The book is a biography of a Roman Catholic nun, Sister M. Optata Fries, who devoted her life in sacrifice to others. The story was written using the actual letters she wrote from 1939 to her death in 1997. There are also several interviews she gave to complete her early years of life and years in the concentration camp when she was unable to communicate to the outside world. She was chosen to be a missionary nun in China in 1939, held in a concentration camp during World War II when Japan invaded China, and then after several years back in Wisconsin, in 1955 was chosen again to serve as a missionary in Guam for which she spent the next 35 years. This story details her life and travels during her amazing nearly 72 years of her religious profession. In an era when the media is fixated on representing the misdeeds of the few religious as the norm, this story is a true testament to the world that there are wonderful faithful people who serve God in a truly blessed way. Sister Optata was a holy and dedicated woman that served her faith above all else.
About the author
My name is Joyce Thompson and I live in Tempe, Arizona. I am a cousin of Sister Optata (my Grandmother Nelly Donskey and Sister were first cousins). Once Sister Optata entrusted me to work on her life story, it took me ten years to complete this wonderful project. I had to organize the letters and materials Sister gave me, plus work to find all the missing information, such as the time spent in a concentration camp during World War II when the Japanese invaded China. Writing this story was a real work of love. I hope it will be an inspiration to everyone who reads it. Sister M. Optata was truly a ‘Sister of Sacrifice’ her entire life.