On the Eve of Saint Lucia, December 12, 1859, Johan Lind brought his new-born daughter to the old stone church at Broddarp, Sweden where she was baptized Alma Christina at the ancient font. Anderson and Signe Gusta, farmers from Grondal, witnessed her baptism.  The records show she was the last child born and baptized in the parish that year.

Last summer, my husband and I drove through winding roads deep in the Swedish forest, and there, in a clearing we found Broddarp.  The old church was replaced by a newer structure in the late 1890s when the Linds were now living in the the Midwest.  The photo below is of the old church and it’s wooden bell tower. Thanks to the kindness of Mikaela Anderson and her father Rolf Anderson, we were able to go inside the new church and there was the baptismal font –the same font–where Alma received her name and from where she began her life’s journey.
IMG_0576

DSC02575