Sally Jo
Following the Call— From Amish Country to New York City and Beyond
by
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Chapter 1 ~ September 11, 2001 It was a clear, sunny Texas morning in early September 2001. I was getting ready to leave for work at my office in a downtown Dallas law firm when the phone rang. It was my friend Debbie calling from the church where she served as administrative assistant. I was part of a ladies’ group that Debbie led. “Sally, turn on your TV. They think a small plane just hit the World Trade Center. It’s on fire!” Holding my cellphone with one hand, I quickly turned on the TV with the other, eyes glued to the set. The commentators sounded confused. Was it a small plane? Was it an accident? They were trying to figure out what had happened. One thing was certain, something had hit Tower One and it was on fire. Shocked, I watched in disbelief and astonishment. “Sally! Are you still there?!!” “Uh, yeah. Hey Debbie, it’s Tower One that’s on fire. I worked in Tower Two. Glad it’s not my building that was hit. Thanks for letting me know, I’ve gotta go and finish getting ready for work.” Putting my shoes on to leave for work, but distracted by the news coverage, I succumbed to my easy chair and continued to watch. I’m going to be late for work, I thought, I better call David. My boss David was a prominent Dallas attorney who grew up in New York, and most of his family still lived there. We both shared an infinite connection to New York City. “David, are you watching the news?” “No! What’s going on?!” “Turn on your TV! Something just hit the World Trade Center and it’s on fire. They think it’s a small plane. I’m glued to the news and might be late getting to the office.” I had worked on the 100th Floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center for several years and knew almost every nook and cranny of those buildings in and out. When I realized the “small plane” had hit Tower One, I felt a slight relief that it wasn’t “my” building. Still, it was unsettling that something had crashed into one of the Towers.
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About the Book
Sally Jo recounts stories of growing up in a Mennonite farm family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At age seventeen, she follows a call to New York City. Out of her comfort zone, she wrestles with fear and insecurity. Later she embraces the challenges of living in a dangerous neighborhood in the Bronx. Her faith gives her courage to venture onto new unfamiliar paths, including a corporate legal career, inner-city outreach, and travel to multiple continents. Continuing to follow the call, Sally Jo embarks on adventurous missions to Africa, China, South America, and other nations. Following a fulfilling career and thrilling life, she returns to her homeland to help care for her mother. There she discovers romance in the midst of life-threatening events.
About the Author
Sally Jo Hess Landis grew up in a Mennonite farm family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She engaged in Biblical studies for three years at Zion Bible Institute in East Providence, Rhode Island where she earned a Ministerial Diploma. She also holds a B.A. in Bible and Christian Education from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. Throughout her life, Sally Jo served in various voluntary ministry capacities. She enjoyed a career in the corporate legal field for more than forty-five years. Today Sally Jo and her husband Doug live on his family’s farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.