In Contempt of Fate
Beatrice Fernando
Author/Activist/Speaker
Beatrice Fernando
AN AUTHOR, AN ACTIVIST, AND A SPEAKER
A mirror that reflects your choices, or a map of your heart – this is what Beatrice Fernando’s book is to her readers. She has walked an invisible line between fate and faith, misery and hope, and hate and love. Your conclusion depends on which side of the line you are on. This is the affect In Contempt of Fate has on its readers. Like a pendulum, the narrative oscillates between the valleys and the ridges of the human heart.
Recruited by an employment agency, Beatrice was sent to Lebanon in 1980 as a housemaid. This was part of a sinister set-up to lure the gullible into slavery. She was virtually imprisoned in the house of her employer, who routinely brutalized and starved her. In a desperate attempt to escape, Beatrice leaped off a fourth floor balcony. It was a leap into the unknown.
Today, Beatrice lives in Massachusetts, still struggling from the aftereffects of her fateful choice that day. As an activist, she works tirelessly to bring about awareness and change to the millions of oppressed people in our society who might fall victim to the slavery trade. Let her story inspire you. Join the fight to abolish slavery. Become a voice for the voiceless.
Dear Beatrice: I truly enjoyed reading your memoir, In Contempt of Fate. As a fellow Sri Lankan, I salute you for your courage and honesty in sharing your personal and very painful story with readers, especially readers in the West. Your book captivated me with its powerful story and imagery. You have shown what a wonderful storyteller you are by weaving this painful story with Asian values and Sri Lankan images. The book captures not only the cruelty that exists in humanity but also the hope for humanity with its sheer determination to survive, overcoming injustice... I recommend this as a must-read for every Sri Lankan as well as any reader who has a passion for justice.
- Chitral de Mel
Assistant Director of the Refugee
Immigration Ministry
IN CONTEMPT OF FATE
Beatrice's own story of survival
I was finally ready. This was my last attempt at escape from my brutal employer in Lebanon. Four floors down, off the balcony lay my freedom. I could hardly see the ground since it was still dark. Holding on to the cold railing I wondered: Could this be my last moment in this world? I was not being suicidal, but it was my only chance to escape death and live to see my son again
