Plans were made for her to come to America. Her older sister had already emigrated and was saving money to enable the family to come to the "promised land." At age 15, my mother was the next to come to America. Life there was very hard and very cruel. Eventually, the rest of the family arrived in New York. Her mother died six months later. I think that is when she became aware and told me she grew up "behind God's back."

If there was a God, he certainly was not looking her way. She maintained her dignity and sense of humor all her life. She might have grown up behind God's back but even if he didn't see her, He must have felt her presence, as I still do.