Showing results by narrator "Michael Dresbach" in All Categories

"Father O'Malley. Is that you?" A pleasant female voice called out behind me. Upon recognizing Sandra Johnson, my heart beat more quickly. I had first noticed Sandra while delivering Mass the second Sunday in my new parish. Each week since then, when I saw her, I tried to view her as only another soul to save. But the image of her ready smile and attractive features invaded my mind many times each day. And I found myself thinking of her as a beautiful woman. I knew my thoughts were inappropriate for a man in my profession.

Desperate to make ends meet, Ombima commits a "harmless" crime. When he tries to conceal his misdeed, the simple farm laborer becomes a reluctant participant in a sinister affair. If discovered, the consequences could be disastrous for Ombima's family, friends, and a spate of unwitting, gossipy villagers.

A compilation of short stories concerned with Mexican life around the turn of the century, The Compromised Land reflects the Hispanic tradition and its continuity of values and origins. The central theme of the volume is that of the immigrant who crosses the border from Mexico to the United States in search of work and a better way of life.