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Hi, I have been a christian for some time now. I was bapitized just after
I got married along with my husband and shared very little of my testimony,
which I regret not telling all. I was raised in a mennonite family of 13
children (10 girls 3 boys) and didn't like the "ways" of my parents church,
which they spoke high german and I didnt understand it. But, I met this
great friend Sue there. We were best friends for awhile, but left to go
to London Ont. area for work. Which my family did every summer too.
To work for the tomato farmers and work on their fields for 3-4 months.
I hated my dad with such greatness, that I tried to commit suicide at the
age of 13, because I got caught wearing pants or something I don't quite
remember, but I was going to get the belt for something I had done. I hated
him for years and always wished he was dead.....all because I didnt like
"the rules".Once I turned 16, I was down the road (deep in the country
of canada..very beautiful) from where I grew up and there happened to be
this boy/man the age of 18 working for the goverment near by our house
digging a newer ditch. I was so excited to find this good looking guy glancing
and taking his time at digging near us and I was getting to know him. My
dad was furious! He didn't want me/daughters involved in anyway with the
"english" people. But I would sneak away with the make-up, pants and jewlery
every time my parents weren't home and go talk to him and his small crew
of 2 other guys. As one day I was standing there with them, and was having
a ciggerette that was handed to me by one of them...(my parents were supose
to have gone to Fort Frances a town, but had gone to Emo and spent the
morning there and come home early) So here I am with shorts on, make-up
and a ciggerette hanging out of my mouth when one of the guys says "hey
isnt that your mom and dad coming down the road?" My heart coundn't of
sank lower then that moment. I was never so afraid! As they were passing
by, dad notices me and slams on the breaks and trys to stop immediately
with his door open, but I was running back as fast as I could, so dad puts
the stationwagon into reverse so I start running forward. Mom is crying
I could hear her. But all I wanted was to get away. So I ran into the ditch
under a wired fence into a field and noticed the guys had gotton into their
car and bolted!! Dad ran after me and caught me, I took my shoe off and
started hitting him with it and both fell down on the ground. I was screaming
at him and said this is my life,I wanted to live like this and he couldnt
stop me. He was crying and saying "why Annie, why why why?" over and over
again. He let me go, and I started walking away. I didn't want to live
at home anymore. He yells out to me to come home and I said you can't make
me anymore. I just kept on walking. He didn't come after me.I didn't go
very far. I spent the night in this catipillar (that digs the ditches).
was pretty lonely, dark and creepy. I saw cars going by and when they did
I would jump out of the cab and hide in the deep hay field. They had spent
the night looking for me, In the morning...by now I call him my boyfriend
Dave, comes to work. Notices me and can't believe I was there all night
long. He offers to take me back to his house and get some food into me,
shower and some clean cloths. I accepted with relief and just wanted some
sleep. I was so tired. Got to his appartment that was an hour away. He
went to the store. Bought me lunchmeat and bread, and left me with a pack
of ciggerettes. Said he would be back around supper time after work. Good
I thought, I can get some sleep. I was in heaven. T.V. in the room, and
no parents to boss me around. I fell asleep and was woken up with a noise
near by. I opened my eyes and noticed Dave came back and was ruffling with
something in a small paper bag. No idea from this day what it was or is,
but i am asumming it was a drug of some sort. But he rushes to me...tears
off my cloths and he raped me. I was a virgin until then. I never cried
so hard in my life. He felf all sorry after, and told me not to cry. I
took a shower a long shower and kept crying. I couldn't believe it!! I
just couldn't and still can't believe it happened. It hurt sooooo much!I
didn't no what to do. I didn't want get out of the bathroom, but I had
to face him again. He says " you cant stay here, I will give you a ride
wherever you want" I had a sister in Emo. I got him to drop me off there.My
life was never the same. I new of sex. Didn't no what it consisted of.
But I did know to keep it for marriage. As a younger girl I was touched
by my grandpa at a fairgrounds on a ride. He had tried to touch my panties.
And my uncle who tried to touch my breasts. (including my other sisters)
But nothing compaired that to this! I was so ashamed.I got to my sisters
who was extreamly worried about me. She called my parents to tell me I
was there and was spending the weekend with her up at their cabin. She
talked me into returning home. I didn't want to, but I new I had no where
to go. Got to my room, and noticed right aways mom had "cleaned out" my
room. Some of my personal belongings were gone that had anything to do
with what they didn't agree with. books, jewlery, make-up, cloths, you
name it. I was getting madder and madder by the day. I locked myself in
my room. Times I would eat with the family, I never spoke a word. Dad and
I never spoke to eachother for months.It was time to go and work again
on the tomato fields and I was so excited to see my best friend again.
I never told anyone what happened that night. So one day at church out
there, she heard word from my mom through her mother that I had ran away.
So Sue says, why don't you and I run away out here?. I was all for it.
Life to me was over anyhow. No one loved me. So we planned it on Sunday
to do just that. We ran away.We hitched hiked to Sarnia On. and spent a
few nights out in the open sky. no money no food. no nothing.But we had
each other. So we stole some cloths at a Bi-Way and food at malls. We were
in this sub shop resturant that was open 24 hours and stayed in there most
of the time day and night, and he would give us a free sub to share. He
new we were homeless. In walks these two huge guys wearing army gear. They
werent shy at all. They come up to us and started talking an invited us
to Tim's house. Sue says, sure lets go. I didn't want to go. they looked
to scary to me. Too big. But Sue says, well we cant just spend all our
days in a sub shop. She had a point.He ended up being a super guy! GOD
BLESS HIS HEART! who know's what might have happened if we hadn't met him.He
got us a job the very next day, let us stay an pay rent with these other
roomates he was sharing rooms with. And I was happy. Got my first paycheck!!!
over $300.00 bucks. I went shopping! We had to get a bigger house to rent
and found a beautiful home with 6 bedrooms. My parents ended up finding
out where we were, because Susan had phoned her parents. I wasn't very
happy with that. But they never come. At
the end of tomato season, three months later, Susan ended up moving back
to her parents home, and my parents ended up at my work. ( I was working
in a resturant as a dishwasher). We sit at a both table, and Mom has a
small box for me. I take it, and she asks "aren't you coming home with
us?" I said, "no, I want to stay." I will never no how much my mom must
of hurt driving home all that way 20 hours without her daughter. Leaving
me there in this large huge city. I later open the box and see its some
of my belongings and a Bible tucked inside, with a letter inside it.
I ended up meeting my husband there. and phoning my mom now and then to
let her no things were going good. They were planning on coming out the
following summer again to work again for the same farmer. I grew up fast.
Learned, saw and witness things I wished I hadn't. I could write a book,
I guess we all could. I can write so much more...our house burnt
down, I saved my sister from drowning, my 16 year old sister got got hit
by a truck and passed away. My mom had a still born, and a miscarriage.
I can go on and on. But where it ends is......I was pregnate with my first
son, and as I was in labor with him, I was having difficutly in delivering
him and I had never prayed so hard in my life. And that day is when I openly
let Him into my heart. God, you are so great!.Married now for 16 years,
with two wonderful boys. And have a wonderful relationship with my dad.
Oh how much I love him now! And how sorry I am to have put them through
so much. But God forgives all. And He has forgiven me! God new what
he was doing. He had a plan for me.
I am so very much involved in my church (Evangelical Fellowship Church) as in.... in the past I have been a Sunday School teacher, food committie, librarian, cleaner and lawn care. presently I am the Tabitha, still clean the church, decorator and twice a year I get the ladies together for ( Being a Secret Sister in Prayer ), where we pray for this one special woman for 6 months and acknowlege her birthday and holidays. Is a lot of fun! |