Miriam's Well by Lois Ruby On the day that Adam and Miriam are paired for a poetry assignment, Miriam faints during physics class. Miriam's family belongs to the Sword and Spirit Church, a sect with 600 members, founded by Brother James. Brother James believes that God will heal all illness if only you have faith. Medicine is a sign of disbelief in Him. And so Miriam hides the pain she has from the school, and doesn't see a doctor. Adam, a nonreligous Jew, fascinates her- he doesn't fit her stereotypical view on Jews. They meet and discuss poetry for the assignment, and life goes on. One day, when Adam is out with his girlfriend, Diane, they see Miriam walking with Brother James. Brother James allows Miriam to walk with Diane and Adam. As soon as Brother James is out of sight, Miriam allows herself to show her pain, and sinks down to the ground. Adam and Diane take Miriam to the hospital, where she is admitted. The doctors run tests on Miriam and decide that she has Blanding's sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. With Adam's father as their lawyer, the Sword and Spirit Church fight to get Miriam out of the hospital. The court allows Miriam to go home, but subjects her to biweekly testing. The very first time, Miriam's test results test cancerous, and she is forced into the hospital. Adam has in the meantime befriended Miriam, and he visits her almost every day. He feels that his father is wrong to help the church prevent Miriam's treatment, because Adam's father believes that Miriam will die without treatment.
Real issues presented in a light objective enough that I don't know what the author thinks, although the dedication gives us some clue-
For the people and ideals of Inter-Faith Ministries, Wichita. Adam, Miriam, and Diane are presented as high school seniors, but their behavior is much younger than that- perhaps 12 or 13.
Miriam's Well ends on a definitive note as far as the story goes, but without really facing the main issue. What do you think: should the court have the right to force minors to have medical treatment against their will and religous convictions, and their parents' religous beliefs?
Happy reading.
