Town Girl

By Ernestine and Jan Michael Sy

This book is a true story based on the authors childhood. The
book reveals the sad and hard life of girls and women in the
villages and other poor areas. This book teaches young people how
they can help their communities and it introduces biblical truth in
their life. This book is a wonderful life lesson for parents and their
children to read and to have a good and open dialogue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9781477165010

Ernestine

I was born in Eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo/Africa in 1965. I earned an associated degree in Management from I.S.G.E.A (Institut Superieur de Gestion de Entreprises) in Congo. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Economic Science from the prestigious U.F.R.J. (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro) in Brazil. I am conversant in Swahili, French, Portuguese, and English. I am married for 21 years and mother of three. I live in Loganville, Georgia, USA.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Leaving the Town

Uncle François’s wife was always sick, and they needed help. His kids were grown up and living in the town. He sent a letter to my dad, asking him if he can send one of his daughters to the village to help and to live with them, at least for a year. So who wants to go to the village to help Uncle François? asked my dad.

My big sister said, Not me. I will never live in the village.

Without thinking I replied, Me. Yes, me. I want to help Uncle François, even if I don’t remember him very well.

His kids had been raised by my father. They were like our big brothers and big sisters. But none of us had been in the village to meet Uncle François. He came to the town a long time ago. I was too small to remember him. We knew that his wife died a long time ago, and he raised his five children alone. When they were grown and left the house, he remarried.

OK! said my dad. At the end of this school year, you will take that trip with your cousin (Uncle François’s son). He will bring you to the village, and you will finish your elementary school year there.

I was at the end of fourth grade and was about to start fifth grade. I was excited! I was dreaming about the day I would be leaving to the village, where I would be the only child in the house. In my family, at that time, we were ten children, and I was the third one after my big brother and my big sister. After me, there were four boys and three girls. I had to babysit my young ones, and it was too much work and noise. So for me that was an opportunity to take a break.

My mother looked at me and said, "Please stay.