-Family asks for understanding from community-

OSOYOOS TIMES-December 12, 2007-

By Paul EverestrnOsoyoos Times

For seven years, Maureen Terill and Annie Reinhard have called Osoyoos home. They were married here four years ago and have always felt accepted and welcomed in the community.
But on the morning of Sunday Nov. 25, Terill opened the front door of the couple's residence and found a book on the steps called Straight¦from Hell.
Written by Donna L. Frank of Louisiana, the book is the author's autobiographical account of living as a lesbian for 17 years before encountering Jesus Christ and turning away from a gay lifestyle.
This book is intended as a guide for people wishing to escape the bondages of homosexuality, brokenness, anger, shame and lust, reads a summary on the book's jacket. Addressing the issues of generational curses, soul ties and co-dependency, the author provides a step-by-step guide for people wishing to be set free from homosexuality and other destructive lifestyles.rnTerill said discovering the book was a shock to her because people in the community have always been supportive of her and Reinhard.
For two days I was crying. I was angry, she said, adding she immediately threw the book in the trash.
The couple has no idea who would have left the book and said no one in town has ever treated them badly because of their sexuality.
You look around and think who could this be? I don't want to live like that, Terill said.
Reinhard said everyone has the right to an opinion, but anonymously leaving a book on someone's doorstep is not the way to express it.
I would like the guy or woman who dropped off the book to contact me. You don't know anything about me, she said. If you have the guts and really believe what you dropped off, let's talk.rnThis kind of literature, she added, can lead to bigger problems.
I'm from Germany. I know what stuff like that can do. It's one little step towards hate.rnThe experience has made the couple concerned about the future of their son, Thyron Alexander, who is 14 months old.
They worry he may have to face the same narrow-mindedness when he grows up.
We have a child now that has to face the fact that he has two moms, Reinhard said, adding that the kind of message in the book will misinform those who read it.
According to that book, something bad has to happen to you in order to be gay and I don't understand that way of thinking.
We are not different. I go to work every day.rnTerill said she has no plans of going to the police, but admits the incident has left her uneasy.
Reinhard said she intends to read the book, just so she can understand the thinking of those who oppose her way of life.
It doesn't matter to me if you understand it, just accept it, she said.