Narrative Summary
Interview with Helen Busch by Holly Higgins
Sitting down and talking with Helen Busch was an engaging experience. She was born in
1919 in Morgan County, Missouri. Helen was married to E. Busch and has four children.
It is apparent she feels strongly about her religion and the role it has played in her and her
family’s life. Helen’s parents instilled a devout belief in religion when she was a child, and it has
remained strong throughout her long life. Even though Helen changed from the Methodist to
Baptist denomination, the foundation of faith her parents taught her has remained constant.
At the age of eleven, Helen found that the Baptist denomination matched her beliefs
much closer than the Methodist denomination her parents followed. Helen’s mother believed she
could not take Communion with her daughter if Helen became a Baptist; therefore, not wanting
to hurt her mother, Helen waited until she was seventeen years old to be baptized.
The story of her baptism is interesting. On her seventeenth birthday, Helen was baptized
in a small lake. Being the beginning of November, it was extremely cold; however, that did not
stop any of the 16 people that wanted to be baptized that day. Following the baptism, everyone
had to walk a quarter of a mile to get to a parishioner’s home so they could change into dry
clothes. By the time Helen and the others arrived at the home, ice crystals had covered their
clothes; however, not one of the people who were baptized that day became ill.
Helen has dedicated her life to helping others. Teaching Sunday school, running the
church’s kitchen, and mentoring the G.A. Girls (Girls in Action, a youth mission group at her
church) were just a few of the activities that spawned a lifetime’s worth of achievement, not only
for herself, but for those she embraced. Helen’s students have become strong Christian leaders in
their community.
Missouri State University
Fall 2008
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women
2
Helen does not believe that one Christian denomination is better than another. She
believes that a person needs to find the one that matches their personal beliefs and follow the
rules of that religion to the best of their abilities. However, Helen does feel that to get into
Heaven, no matter what denomination, one has to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Helen’s faith in the Lord has never wavered. She has suffered many hardships in her life
but has always turned to God to help her through them instead of turning away and blaming Him.
Over the years, Helen lost all five of her siblings. When her husband passed away, Helen asked
the Lord to help her get through the pain. When her granddaughter died of cystic fibrosis, Helen
once again turned to God for help dealing with the devastating loss.
The depth of emotion I felt coming from Helen was unreal—it was almost tangible.
Helen’s religious beliefs are so strong and embedded in who she is that I was taken by surprise.
Sincerity is in every word she speaks, so one cannot doubt the magnitude religion has played in
her life. When Helen speaks about her religious life, she comes alive with vibrancy, as if she was
glowing. I studied her throughout the entire interview in awe. I had never had that kind of
experience before. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her and have a chance to hear her
remarkable story.
Missouri State University
Fall 2008
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women