Christina Noble

Sequel to Bridge Across My Sorrows which I read after seeing the movie 'Noble'. Continues the story of Christina and her work with the children of Vietnam, and later Mongolia. 'So much had happened in the years since I had first had that dream. When I dreamt it, one night in 1971, my life was simply a struggle for survival, and it truly was a question of life or death. At that time I was married to a man who abused me as I'd been abused my whole life. In the course of my childhood I'd been orphaned, abandoned, raped and imprisoned in institutions. In the years of our marriage Mario took away any shred of self-respect I had left. But he gave me the greatest possible gift, my three wonderful children' (p. 21). An outstanding story by a truly remarkable humanitarian, Christina is actually doing what many of us dream about doing. Outstanding, full of stories of hope and despair.… (mehr)

An inspiring book about a woman who has endured much. Growing up poverty-stricken in Dublin the family lives under the cloud of their fathers alcoholism and resulting domestic violence. Her mother dies when the children are still very young and her father abandons them. They are separated and end up in Catholic orphanages where Christina is again mistreated. Later Christina suffers a violent rape at the hands of four men and then marriage to a man who abuses her, resulting in her admission to a mental health hospital. Many years later she manages to leave her husband and follow her dream of helping the street children of Vietnam. What she has achieved is remarkable.… (mehr)

The first half of the book is Christina Noble's life story, of growing up in Dublin in poverty with a family under the cloud of domestic violence & alcohol, of her mother dying when Christina was a girl, her father abandoning her and her siblings, thus ensuring they were put in "Catholic orphan homes". The mistreatment she suffered there, escaping finally to live on the streets. Her violent rape and later marriage to a man who beat her and caused her to be admitted into a mental hospital. For a woman with barely an education she survived all that and went on to start a Foundation to save and help street kids in Vietnam. Her vision keeps expanding and now encompasses Mongolia. see here;
http://www.cncf.org/en/home/index.php
While the writing isn't classic literature by any stretch of the imagination, her personal story makes up for it so I have given it 4 stars. Don't expect to be dry eyed, or unshocked, some of the horrific descriptions rival anything one has read before.
The 2nd half of the book details her work in Vietnam and how she managed to achieve it. Check out her website. There are many ways to help.

This woman's childhood in Dublin in the 1940's and 50's would make stones cry. Am halfway through, she's not yet in Vietnam saving orphans but I've shed many a tear so far.… (mehr)