In the Life of Nzuri

Copyright © 2021 Nzuri.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

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except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue

in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

This is a work of fiction but inspired by a true story.

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Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard

Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian

Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United

States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Website

ISBN: 978-1-6632-1484-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-1485-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020924895

iUniverse rev. date: 12/14/2020

This is a story about a free woman, who once was lost

but now is found; who once was blind, but now sees.

Her captor had her totally convinced that if she did not do

what he told her that she would lose her life

like those two fine officers that lost their lives

in the line of duty.

DEDICATION

I give honor and glory to God Almighty!

To Every Victim of Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse

Around The World…You Matter!

Psalm 139: 13–16 (NKJV)

"For you formed my inward parts; You

covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed.

And in your book, they all were written

— the days fashioned for me,

when as yet, there were none of them."

If You Only Believe

"Jesus said to him,

If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.

Immediately the father of the child

cried out and said with tears,

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:23–24 (NKJV)

"My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue,

but in deed and in truth."

I John 3:18 (NKJV)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: GROWING UP DOWN SOUTH

CHAPTER 2: FIRST CRUSH

CHAPTER 3: EMOTIONALLY BLINDED

CHAPTER 4: FALSELY ARRESTED

CHAPTER 5: COURT AND INCARCERATION

CHAPTER 6: DELIVERING HALLELUYAH

CHAPTER 7: OVERCOMING SURVIVOR —

BEAT DOWN, CATEGORIZED,

AND YET STILL I RISE

CHAPTER 1

GROWING UP DOWN SOUTH

M Y NAME IS Nzuri and this story is about the early years of my life.

I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Thanksgiving Day 1976. Philly is where my parents met. I grew up, down in, South Carolina. I was very young when my family moved to South Carolina. My father’s hometown was in, Puerto Rico. My mom’s hometown was in, South Carolina. I remember having so many adventures with my siblings and cousins in the South. The Spring and Autumn were my favorite seasons. You could smell the fresh flowers growing and see how beautiful the trees and grass were. I used to love the sweet and sour weeds, the black berries, the honeysuckles, the figs, the plums, and so much more that grew around us that was edible. I used to love it when my grandmother washed clothes.

When the water poured down to the ground from the washer machine, it made streams of water sufficient enough for mud pies. The wet mud felt so good in my hands and on my feet. We would play for hours outside. By the time our moms called us inside, we had to go straight to the tub to wash. In my mind, it was all worth it. My parents moved from the city because it was hard for my dad to find work. My mom said that her plan was not to move permanently back home, but my father seemed to enjoy living down South. Dad said that he was tired of the traffic in the city, not to mention the cold weather. They were supposed to eventually move to Florida, but it never happened.

My parents were hard workers and no matter what, they did not give up on their dreams of overcoming poverty. They worked together to make things better for our family and their hard work paid off in time. We started out living behind my grandparents on their property, but eventually my parents bought property of their own in a different area of South Carolina. This happened around the time my mom was pregnant with my youngest sister, Dawn. My oldest sister Wanda and I shared a room together; and at age 4, I was still a bed wetter. I remember how concerned my mother was for me. She finally came out and asked me if anyone had ever inappropriately touched me and I told her No. No matter how hard I tried, I still had difficulty controlling my bladder. My mother was frustrated, and I was confused. If we traveled long distance, I could not drink a lot of liquid because I would have to suddenly use the bathroom. However, I later learned that an older step–cousin had molested my oldest sister and me when he babysat us. At the time, I was under age 1 and my sister Wanda was 2 years old. Wanda remembered this man fondling us after sending my brother and cousin (which was his younger brother) outside. My parents were not aware that the incident had taken place until my sister Wanda finally said something about it as a young adult. I know they would have done something about the situation if they had known.

My mom and I did not have the best relationship growing up and there was much to be desired. I was baptized at 5 years old and I always felt close to God. Around the age of 8, I became an overweight child and struggled with insecurities like bed wetting. My mother does not believe that she treated me any different than my siblings, but she did whether she would ever admit to it or not. I know I was not a perfect child. However, I feel that my mother did not know how to help me with my obesity and insecurities. She did try even though some of her tactics were objectionable. I remember my mom making me put my hands on the Bible to make me tell the truth about taking food and other things. I hated that! I knew if I told her the truth, she would beat me, so I lied. I remember feeling so awful about lying. My dad did not treat me that way, but through the years, he stopped disputing my mom about the unpleasant things she said and did to me. I was withdrawn as a child and my mom would ask me if I was depressed. I was, but I did not know how to express myself to my mom. I felt like no one around me understood. I was screaming inside for help, for someone to save me from what I was going through. I remember contemplating suicide at one time when I was a teenager. I was going to take a bunch of Tylenols, but I could only swallow about three. I remembered fearing God for trying to commit suicide.

I am so glad I knew Jesus at a young age and wanted to live for the Lord.

I remembered the Scripture that references serving God in your youth when you could do more for Him and not to wait until you are old and limited.

I decided that I wanted to represent for other young ladies by living my life as a positive role model. So, I decided that I was going to do the right thing so that other young girls would not think they had to follow along with the so-called majority who wanted to have babies at a young age or just wanted to party. However, I went overboard with my methods. I tried to make people feel guilty about not serving the Lord like I did. I went around witnessing to people in the wrong way instead of living my life so that others in darkness could see God’s marvelous light through me and give their lives to Christ Jesus.

I tried to live my life to please my parents. I grew up in a family that was not rich but had accomplished much from hard work. My family was very concerned about their children doing well in life, including living for Christ, graduating from high school, and going to college or into the military. These are the things we looked forward to accomplishing. We were in church almost every time the church doors were open, and we participated in all