In 2007 I had the privilege of representing Salisbury and the entire Delmarva Peninsula as coach of the West Salisbury Little League team that played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport PA. One of the most moving parts of that entire experience was seeing ,what felt like, the entire Eastern Shore community come together and live in a heightened moment in time for that summer. One high ranking city law enforcement official said that it was as if the bad news stopped for a few weeks that summer. The outpouring of support for our kids was overwhelming!
Let’s fast forward to Christmas day of 2009. I was driving to my mother’s house with my own 3 children and wife to celebrate family Christmas. At 3:30pm I received a phone call from Sherriff Mike Lewis telling me that they had just came out of the woods from finding 11 year old Sarah Foxwell’s body. Wearing the hat of a pastor and not a coach I was asked to ride with Sherriff Lewis and Gary Baker to notify the families of the tragic news about Sarah. Though one of the most difficult things I have ever done I felt a bigger obligation and sense of duty than just Mike Lewis and our relationship. As one who lives in this community and was born and raised on the Eastern Shore I felt like a custodian over Sarah. It was like she was mine. It was like I was responsible for her. I saw that in Mike Lewis and Gary Baker that day as well. It was like we all became responsible for her.
Even though the summer of 2007 was a celebration, and Christmas of 2009 was a crisis of horrific proportion, they both had one thing in common. They were heightened moments in time for us as a city, a county, and a community known as the Eastern Shore. As was seen and witnessed across the media on Christmas day at Shorebird Stadium by the turnout of thousands, the outpouring of support for one lost child was overwhelming!
Its now January of 2010 and we are faced with another heightened moment in time. Haiti is facing disaster of HORRIFIC proportions. Salisbury and Eastern Shore natives Tom and Beverly Brumbley have been in Haiti for 38 years and have given their lives to working with the children of Haiti. They are missionaries and school administrators who have built nine (9) schools; the largest campus having an enrollment of 900 children, and the total number of kids in the nine schools being 2300. Yes, these Salisbury natives have spent their lives there, and are responsible for these 2300 lost kids, soon to be forgotten kids, in Haiti.
According to the 2008 Census the population of Salisbury is 28,800 people. 20,000 dead Haitians were piled into pits by large front end loaders in the last 2 days and their bodies burned. That is like nearly 76% of Salisbury being wiped out in a week! 500,000 people are waiting, YES WAITING, to receive medical attention! That is 5 times the population of Wicomico County!
Now wearing the hat of a pastor, coach, father of 3, and simply a humanitarian, a human being, I am pleading with this community to come to the aid of the Brumbley’s, and these children, in Haiti. I plead with your spiritual senses, I plead with your parental senses, I plead with your sense of right and wrong, I plead with your sense of who we are as a people on the Eastern Shore, please help the Brumbley’s and these children in Haiti!
Those kids from West Salisbury baseball in 2007 were our kids. Sarah Foxwell was our child this past Christmas. The Brumbleys are our people from right here on the Eastern Shore. I believe as in times past, the outpouring of support for these children in Haiti will be overwhelming!
Here’s how we as a city, a county, and a community called the Eastern Shore can help. There are 13 drop off sites throughout the Salisbury area and Delmarva where you can drop off desperately needed supplies. You may also donate toward the 500,000 dollars that is being raised to rebuild the schools in Haiti that were destroyed by this earthquake. 100% of all donations go to the Brumbleys in Haiti and these specific children under their care. For information on drop off sites, a list of supplies, or how to give financially go to http://www.theuprisingchurch.org/ and click on Brumbley Haiti Relief.
This is not a call from a church. It is a call and a cry from the Eastern Shore for the children of Haiti!
12 comments:
That's what I'm talking about! Let's do this thing.
Thank you for everything you have done and for everything you continue to do. God Bless You and your family
Very well stated. I wish more felt this way. God Bless you!
Joe, can you please tell us the name of the person who wrote the article? I know it shows the name of the church, but some churches have more than one pastor. Thanks, just wondering....
Bill Cropper
Maybe we should set another mindset here, as I heard in a very powerful prayer meeting last night....
Some disaster hits the east coast and wipes out everything. You are currently out of town when this happens, enjoying life, basking in the sunshine...and BAM Disaster strikes... Now imagine trying to reach those people, Your Mother,Father,Daughter,Son,Siblings and you can not reach them. The only thing you can do is sit and watch on the news as they scoop up what could be your loved ones with a front end loader and dump them into a landfill and the burning them. (graphic I know but this is happening everyday in Haiti)
What if your family member did make it and and you just can not reach them, what if they are sitting there waiting in the line of 20,000+ people hoping for medical attention to get there. What if they are sitting there starving to death and the only way they will eat is if people start donating food, money, medical supplies....
I bet if you put yourselves in a different mindset maybe you would be more willing to help those in need. Remember when Katrina hit we took all the help we could get from who ever was offering it, and that truly fails in comparison to this disaster. (and Katrina was a HUGE devastation to the states)
So this weekend when you are out and about and enjoying all the pleasures of life, remember there is an entire nation that have been forced to live in a standstill, where they have no idea where their next meal will come from, will they receive the medical attention they need, when the next aftershock may hit.
If you can drive by a donation site, and not give or look up the website and not donate then I pray for you. I pray for all of those who think this is not their problem. We are "one nation under God" and if we live on that foundation then shouldn't we support all nations in their time of need?
I would LOVE to help. My heart aches for the people in Haiti. I'm unfortunaltey broke and have no money to spare. I could donate clothes but they aren't accepting any at this time. I'm barley making with own bills. I really wish there was something I could do...
Find it in your hearts to give to these children. Children (as a single father) are the worlds greatest and most precious gifts from the sky. They are not only a gift, friend and diaper change...but a changing point in all of our lives. The blessing that makes us who we are. Help the Brumbley's and these children. We are all brothers and sisters no matter how you connect the dots....if they were your children, wouldnt you give? Be Blessed
Beautifully written! Thank you.
11:37 post...
Not everyone has the financial ability to do anything at this time, but prayer is powerful. And there will come a time when they need the clothes you have to offer. So until then just continue to pray as I am sure you have.
If you have extra time, see if you can help monitor some of the trailers, they may need help loading and unloading them from time to time. There are always things that can be done that are not going to be financially pressing on those who are struggling themselves.
Also maybe you can spread the word to those who are able to help right now with finances or food... Word of mouth is powerful. Your heart is in the right place! :-)
Bill,
Thanks........... not only for what you've done already but everything else you are going to accomplish... thanks for helping us with all the background stuff with your contacts getting the concert ready.. which is soon to be announced featuring 6 regional bands at the Salisbury Civic Center, Feb 20th, 2 shows, 12-4 & 5:30-9:30 with all proceeds to go to the Brumbley Haiti Relief Fund.. Its going to ROCK!!!!! Announcement will hit soon!
I just had a God-gasam Mich' Your face is like f'n snowflakes.
praise the lard
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