I grew up in Sunland, California; the oldest of five siblings. We were a modest income family with loving, devout Christian parents, who taught us, at an early age, the importance of service to God, church, community and to our neighbors not only in word but also in deed. Many a time as a young person I would ask my mom "Where's Dad?" and she would reply, "Helping some widow or visiting some old man, or working at church". Mom was equally as busy with Girl Scouts or Camp Fire Girls or Vacation Bible School.

I enjoyed school, High School was a breeze, but college was a different story, I really struggled. At 22 the Draft was really looming over my shoulder. The Baptists are not part of the Historic Peace Movement so I could not claim to be a Conscientious Objector, so I enlisted in the US Army Reserves and went off for 6 months of training as an Army Medic. I was learning skills that would be invaluable in the adventures that are recounted in this book. On release from active duty I went to work at Olive View Hospital as a Laboratory Assistant and soon became a Medical Laboratory Technologist Trainee for two years. State Exam - passed.

I entered Haïti, October 1964, during the time that became known as Dr. Francois Duvalier's (Papa Doc) bloodiest era. There was no free speech, his Secret Police were everywhere. Political enemies disappeared, student protestors were shot, bodies displayed in public squares as a warning to others. Yet through it all I had a peace that I could only attribute to my faith in God. There is a hymn that we sang often in church..." Anywhere With Jesus I Can Safely Go!"