I’m going to hell. I’m lost. And she found out why I felt that way and she understood – from the story and what he had preached. And she explained the plan of salvation and that it was for me just as much it was for anybody and that all I had to do was to believe in Christ and he would come into my heart and I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. And I did that day, and we prayed together. And that’s how it first began.

Editor: So how did God appear in your life after that?

I just felt safe and when I prayed I felt like somebody was listening. I didn’t worry anymore. And I listened to the sermon and I was about four years old. But I understood what he was saying. And when it was time for me to be baptized, I was told by my mother, “When you know it is time, you will go… and I will not be telling you. You will know when you feel like it’s time to go down and tell the preacher you want to be baptized. And we were in a big church, the Central Baptist Church downtown… one Sunday morning and I felt, “This is time for me to go” and I just went marching down the aisle unbeknownst to my parents till they saw me. And the preacher was so sweet in welcoming me, but one of the deacons of that church felt like I was too young to know. And little did he know that I was NOT too young to know! And I WAS baptized. I remember when it happened. And coming home afterwards we rode the streetcar. It was a summer night. I had a scarf around my wet hair [from the baptism] and the window was up on the streetcar. I will always remember that night.

Editor: Were there any times that you had doubts about or struggles with your belief in God?

Not really with my belief. But when I became a teenager, the ways that some pastors presented their sermons, they gave me some “wondering” questions. But I was so blessed to have a Christian mother who had the answers, and I could talk to her about anything and I would come home with my questions, or after church, and she would get the Bible and she would talk to me, and explain to me and I never had a problem understanding thanks to her. But it makes me worry about all the children now-a-days that have nobody to help them through those times.

But I got mad at God one time and threw a fit – myself – but later I asked for forgiveness. And I felt like he did forgive me.

Editor: Can you remember what caused you to do that?

Yes but it’s silly. I love baseball. I was a fastpitch pitcher for women, young girls, and it rained the game out before we could get started playin and I got mad – fussing about it really bad, talked awful, but a few days later I was sorry and I asked for forgiveness. And that was what I had been taught by the preachers and the Bible and my mother, that God does forgive you when you are sorry for your sins.

Editor: So that’s the picture of God that she taught you, that he was a forgiving God?

Yes, and that’s what I tried to teach my children and now one of my daughters is trying to teach her son, which is my great grand son – he’s asking all kinds of questions - and I ‘m so glad she’s there to answer him and some of the answers she’s told me about the questions he’s asked – I’m so glad she’s there to help him along.

Editor: So you passed your belief on to your daughter…

I did my best and she’s passing it on. I have one granddaughter that has three sons and she’s very adamant about teaching them and having them taught. She started her Christian career really after college. She went to a service and the African Children’s Choir was putting on some songs and things and they asked if anybody would like to join, and she joined. And she started traveling all over the United States with a busload of African children who were selected for this particular thing. And in the process she met her husband who is a very dedicated Christian and together they are really doing a lot for the cause of Christianity. The African Children’s Choir is a Christian ministry and they go to churches all over singing and after they are through with their tour which is about two years, the ACC pays for their education all the way through college – for participating.

Editor: So when would say you were saved?

I was saved the morning that my mother told me that I didn’t have to worry anymore and all I had to do was believe in Jesus and I immediately believed in Jesus. And had peace in my heart from that time on. And I’ve been at the foot of the cross prayin for forgiveness many times – because of my hot temper. And (chuckle) he forgives me every time.

Editor: What is your mission now?

Well, my mission now at my age – I felt like at one time it was over - I was ready for it to be over but for some reason – I was at the door ready, standing there, and I ended up with a whole bunch of senior citizens some in pathetic shape and some in wonderful shape, and I felt like I needed to – no matter how their minds might have gone – that it was my duty to show them love and talk about Christ when they would listen. And I try to remember to pray every morning: What would Jesus do - before I go down the hall encountering all kinds of different situations. That is unbelievable to me that I would ever be in the middle of all this drama, but I am. And God helps me with that. I absolutely couldn’t make it without his help. Life as I had it before – with other people – is completely different. It will never be like it was. But if I can do anything these last years I’ll be thankful that he used me. Maybe he used me more in my old age than he did in my youth (chuckle).