In 1915 when five year old Dominique's parents handed her over to an order of nuns to raise her, she could not believe what was happening to her, nor how her life would ever turn out. The magnificent Monastery that looks like a castle on the side of a mountain intrigues her, but all she really wants to do is be reunited with her brothers and sisters again. She missed riding the horses around the farm and playing with her dog on the meadow where they chased butterflies. She just knew her father would come back for her, but no matter how much she hoped it would happen he never returns. Being incredibly home sick Dominique escapes from the Monastery to search the mountainous Furlo valley of Italy for her home. Scared and alone she finds a small puppy she names Checkers to keep her company during her search. Regrettably the brave little dog is killed trying to protect little Dominique from a wolf attack. Found on a hill side battered and bloody a young couple takes Dominique to a hospital where she is reunited with the nuns that had missed her very much. Knowing now that she will never find her family, Dominique prepares to lead the life of a nun. After professing her final vows, Dominique begins her public life teaching school in Milan, Italy. It does not take her long to be come aqauainted with members of the Italian underground. She does her best to avoid getting involved with the patriots, but after one of her best friends from the convent is killed by a German Gestapo agent, her decision to join the underground is permanently cemented. With the help of four British Commandos Dominique's group destroys a bridge and rail tunnel that kills several German soldiers. Realizing her life is now in serious jeopardy, Sister Dominique asks to be transfered out of Italy where she will be safe. Finding out there is a small island in the South Pacific that is in need of a mission, Sister Dominque volunteers for the project. However before she can escape from Italy, she is captured by a dedicated Nazi gestapo agent bent on forcing a confession out of her for her actions with the underground. Failing to get what he desires, he allows her to leave but warns her if she ever returns he will be waiting for her. Arriving on the Island of Nusa Simbo the group of missionaries quickly set up a mission to work with the natives and employees from a local plantation. All is well until an Australian pilot crashes his damaged plane near the island. With his unwillingness to cooperate with the mission rules, he shoots down a Japanese patrol plane, bringing the rath of the Japanese Army. Everyone is forced onto a ship to be taken to a prisoner camp. Before the ship can arrive at the camp it is attacked and sunk by a United States Submarine. While trying to help get survivors in the flimsy life boats, Sister Dominique is attacked by a shark and seriously injured. The prisoners are transferred to many camps through out the South West Pacific before arriving at at camp about seventeen miles from Hiroshima. Sister Dominique and the other missionaries not only witness the bombing, but when they are liberated from the camp, they are allowed to help care for the hundreds of injured Japanese civilians. After the war, Sister Dominique testifies against Japanese war criminals and then works to help recover art work that was removed from the Monastery by the Germans when they occupied it. In the end as Sister Dominique turns one hundred years old, she reflects on her life and the wonderful people that she met along the way. This story will make you cry, it will keep you on the edge of your seat, and you will wonder at the bravery one woman can have in the face of such overwhelming odds.
