Shielded by Faith ― Rape and Persecution

There seems to me no thing in the human experience which compares to rape. It is where the sublime meets the depraved, ecstasy meets agony, love collides with lust and dreams become nightmares. This book is the culmination of reflections I have had since being raped and an attempt to convey the journey from the horror of that night to incomprehensible joy. The reader, having read these words, may feel doubtful. Is such a miraculous healing possible? Can a woman be rescued from such a pit of despair? Is there life after rape?

Mary Cameron grew up in the north western Sydney suburb of Cheltenham, Australia. Early indications of a flair for writing were exhibited after she wrote a prize winning slogan at the age of fifteen, for a sun tan lotion. The prize was a Pacific Ocean cruise for two. After completing high school, Mary was employed as a public servant for fourteen years. A twelve month long illness caused her to reassess her life. She became a born again Christian, resigned from full time work and moved to Jakarta, Indonesia with her husband and two daughters. In Indonesia, Mary involved herself with All Saints Anglican Church, Jakarta, occasionally writing articles for the church magazine. She also edited reports for the Jakarta Stock Exchange and a biography of the former Indonesian Ambassador to Sweden, Eri Soedewo. In addition, Mary was employed by an English language school to enable students to practice English conversation. After two and a half years in Jakarta, Mary's marriage broke down. She and her two daughters moved back to Australia and settled in to village life in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. Over the next twenty years Mary was deeply involved in church activities, serving as a Women's Bible Study Leader and having the opportunity to present some evangelistic talks. She also started, edited and wrote articles for a parish magazine. After her children left home, Mary completed a Diploma of Community Welfare. She focussed her attention on areas such as counselling, grief and loss and mental health. As a result she found employment as an advocate for the psychiatrically disabled. This involved working on projects such as suicide prevention, consumer representation and self-advocacy. She has also been involved in providing training sessions for the disabled and the general public. For the past four years Mary has been living with her brother and his young family in Launceston, Tasmania. She enjoys gardening, loves cooking Indonesian food, baking cakes for church suppers, exploring Tasmania and spending time with the disabled.