▁hair ▁short . ▁However , ▁when ▁her ▁f ian cé ▁suddenly ▁decided ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Domin icans ▁and ▁her ▁father ▁went ▁blind , ▁her ▁life ▁fell ▁apart . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁notice ▁that ▁life ▁did ▁not ▁seem ▁abs urd ▁to ▁her ▁Christian ▁friends , ▁who ▁still ▁enjoyed ▁life ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁she ▁did . ▁Sud den ly , ▁God ' s ▁existence ▁did ▁not ▁seem ▁a ▁complete ▁impos s ibility ▁anymore . ▁She ▁decided ▁to ▁kne el ▁and ▁pray , ▁and ▁also ▁remembered ▁Ter esa ▁of ▁Av ila ' s ▁recommendation ▁to ▁sil ently ▁think ▁of ▁God ▁for ▁five ▁minutes ▁each ▁day . ▁Made le ine ▁called ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁her ▁conversion . ▁For ▁in ▁pray ing ▁she ▁found ▁God ▁— ▁or ▁as ▁she ▁felt , ▁he ▁found ▁her . ▁To ▁her ▁he ▁was ▁someone ▁to ▁love ▁just ▁like ▁any ▁other ▁person . ▁At ▁first ▁she ▁considered ▁taking ▁the ▁ve il ▁and ▁entering ▁the ▁Car mel ite ▁order , ▁but ▁then ▁felt ▁called ▁upon ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁touch ▁with ▁people ▁and ▁help ▁them ▁lead ▁happ ier ▁lives . ▁She ▁joined ▁the ▁Girl ▁Sc outs , ▁then ▁led ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁I v ry , ▁a ▁small ▁working - class ▁town , ▁with ▁the ▁goal ▁of ▁simply ▁car ing , ▁cons ol ing , ▁a iding , ▁and ▁establish ing ▁good ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁people . ▁She ▁then ▁took ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Social ▁Studies ▁and ▁was ▁employed ▁by ▁the ▁city