Stand at the Cross Roads : A True Story of an Imperfect Woman, a Future, and a Mission That Would Change Lives Forever

by Baker, Hilda Hellums; Rogers, Chris

• ISBN13: 9781462024278
• ISBN10: 1462024270
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-08-04
• Publisher: Iuniverse Inc

Summary

Stand at the Cross Roadsunfolds in suburban Houston; a small, rural Texas town; and a remote, rugged wilderness. A twisting, turning gripping true-life adventure that will take you along on the trip of a lifetime! In 1996, Hilda Baker travelled into some of the last remaining wilderness in Texas. For years, as her life increasingly spun out of control, she was plagued by a series of painful divorces, financial setbacks, and the struggles of single motherhood. Now, she tells the true story of her quest to turn her life around and find true meaning in her work and personal life. One sultry morning, at a retreat in south Texas, Hilda sensed a voice whose message catapulted her from cosmopolitan Houston to Chriesman, Texas-population seventy. She finally knew what she was supposed to do, but had no idea how she would do it. The task-to carve a sanctuary out of a dense forest-was daunting, but she was determined to succeed. Finally she had found purpose in her life. Hitching up a U-Haul trailer crammed with her worldly belongings, with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Nina, in tow, she set out for her new life.

Excerpts

Comes the Rain It was too late to cancel the day trip for the fifteen excited third-graders God was sending to us. Somehow, we had to make this work. All we'd built so far was the open-air pavilion, the obstacle course, and a petting zoo, which the kids were really excited about. We'd been nuts enough to put an ad in the paper actually soliciting animals that needed a good home in the country. The outpouring of animals was both heartening and overwhelming. We had two pet goats that loved to climb on cars, a potbelly pig that was used to sleeping with its previous owner, a gaggle of ducks that fouled their "kiddie" wading pool daily, a former FFA Blue Ribbon sheep that knocked you flat at feeding time, and Jack, who was called a "Jesus" donkey because of the black stripes that ran across his withers and down his back. For the retreat, we were scheduled to facilitate a teambuilding program, a service project and, of course, feed our visitors. On Friday, Jennifer and I, at our separate day jobs, watched black clouds roll in and time drag out interminably until quitting time. Once again we were racing the clock. After work, I hurried to buy hot dogs, hamburgers, charcoal, and the materials we needed for the service project. Jennifer was at home ignoring the ringing phone and the landlord on the caller I.D. She struggled to focus on completing an agenda and gathering supplies for the program. Meanwhile, Scott was also watching the weather with increasing apprehension as the radar lit up with flashes of an approaching thunderstorm while our farmhouse was still sitting in halves. A heavy rain would melt the sheetrock and warp the floors and cabinets, destroying what was left of our desimated new living quarters. He rounded up Nina and Brenda Gaskins' fifteen-year-old son, Chris. Since introducing me to Cindy VanDeventer, Brenda and her family had been frequent and welcome visitors to Cross Roads. Scott and Chris piled into our rickety white Dodge work truck we called the "Ghost" and headed for town, where he bought rolls of plastic to cover the exposed sides of the house. Eyeing the approaching storm and the task at hand, he told Chris, "If I get struck by lightning or fall off the roof, and if I'm not dead, grab a board and either finish me off or knock me out."