Fornits

Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

No, I believe I left in 2002 or 2003 but.. whats her name?

Suprisingly- there are few things that I can complain about. I know for some girls- it was horrible- but for me... life in the Rebekah Home was too confined and emotionally draining- yet still very livable. I was never abused.. and I don't remember too many girls who could've even came close to saying they were. The McNamaras were super awesome people- they didn't have it in them to mistreat us. When I was on helper- I remember maybe 5 or 6 girls- during the year and a half that I was there- who were ever even severely disciplined. If a girl tried to runaway- of course someone has to do something! lol.. the McNamaras werent just going to stand back and watch while these girls self-destructed. Some of the girls were unmanageable.. and things had to be coaxed in order to settle them down.
     I think the hardest thing for most of us to accept was being forced to believe something so quickly and being judged if we didn't conform. I think alot of the so called "rebellion" could be blamed on this. No one wants to be forced to do anything.. ecpecially not wild teenage girls.. lol. Girls would do horrible things to the staff themselves, and even eachother- things that deserved alot more punishment than sitting walls or running laps.. or any other of the horrible things girls claim were injust punishments they were put through. And as far as sexual abuse- never! The only man who was ever around us was Bro. Mac- and he wouldn't even give us swats- or speak with us alone in a room.. they were very careful about making sure girls couldn't say things that weren't true along those lines.
   To get away from all the drama and punishment from not believing the "norms"- most girls would conform and mimick what they thought was "religious" to get away from criticism and be left alone.. for me though- I actually truly believed that the life I was trying to live was the best one.. Now- I see differently- I feel as if the person I was in the Rebekah home is no where near close to the person I truly am- or want to be, at that. In a way- without intention- I assure you.. I feel as if I was somehow "brainwashed" to believe that religion was something I needed to be happy. With time- I've learned differently. Now- when I look back on Rebekah- I'm thankful I went through such an experience. Even if I have changed drastically- it was deeper than playing the motions.. I gained sincere character that will never leave me. Looking back- god wasnt what I owe my happiness to- it was a life structure change. Myself- like plenty of the other girls who went through the home- needed stability and rigidness to teach us how to make our own lives work later in life. Regardless if I agree with what they believe to be the true happiness in life.. I know that they intended well- and to them I am forever indebted.
   In a nutshell.. lol... Going through the Rebekah home was an experience that was yes indeed- difficult.. but I'd never regret it in anyway. What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger.. right?!
   Oh- there were like 3 girls that came to us from victory.. shoot.. cant think of their names.. Ill get my yearbook when I go back to Dallas.. (I'm four hours away at college unti this weekend)oh- one of the girls names was "fanny".. or somethiing like that.. she was mexian- and then an asian girl.. kathy- and a white girl- young.. glasses.. I'll get the name.. until then- post back! I love chatting : )