Download or read book Africa in My Soul written by Cheryl King Duvall Phd and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2019-08-22 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Africa in My Soul: Memoir of a Childhood Interrupted is the true story of Cheryl's turbulent, and sometimes joyous years growing up in a third-world culture. When she was eight, Cheryl's family started preparing to go to Nigeria, West Africa. Cheryl's parents were to serve as Protestant missionaries with the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM). The book describes Cheryl's years growing up in the boarding school from sixth grade through graduating from twelfth grade in high school. Her parents were transferred many times from one station to another across Nigeria which is common practice with the mission, but this left her without a real sense of "having a home." Because no mission high school was readily available for Cheryl's older sister, she had to be left behind in the states with a church family. Leaving Maria behind angered and hurt her deeply, as Maria, and Cheryl were very close; Cheryl missed her terribly. The boarding school experience for Cheryl was very painful, and she had a hard time adjusting. While there, she suffered mental, physical, spiritual, and sexual abuse. But, Cheryl was a determined young girl and developed defense mechanisms. Although some were dysfunctional, they helped her deal with the challenges she was faced with-these coping strategies are described in the book. However, Cheryl experienced some very exciting things in Africa. she was the first white girl to visit in a remote village. While there, the village chief offered Cheryl's father a goat and two pigs for Cheryl's hand in marriage. She was witness to a private tribal ritual called the Fulani Tribal Beatings where young men had to endure beatings with a stick across the chest while showing no outward signs of pain in order to become a man and get married. To Cheryl, Africa was a land of magic. She dearly loved Africa, and everything about it. The African people are warm and kind; the friendliest people you will meet. Cheryl has been back to her "home-away-from-home" twice since she first left in 1967. Africa is always fresh on Cheryl's mind and deep in Cheryl's heart.