I truly believe that I should be here and I can't even tell you why....God's palpable presence has never been more real ever since we came to Salvador-He's make a lot of things clear to us-what we should be doing, etc.-and I trust in that and I hope you can too. -Ita Ford, September 7, 1980 Ita Ford: Missionary Martyr is a literary biography of Ita Ford, one of four American churchwomen murdered in El Salvador by government forces on December 2, 1980. In these pages the author invites us to learn about Ita-about her courage, her humor, and her unquenchable hope. In the midst of the repression and violence of El Salvador, Ita Ford drew strength from her deep faith in God and found joy in her work on behalf of the poor. This book is not only about a tragic death, but about a life inspired by the gospel and marked by immense spiritual courage. Phyllis Zagano spent two years researching Ita Ford and here presents a moving account of the life and death of this extraordinary woman. It is an unforgettable story.