Saundra Henderson-Windom - Orchestration

ORCHESTRATION

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the copyright owners written permission except for the use of quotations in book reviews.

Copyright 2021 Saundra Henderson Windom

First Edition

ISBN: 978-1-946274-55-7 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-946274-56-4 (eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020948860

Jacket design by Omomato

Interior Design by Amit Dey

Published by Wordeee in the United States, Beacon, New York 2021

Website: www.wordeee.com

Twitter: twitter.com/wordeee

Facebook: Facebook.com/wordeee

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Hope and faith are the twin rulers of the life I have lived. If there is one thing Ive learned throughout my life, its that Arirang (hope) springs eternal and, as noted in Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The bottom of my professional communique states my motto:

What really counts in life? Its not where you come from orwhere you startits where you go, what you do, and who/how you impact your fellow man along the way.

Advance Praise for Orchestration

Fifty years ago, in our freshman dorm at Stanford, we knew her as Sandy Henderson, a dynamic, beautiful spirit straight outta Compton. What we never knewand what she barely knewwas her extraordinary history. Her cinematic book Annie for our times tells that story.

Glenn Kramon,
former assistant managing editor,
The New York Times

An affecting memoir that intelligently unpacks an experience of cultural dislocation. The authors story is as remarkable as it is moving, and she furnishes an exceedingly thoughtful reflection on a life that was full of both misfortune and luck.

Kirkus Review

Poetic. Haunting. Hopeful. Historical. ORCHESTRATION is a profound testimony of faith, identity, resilience and self-determination. Brutality. Neglect. Denial. All unmatched by the infinite power of the human spirit. Bang Sun is my new personal hero!

Dr. Lamman Rucker
Film Actor/Producer - Activist - Educator - Entrepreneur

A fascinating story of perseverance, love for family and Gods beautiful orchestration.

Susan L. Taylor,
Editor-in-Chief Emerita of Essence Magazine
and Founder of the National CARES
Mentoring Movement

A vivid depiction of hope in the belly of despair rests a child so curious about life that inquisitiveness keeps her alive. This riveting true story lends solutions to society about surrender and survival in real-time. If you dare to dream and wonder again, do so through the eyes of a child with the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Saundra Windom Bang Sun is real life goals for a world that could use a little bit of hope.

Enitan Bereola II,
Believer, Best Selling Author, Black Dad

Orchestration is a beautifully written memoir that exposes yet another complex layer of the African diaspora. Saundra Windom reconstructs her history exploring identity through the lens of African American and Asian cultures at the intersection of adoption. The reader will discover what can become of a life that was designed to be silenced when it learns to scream.

Michelle Gipson Publisher,
Written Magazine, Host of Wine and Words

Ms. Windom gives a new meaning to the word transcendent as her life story spans beyond the range of the normal human experience. It has been an honor and privilege to be a part of her amazing lifes journey! Be prepared to be captivated as she shares this masterpiece of tragedy and triumph of a life well lived!

Dr. Lateshia Woodley,
KCPS Assistant Superintendent
Student Support Services. Award-Winning Educator
& Author of Transforming Alternative Education

From the beginning until the end, the extraordinary details bring us headlong into the narrative and hold us there, wanting more. The day-by-day account of your loss of Gibran creates a feeling of immediacy, being there with you. Reliving past events through writing is sometimes like tearing the skin from a deep wound; it aint easy.

Jacqueline Henry Hill,
author Jennie Wren, Memories of Mommy

Orchestration is a moving account of how an orphaned child of war was led and guided by a loving God to live a life that touched and impacted many in her family and community. The story of Saundra Henderson Windom provides many inspirational messages, including how to transform pain into perseverance, trials into triumph, frustrations into faithfulness and obstacles into opportunities.

Marilyn Gavin,
Retired Principal

The inspirational and enriching story of Chang Bang Sun to Saundra Henderson Windom speaks to the goodness and resiliency of the human spirit and the faith of mankind. It is a story that will enrich the life of the readers and a story everyone should read.

Amy Enomoto-Perez, Ed.D,
Retired School Superintendent

Bang Sun-Saundras sweet spirit touches everyone she meets. But reading about her rich, often haunting, heritage brings tears of sorrow for all that she endured and tears of joy for The Almightys orchestration of her symphonic life.

Paris Brooks,
Policy Writer/Editor

WOW, Phenomenal Read!

My ROOMIEs memoir was not only a history lesson but an awesome account of the amazing person that she has become despite her humble beginnings.

Melonie Gibbs, M.D.
#4ever friend & family

T HIS BOOK, a labor of love and loves commitment, is dedicated to The Holts, Harry, Bertha, and Molly; my parents, James and Clemmie Henderson, and my godmother, Nanny (Berneatha Wade). To God, my Heavenly Father, Jesus my Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit, my Comforter. All helped to lead me to know who I am and whose I am.

To my children: Gibran, Ravi, Amir, the ultimate blessings in my life, and to my grandchildren who put pep in my step and a smile on my face: Mariah, Aiyanna, Mackenzie, Skylure and Athan.

F OR CENTURIES, the Korean Peninsula, because of its geography, was of great importance to Asia. It shared a reluctant history with both China and Japan, which in turn influenced and solidified its own culture, social beliefs, religion, language and trade. Picturesque with high mountains, clear seas, incredible natural beauty, and unmatched morning serenity, Koreas very moniker was coined by an emperor of Chinas Ming Dynasty on his 1934 visit. He called South Korea the Land of the Morning Calm.

In the early morning of June 25, 1950, with the invasion of the 38th parallelthe artificial line that now divides the once beautiful country of Korea into North and Souththe serenity of the morning calm was destroyed. Over the next three years, war devastated the country beyond recognition, leveling cities, orphaning millions, destroying lives, and forever splintering families. A direct result of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, the Korean War split Korea into two sovereign statesone communist and one capitalist. Both governments of the new factions refused to accept the artificially imposed borders, and each claimed legitimate governance over all of Korea. Because of the constant border clashes between the splintered nations, when the North advanced on the South that fated morning in June, they had the full backing of Russia and China while the United States sided with the South.

Two months of fighting left South Koreas military might spent. Stepping up their support, the United States deployed its military to defend against the allied Norths communist regime. Ninety percent of the military personnel came from the United States, but in actuality, twenty-one United Nations soldiers fought the battle for the soul of South Korea. Unimaginable at the time, when the order to aid Korea came down from President Harry S. Truman, right on the heels of World War II, there was reverberating shock.