Ponderings of a Progressive Church

My story of giving, by Lilllian Wenger                                                                          November 12, 2013

I have many reasons to be thankful that others offered their loving kindness  to me.  First, my mother who gave me life, but was never able to even hold me, as she had tubercolosis when I was born during World War II in Germany.  She died when I was five months old.  Then my mother’s sister, Anna, who took over my care, but even that was short lived.  Anna left me with her best friend to babysit me, as she went for a few days to visit her husband who was in the navy and had a short leave.  Unfortunately the war escalated and Anna could not return.  At the same time this friend  had to evacuate where she was living, taking me along with her own little children. This was in November, and as refugees travel was not easy, thus in a small town this friend told the officials there that she would need to leave me.  A family in the town  stepped forward and took me in, as I would not have survived much longer.  They took care of me for five plus years giving me their love.  

Anna and Otto ended up in West Germany after the war and then started searching for me.  Anna was able to locate me in East Germany  and came to take me away from the only mother I had known up to that time.  A few years later, Otto, Anna and I were able to immigrate to the United States.  Unfortunately  Otto died of cancer at the end of the same year we arrived in Philadelphia. 

After Aunt Anna and I moved to Chicago,  Anna had a mental breakdown and again I was very fortunate to be placed with a loving foster family, John and Lillian Marcoux.  However after a year, due to some financial issues within the family, I moved to another  family, just down the block, Carl & Erma Zager.  After a year this family was transferred out of Chicago, but I felt I needed to stay in the city as my aunt had visiting privileges. Both families had already conferred with each other, and now the first family could take me back. I was extremely lucky to have two such great foster families, with whom I have been connected all of my life.

In 2007 another dramatic event happened in my life.  I was again connected with the family who took me in when I was a baby.  I had not known their name or exactly where they lived so could never search for them.  I only remembered being told that I had lived in a town called Zwickau when little.  A couple, who came to Missoula through Friendship Force International, ended up as my house quests when I heard they were from Zwickau. After their return home they attempted a few ways to try to locate my earlier family, and low and behold they did it.   I have now visited Herta and her family, and Sigrid a couple of times and again gained this loving family back into my life. I have been truly blessed that so many people gave of themselves and their love, and allowed me to be a part of their lives.