Surviving Bina`s Secrets: A True Story of Abuse and Recovery in Africa and America, Durham Maria

This is the story of my life I have written down on these pages--the bad and the good, but as you will read, mostly the bad. I dont remember some of it, but the people Ive talked to have recounted my past. I used to be so embarrassed about it all, but Im grown up now. Im an old lady. It makes me kind of sick, but theres not too much I can do about it. Ive been learning how to talk about it to make myself feel better.

Writing this book has helped me a lot. It has helped take away the anger and resentment Ive had since childhood. I am very lucky that I have some good friends to talk to. Some of them are here in the United States and some are still on the islands off the coast of West Africa. I kept this secret all of my life, until after I turned 50. I do know that I want to help children so they will not go through what I went through. I want all the young people to know that you should not wait until you are old to talk about what happens in your life. Find somebody to talk to. Dont keep it inside; dont keep it a secret. Find some way to deal with it, or it will deal with you.