It was 5:20 PM on Friday, December 02, 2005 and Keepers were at the art gallery all decked out and ready for our opening reception of our work. It was such a special feeling to see people who had promised to come actually show up to be with us on this night. It broke our hearts that others who promised to be there were busy with other things, but it was okay because we had the chance to speak with old friends and new friends and long lost relatives about the meaning of our pieces. The entire experience gave all Keepers a sense of worth and ability that we had never had before. We truly thought these were feelings no one would ever be able to take from Keepers. However, Keepers were so very wrong.

Tonight is the 17th of December in the year 2005. Just barely 4 weeks since our gallery opening reception and only three days since I called our state’s Division of Children and Family Services to report a relative of mine as a child sexual abuser within my family, which is an issue that came to light shortly after our opening. The man we had to report is the son of Keeper’s own perpetrator, who was a huge catalyst in our coming to live in multiplicity.

What actually happened was a cousin of Keepers saw our artwork and contacted me to tell me that her father, our uncle, had confided in her on his deathbed the horrible sexual abuse Keepers had endured early on in our lives. We were so thankful to hear that someone had spoken out on our behalf but we questioned why it took this cousin nine long years to contact Keepers about this deathbed confession. This heartwarming conversation led to others where this same cousin began confiding in Keepers that the son of our perpetrator was successfully carrying on his father’s tradition with teenagers who are members of this family. When I began to speak of reporting this because she was giving me exact information and I was getting similar information from other family members, she pleaded with me to keep quiet about the situation as it would be difficult for the family to handle the truth coming out. I thought about her words carefully and knew it had to be reported, for the sake of the children in this family. So, the report was made with the help and support of many people that Keepers love and respect.

Keepers are now in the repercussion phase of having reported the sexual abuse going on within this group called a family. A multitude of phone calls from angry relatives now haunt our waking-and even sleeping- moments. A nephew who loved Keepers now seems to hate us. Once again, our world seems so twisted and turned. In fact, if it were not for loving people like our SO John Michael and our old friend, Mike, and our spiritual adviser, Rev. Marigene, the repercussions would have so easily driven Keepers over the edge. That plummet to some unknown end truly seemed like it would be a welcome relief as we were the ones who opened up to the state this Pandora’s box.

The truth is that in 1950 horrible sexual abuse was occurring within my family and the adults thought it more important to protect the perpetrators than the children who were enduring this plight. The year is now 2005 and the same sexual abuse is still occurring with another generation of adults protecting those causing harm at the expense of the children having to live through it.

Even though it has brought Keepers great emotional pain and soiled our one night Where our gifts were meant to shine, no Keepers-big or little-is one bit sorry that we were told the truth of what is happening in today or that we took this information directly to the appropriate authorities. At least, we have hope today’s children in this family will be protected in ways that Keepers never were.

Keepers spent days trying to find the courage to make the report and we went through our own abreactions getting ready to make the initial phone call. After the report was made it only took hours for our family to begin beating us down with what we had done. The first night was a night from hell and we were blessed because people hung with us through those life and death hours. I can say that Keepers are so thankful that we did not know when we made the report how horrible the repercussions to us would be.

Still, Keepers know that all of this unfolded the way it did for a reason. The truth came to light only at a moment when we were strong enough to handle it and do something about it. Those who love us were there to stand by us but most of all Keepers found our own sense of empowerment as we did the report with the state agent. Not only are the children of today no longer victims but Keepers will no longer be victims either, because we put the truth into action. This was the greatest Christmas Gift God has ever given any Keeper.