Having miraculously survived the 1918 flu pandemic, Oma Ellis singlehandedly raised a family while going back and forth from TX to CA holding Pentecostal revivals.
Oma's story is partly a travelogue - she tells what it was like to traverse the southwest by car in the years before the second World War, with descriptions of sleeping on the side of the road, searching for radiator water in the desert, and working odd jobs along the way to raise gas money. "Oma" is also a fascinating look at just what went on in the brush arbor revivals that were commonly held in the early 20th century - the kind which featured speaking in tongues and holy laughter and water baptism solely in the name of Jesus.
Additionally, "Oma" is a success story -- enduring misogyny, slander, and prejudice, Oma became a highly respected preacher at a time when female ministers were viewed as an anomaly. At its core, however, "Oma" is a book of inspiration meant to promote devotion and faith. In this, it succeeds admirably, no doubt leaving many a reader with the urge to shout, "hallelujah" at the book's conclusion, in praise of the awesome Oma Francis Ellis.
Review posted at Amazon.com:
