説明
Doreen discovered this place when a family friend took her there while she was ill. She had been suffering from fainting spells and terrible headaches. She was taken there without her mother's knowledge because of its location; her mother would not have allowed her to go there if she had known. That place was perceived to be dangerous, and there was some truth to it. It took one visit to "Mercy Shack," and Doreen became hooked enough to overlook the risks and dangers that always lurked around a bend. Frequently, Doreen would visit the church in the middle of the day after school without her mother's knowledge, sneaking away at every given chance. The pastor, Rev. West, was passionate about God. She preached the word of God with a fire in her belly. Her lifestyle exemplified the same. She took Doreen under her wings and began pouring into her God's words and His love. Rev. West kept a large clay jar by the church's entrance, which faced east. Doreen believed it was because of where the sun rises, and Re. West always wanted to be in alignment with God's things. In the clay jar, she would catch water from the faucet of a nearby standpipe (indoor plumbing wasn't available in that neighborhood). At times, Doreen helped fill the jar with water using a bucket, which Rev. West would then pray over and give to those in the church with ailments. My God! It worked every time. Reminiscing, Doreen recalled a woman being given water from the jar in a glass bottle as medicine. Initially, she became amused and frustrated by Rev. West's action: "What's this water supposed to do for me, apart from quenching my thirst, for which I'm not?! I need medicine! I thought maybe you'd have some herds prepared, which was what I usually get elsewhere!"