Mission of Merit Background Story
Although this account of Mary Sibley’s life is fictionalized, the background and historical setting is based on extensive, factual research by the author. "While sorting the contents of my parents’ attic, I found two hand-carved bamboo paint brush pots, instigating a conversation with my step-father, Dr. John Sibley Kitching. He described his cousin Mary’s arrival at the parsonage after the sudden death of her mother in China."
"The story of his missionary aunt and uncle intrigued me for years before I began writing it. Three years of research and background reading allowed me to become immersed in the culture of China and historical events as I wrote and rewrote the novel. Biographies, articles and news reports of Christians and Canadians in China, all had an impact. Keeping as close to facts as possible, I wanted to develop Mary’s ancestry and life story, realizing the threads drawn through the century between 1880 and 1980 are but a few in a vast world-wide tapestry."
It can only begin to answer the question of Christian missionaries’ success in China. How had a young teen managed while separated from her parents until the next sabbatical, six years into the future? What was Mary’s view of the Western world’s attempt to Christianize the Chinese?
This story is unique because it is a rare attempt to examine missionary work in a very different culture and time through a work of fiction. By examining the work of all denominations, the novel attempts to tie the human race together in its search for that hope which Christians can share through the knowledge and life of Jesus Christ.
Even though Mission of Merit is just being released, it has already been short-listed in the 2023 Braun Book Awards. Judges had this to say about the book: “An interesting subject, to be sure, since few other novels cover this territory – missionary work in China around the turn of the twentieth century. It’s a unique setting. The historical aspect is well-handled, with scenes set in multiple decades.”
"The story of his missionary aunt and uncle intrigued me for years before I began writing it. Three years of research and background reading allowed me to become immersed in the culture of China and historical events as I wrote and rewrote the novel. Biographies, articles and news reports of Christians and Canadians in China, all had an impact. Keeping as close to facts as possible, I wanted to develop Mary’s ancestry and life story, realizing the threads drawn through the century between 1880 and 1980 are but a few in a vast world-wide tapestry."
It can only begin to answer the question of Christian missionaries’ success in China. How had a young teen managed while separated from her parents until the next sabbatical, six years into the future? What was Mary’s view of the Western world’s attempt to Christianize the Chinese?
This story is unique because it is a rare attempt to examine missionary work in a very different culture and time through a work of fiction. By examining the work of all denominations, the novel attempts to tie the human race together in its search for that hope which Christians can share through the knowledge and life of Jesus Christ.
Even though Mission of Merit is just being released, it has already been short-listed in the 2023 Braun Book Awards. Judges had this to say about the book: “An interesting subject, to be sure, since few other novels cover this territory – missionary work in China around the turn of the twentieth century. It’s a unique setting. The historical aspect is well-handled, with scenes set in multiple decades.”
Mary's Family Tree
Siblings
Wedding photo of the Reverend William Edward Sibley and Mary Edith Harrison in Medicine Hat, Cypress, Alberta, 1906. John C Sibley, William Sibley, Mary Edith Sibley (Nee Harrison)
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This photo above was taken after the wedding of the Reverend John Wesley Kitching and Mary Ann Sibley.
Back Row: (Rev)John Cynddylan Sibley, Margaret Alice Sibley, (Rev)William Edward Sibley, Mary Ann Kitching (nee Sibley) Front Row: Florence Emma Sibley, Helen Elizabeth Sibley, Ethel Irmine Sibley, Eunice Myrtle Sibley, John Wesley Kitching |
Yangtze River in China
HOME PAGE PHOTO: (Dr.) John Sibley Kitching with his parents Rev. John W Kitching, Mary Ann (Sibley) Kitching
HOME PAGE PHOTO: (Dr.) John Sibley Kitching with his parents Rev. John W Kitching, Mary Ann (Sibley) Kitching
Historical Novels
WHEN THE SEA WAS DEEP
Book One: From the Depths This is the story of three Phoenician sailors on board the ship during the storm that washed the prophet Jonah ashore. They sojourn to Nineveh, searching for the truth about Ha-Shem, God of the Hebrews. Follow them in love and life’s adventures during the 760’s BCE. READ MORE continues here... What is truer than truth? The story.” Hasidic Proverb (Your life is a Book, Brenda Peterson & Sarah Jane Freymann) How does a near-disastrous voyage in the Great Sea affect three Phoenician sailors? Ha-Shem calls Jonah to do something unsavoury and repulsive to him, and he is more willing to die than to prophesy to Nineveh. Only through the miracle of Ha-Shem's power can the sailors be saved. Batnoam, the skeptic, Yehomik, the blind believer, and Naphtali, the seeker, learn of Ha-Shem's mercy through repentance and obedience. Live with them as they experience Ha-Shem's grace through forgiveness, loss, and humility. Hear their pleas through the poetry of the psalms of King David and the ancient books of Israel. Follow them through life-changing adventures from Joppa to Nineveh during the eighth century BCE. |
WHEN THE SEA WAS DEEP
Book Two: From the Ends of Earth The gripping conclusion of a family in the turbulent times of the Phoenicians 300 years before Christ, when the Mediterranean really was deep. Tangled relationships and family ties are not enough to keep them in Tyre. Follow them to the end of the earth, where freedoms are found. READ MORE continues here... By 763 BCE, Batnoam and Sanam's family have settled in Tyre, hoping to make a living on the docks. Naphtali establishes himself at the struggling synagogue. A beautiful and graceful young woman attracts Abirami's attention, and soon he is making plans. But the men on the docks are rounded up and enslaved to assist with the refortification of the palace island of Tyre. How will the family survive disease, injury, and political treachery? Yehomik brings sad news from Nineveh adding to the decision to leave the Phoenician city. Will their belief give them the assurance and guidance they require to find peace and freedom to worship Ha-Shem if they leave and begin yet again in a new land? |
KATE & OZZIE
Kate & Ozzie, a genealogical narrative gathers the stories of Hopwood’s maternal ancestry, from Jamaica to the east end of London, England. What role did the Bernardo Home play in the Summer family? How did the Martin family go from farming to a thriving grocery business? READ MORE continues here... The discharge papers of Philip Clodos Filamingo Summers have been safely stored in a black leather pouch. In 1904 daughter Kate was now on the seas to attend her brother’s wedding in Ontario. “We had a dreadful storm, also saw some icebergs, which delayed the ship for some days; the sky after a storm at sea is magnificent.” Kate’s first breakfast in Caledon was a t-bone steak. Ozzie’s seven sisters and parents had moved west to Calgary before his marriage to Kate. When they met, he owned a viable business in Trenton, and this was the town where their daughter Mary was born. |
GLADYS & JACK
Gladys & Jack, the 2013 Word Award winner in the historical novel category, follows Hopwood’s paternal ancestry from the 1800’s through to the birth of her father. The original poetry and letters of Jack Bailey were saved by his wife, Gladys Hannaford for decades, to be discovered by an inquisitive grand-daughter and put into story form for future generations. READ MORE continues here... It was risky to change. Leaving a small village where family had lived for more than a century took courage. From Devon to Northumbria, from Montgomeryshire to Sussex, families in Britain struggled. They owned little and expected little, but they hoped for more than subsistence in the future. Meet the Hannaford, Pope, Lyon, and Bailey families as they move from long-established villages to new lives in a new country. They converge in Gladys & Jack, strong in their personalities, work ethic, and Christian faith. |
Memoir
OH, BROTHER!
Oh, Brother! truly are the confessions of a sister who tried making sure her brother stayed out of jail and off the streets. Follow Anne’s attempt to deal with Ted’s hoarding and addictions to alcohol and gambling, from Ontario to Las Vegas and back. Oh, Brother! was short-listed at The Word Awards in 2019. "Hard to imagine what the author has been through in her lifetime. Also, it is hard to think that one individual could be as dysfunctional as the central figure in this book. Suffice it to say that the one skill he has mastered is the art of manipulation of others and in particular his family members. The author has painted a very clear picture of a lifetime of frustration, not only for the protagonist but also everyone who endeavoured to help him overcome his demons. In the end "tough love " was the only answer. The reader is always left to wonder what will be coming next and who will win the ongoing battle of wits..." READ MORE continues here... "...One is inclined to sympathizing far more with the author than with her subject. While reading the book one cannot help but shout "Enough!!" While rushing to rescue not the main character but the author herself. I encourage everyone to read this most enjoyable treatise and discover if they can the true machinations of a genuinely troubled individual." Rick Zadro, For decades, life with Ted has been a rollercoaster undertaking–from a pastoral childhood to the casinos of Las Vegas, from family Christmas dinners to the discovery of a trunk of unopened bills and racetrack stubs. In sharing her story, Hopwood hopes others will take heart, and stand firm in their convictions while protecting themselves and others. Oh, Brother! is a truthful, narrative-driven memoir, at times, harsh, but always seeking humour in the reality of dealing with a challenging sibling. |
Young Adult
SUMMER OF ICE Summer of Ice, a novella, tells of the struggles of an eighty-year-old Inuit woman and her community during a time of crisis– a summer when the supply ships can’t get through the ice in Frobisher Bay. Rosa is the only one who can get Alex to open-up and explain what happened to his grandfather, her husband. READ MORE continues here... The idea behind Summer of Ice: The question of what would happen if the supply ships couldn’t get into the long inlet of Frobisher Bay to Iqaluit, during the few weeks that are free enough of ice, arose as I stood gazing over the bay. Here it was, the first week of July, and ships were still waiting for enough of a thaw to unload their cargoes and diesel fuel. There were a dozen of us on a Habitat for Humanity build, working on a home in Apex, outside the town of Iqaluit. As we assembled at the Ottawa Airport to fly as a group, a half dozen or more coolers were brought in by the team leaders. This was our food which we would prepare for ourselves, cutting down the tremendous expense of purchasing food in Nunavut. As I looked around, it was clear everyone else was also bringing more than twice the luggage, mostly in the form of coolers. No wonder tickets to the North are expensive. There was less than 20 km of road, including The Road to Nowhere. The sign happened to be there, posted as most of the main roads in town were, but sometimes it was stolen and had to be replaced. Everybody want a road sign the said “The Road to Nowhere”. The question kept at me about the summer thaw and I asked a few residents. No one had ever heard of an instance when the ships couldn’t get in. During the nine days were we there, I took pictures of course, but I started researching at the museum where I was able to purchase some very helpful books. Seeing the landscape spring to life with tiny wild flowers was a true gift. The landscape is another world. Our group began with insulating the main part of the house and the ceiling to R54. Joanne, the future owner and a CBC broadcaster, was delighted with the progress as she helped us for an hour before work and two afterwards. She had been working along with the carpenters, and other paid trades people from the beginning until its completion. And so, on my return flight I asked the young woman about herself. She was a student going to meet other Inuit students from Greenland, Labrador, and the Far North for an expedition into “Down Below”. She helped me with a few Inuktut words translations. She was extremely excited to be going south and hoped she would see some trees. I assured her she would have an opportunity to see many. The streets would be lined with them and they were in parks. “Can you touch them?” she asked. After I closed my mouth, I smiled. “Yes you can touch them.” "A quiet, skillful novel about keeping Inuit traditions and family harmony." Kirkus Reviews "All in all, though, this is a quick, generally pleasurable story that will especially appeal to individuals interested in native Canadian culture." Blue Ink Reviews |
NO ONE TOLD
No One Told, The story of eleven-year-old Olive de Groote during the lean years of WW II when no one would talk about her mother, brother, and what happened to them. Small town life in 1941 is aptly portrayed through Olive and her friends’ activities. Discover what needed to be told, and what remained a secret. READ MORE continues here... Harassed by older brothers of classmates, Olive must become strong and independent. She and friends are witness to fires, a love triangle, and snobbery. The second world war takes its toll, gossip fires up Olive’s imagination, and family secrets are revealed bit by bit. The near drowning of a friend is never spoken of, and life in Stonehill carries on. Background to No One Told: This historical novel is loosely based on the events and names of a small town in Midwestern Ontario. I researched about major disasters and occurrences during this period of time. Of course, after living in the area for decades, I had heard many stories from older people who had grown up during the time of WW2 and impressions of these actual events were often woven into the framework of the story. |
PHOTOS