From Silence to Secrecy
A Memoir
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My plan to become a nun had been in the inner part of my soul for a long time so boys were not my main objective although I was often told I was boy crazy. After correspoonding with the "Order" (the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa) I wanted to join and had received my acceptance letter, preparations were under way to head to Franklin, Pennsylvania to begin my Postulancy (initial training). I mailed my application to the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) which was soon followed by a telephone response. I flew to D.C., called in for an interview and the background check began. it was amusing because I thought what kind of background check could they do on me. I had been a nun for 17 years. i didn't think I was any kind of threat.
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About the Book
As a young girl growing up in Kansas, Martha Leiker always felt a pull toward Africa. She couldn’t explain why, but she dreamed of working in Africa with the African people. In From Silence to Secrecy, Leiker narrates the story of how she made that dream come true.
Leiker likens her life to that of a chameleon—changing easily from one lifestyle to another. This memoir follows those changes, beginning with her birth in 1940 in rural Kansas; her training as a nun with the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa in Pennsylvania; her work in Africa as a missionary for eight years; her twenty years of service with the CIA; and her current position with the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) in Colorado.
Including many fascinating photos, From Silence to Secrecy demonstrates how one young girl with a dream accomplished her goals and lived a life full of rich experiences. Leiker’s story shows how her faith, hope, inner strength, and dreams carried her far.
About the Author
MARTHA E. LEIKER became a nun for seventeen years and worked in Africa and in the States. After leaving the order, she worked for the CIA for twenty years in Virginia and Africa. Leiker serves as a regional vice president for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) and lives in Denver, Colorado.