How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The two women knew how looks could heal. They extracted honey from their distilled glances.
Every day one of them would take up the sentry of mercy, would stand gazing down with abundant compassion and assurance at the bewildered child.
When looking, each woman imagined a miracle. Mother Barker imagined the flower ceremonies of spring. Patience imagined the sparkle in a bird's throat. Mother Barker saw a fierce, abiding affection tempered by the fire flickering from the sacred shrine of her heart. Patience meditated on energy from the indelible spirit stored beneath the rich colors of her skin and hair.
It was a time for healing. A double ritual. A duet of waiting. (9.55-58)
After Abyssinia is raped by Brother Jacobs, Patience and Mother Barker turn not to God and formalized religion, but to folk-based beliefs and practices. Rooted in the miracles of nature—flowers, birds, fire, skin—the women take turns holding fast to the belief that Abby will heal, reassuring her with their gaze and energy instead of Christian prayer.
Quote #8
Over at Abby's house, Mother Barker had set up a corner of the room to apply her folk medicine to Abby's body.
"The lightning bugs are out tonight, Mother Barker," Abyssinia said.
"Now that's the truth, honey," the old woman agreed as she applied snuff spit to the stings on Abby's face.
[…]
"But how come the lightning bugs are here?"
"You mean down here on the earth?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"For the same reason we're here, daughter. He put them here."
Mother Barker pasted the snuff spit between Abby's braids. (12.8-19)
Here we see Christianity and folk medicine—which we've seen tied to folk spirituality (see the previous quote to check this out in more depth)—interspersed with each other. As Mother Barker tends to Abby's wasp wounds using folk techniques, they discuss God and his creation of lightning bugs.
Quote #9
Abby nodded her head yes. She found her voice again. "But the worst part was I felt like I was being spit on by God."
[…]
"Like I must have done something mean and sinful. Something so wrong. Something so wicked." She stopped walking. "I must have tempted Brother Jacobs."
"No, you didn't. The devil got into Brother Jacobs. God wouldn't allow…"
"How do you know?" Abby screamed. "It didn't happen to you!"
"I know God wouldn't…"
"You don't know anything!" Abby screamed at her friend. "God knew about it!" Abby said this last part so loud and painfully that Lily did not know what to say.
[…]
That day Abyssinia gave God's gift back to Him. They had told her that her singing was a "gift from God."
She did not trust any of His gifts, she thought. She did not want His gifts for she could not tolerate His punishments. She did not want His presence in her life for the absence of His grace was awful. (13.33-43)
As Abby understands God, he was part and parcel of her rape. Sure, she may have derived strength from God in the past, but leaning on him isn't worth it now that she knows what it's like to have him punish her. She is done with the big guy in the sky.