Margaret McConnell and her husband, Victor, have lived as close as anyone we know to the "troubles" of the past thirty years in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They are about four miles from the city center, but bombs, guns, and other forms of violence have never kept them from church attendance, from serving in the local Christian Science Reading Room, nor from their family and work commitments.
"Our church building has been affected on only one occasion by terrorist activity," said Mrs. McConnell, "when an explosive device attached to a motorcycle parked outside the church garden exploded, breaking several windows. And the downtown Reading Room has twice been damaged by bombs exploding nearby, but it has never closed except for redecoration!"
Victor McConnell taught high-school mathematics until his retirement several years ago—which has given him more time for his tomatoes, chrysanthemums, raspberries, and courgettes (zucchini)—and Mrs. McConnell now devotes her time to the healing practice of Christian Science. They felt God's constant love and support in bringing up a son and twin daughters, who have produced nine grandchildren.
