I Collections Provide
Aid To SmaU ViUage
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The bishop
of Abancay, Peru, faced an over
whelming task. The people of his
diocese live insmall villages in a very
poor, isolated area of the Andes
mountains. Visiting the people means
traveling many miles on dirt roads,
and there are few priests to serve this
area. Catechists from the village
hoped to serve as lay leaders, but the
diocese lacked resources to bring
these people together and provide
training.
A lay leadership training program
for the diocese of Abancay was made
possible through funds from the Col
lection for the Church in Latin
America. Short training programs
for catechists throughout the diocese
have enabled these lay leaders to
serve the faithful in their remote
village-. ~y providing religious educa
tion, leading the people in prayer, and
preparing them for the sacraments.
Often they are the leaders who speak
up for the rights of their people.
, The Abancay program is one of
. hundreds of church projects in Latin
i America funded by the annual Collec
' Hon for the Church in Latin America.
Since it was created by the U.S.
bishops in 1965, the collection has sup
ported projects that strengthen the
church throughout Central and South
America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Like most Latin Americans, the
people of Abancay have a strong faith
but face poverty and a lack of educa
tion and resources. A recent survey of
four Abancay villages conducted by a
priest In the diocese found that:
•Of the 578 children born into these
„ families, 16.6 percent died during
childhood. Six women died during
childbirth in 1969 alone.
•The average caloric intake in
* these villages is 1,500 calories per
day; it should be at least 2,400
calories per day.
•Of the 44 fathers surveyed, only
■ one had completed seconds 17 scnooi.
Alice Walker
Honored By
Town Members
EATONTON, Ga. (AP)-Officials '
in the town where Alice Walker waa
born and raiaed are planning a
‘ memorial walk honoring the author
. of “The Color Purple.”
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
featured Celie, a poor black woman
forced to live with a man who loves
another woman.
In Eatonton, Ms. Walker is
remembered only by a street named
' for her and books on display at the
Chamber of Commerce.
Now, organisers of The Color Pur
ple Educational Fund Foundation,
which provides scholarships to needy
students, hope to create a historical
trail that points out places frequented
by Ms. Walker during her years in
Putnam County.
Preliminary plans call for the trail
to consist of four stops:
award’s Chapel Cemetery. Seeral
of Ms. Walker's relatives, including
. her father, Willie Lee, and her grand
father, Henry Clay, are buried there.
a The Walkers’ last country home,
the house the Walkers lived in before
moving into Eatonton. The founda
tion wants to make the house accessi
ble to the public but is not sure if the
property owners will agree, said
Emory Lavender, head of the Clean
Community Commission.
a The Alice Walker birthplace. The
house has been tram down.
a The home of Alice Walker’s
mother, Minnie Lou Walker, which is
being renovated. It would serve as
the headquarters of the foundation.
In addition, plans call for a monu
, moot to the author to be erected in the
courthouse square.
“We need the trail so that we can
keep Alice Walker alive,” said City
Councilman Ulysses Rice. “I wish we
had a museum.”
Ms. Walker’s relatives and well
wishers say the efforts to recognize
her are long overdue.
“I think the Chamber of Commerce
should have done this by now. They
shouldn’t have had anybody to bring
it to their attention,” said Robert
Walker, Alice Walker’s brother. “It
should have been done already. She
put Eatonton on the man.”
Ruth Walker Hood, who started the
foundation as a tribute to her sister,
feels Alice Walker deserves the type
of publicity given to another Putnam
County writer, Joel Chandler Harris,
who created the Uncle Remus
characters.
“I think Alice Walker’s contribu
tion to the world is equally as impor
tant,” said Ms. Hood. “They are both
very important to the literary world.
They should share equal
recognition.”
" Tourists often end up at the house of
bar mother, who is an invalid who
doesn’t speak much, Ms. Hood said.
Yet, her mother’s home is often the
, only place In Eatonton where people
can buy Walker’s books and
memorabilia.
“I think that’s ridiculous,” she
said. “I think they should be able to
find out whatever they need to know
[elsewhere! in Eatonton.”
Seventeen had finished five years of
primary school, and 12 had never
been to school at all.
• Of the 49 mothers surveyed, 28
had never been to school. None had
been to secondary school.
Latin Americans like those in
Abancay struggle to meet their daily
physical needs and often lack basic
resources for worship and spiritual
life. That is why money from the Col
lection for the Church in Latin
America is desperately needed to
provide materials and leadership
training. All projects funded by the
collection are planned and carried
out by indigenous church workers.
According to the Most Rev. Rene A. w
Valero, auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn
and chairman to the NCCB Commit
tee for the Church in Latin America,
last year the collection raised more
than $3 million, which funded 285
church projects. This year the special
collection will take place on Jan. 27 in
most dioceses.
“The church in Latin America is
responding in a heroic way to the
spiritual and material needs of the
people," noted Valero. “Through
your efforts, the Catholic Church in
the United States has helped our
brothers and sisters in Central and
South America.”
BIVE CHRISTMAS CHEER—On Friday Dac. 21, mambars of the Queens of
Hearts Club gathered at the home of Ruby Stroud to pack boxes of food and toys,
which wore delivered to a Waka County family. Shown kneeling is Ruby Stroud.
Standing (I. • r.) Magie J. Holley, PauNne Boodwtno, Edwlnton Bad, president;
Wltonah WHams, Alberta M. Levlngston, Ruth Davenport and AHie M. Peebles.
Hot shewn are: Amelia Byers, Vivian E. Irving, Marguerite Llghtner, and Eleanor
MitcheN.
New Program For Black Children
Focuses On Providing Homes, Love
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)-The adop
tion program for black kids is called
One Church, One Child but project
leaders range far beyond black chur
ches in providing homes for orphaned
children.
The program, launched by a
Chicago priest in I960, started in
Florida in March 1988 following the
principle that at least one black fami
ly in a predominantly black church
should adopt a black child.
By the end of October 1990, 834
children had been adopted statewide
through the program, but there has
been only limited success placing
children through black churches.
“There are some churches involv
ed, but it needs to be 100 percent in
volvement,” said Trudie Poole, who
along with her husband Chris has
adopted two three-year-old sisters.
“Any time there has been a black
problem—and it is a black pro
blem—we have always been able to
go to the black church. We need to
have a heightened awareness.”
The program has more than 500
children from the age of six months to
18 years still waiting for adoptive
parents. Most of them are black.
Before adopting Claudia and An
drea, sisters born less than a year
apart, Ms. Poole began speaking to
churches and sororities to encourage
BY EVA L. PERRY
WONDERFULLY MADE
We were not made to rust
In lusts—
And God’s purpose forever miss—
Not made to be buried in the dust—
But to rise to heights of bliss.
Made to commune and walk
With God Himself,
And with Him forever be—
Not made for trifling things of time,
But made for eternity.
The foregoing lines were revealed
to me one day. I like to be alone and
think on the truth of God. The Spirit
searches the deep things of God, and
brings to light many things that are
ordinarily hid from humanity. Adam
and his wife were made in the
likeness and image of God Himself.
They were perfect and had need of
nothing. All good was at their
disposal. They were well Warned
against the fruit of that “middle
tree.”
The Bible informs us of another
very special tree which was also
there in the Garden of Eden. This was
called the “tree of life.” If a man ate
of this tree, he would live forever and
not die. Oh, what a wonderful state of
being!
Our Father loved us to the extent
that He did not want us to live forever
in sin—Adam ate the evil fruit and
thus had to be driven out of the
Garden before he reached the “tree
of life.” As it stands now we are all
bom in sin, but we do not have to con
tinue in sin. Every man and every
woman—every boy, and every girl
has a chance to repent from sin and
partake of the “tree of life” in Jesus
Christ. Eternal life is now in God’s
Son. Yes, the “tree of life” is bloom
ing. Think about it. “He that hath the
Son hath life.”
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection,
and the life, he that believeth in me
though he were dead, yet shall he live
again—and he that liveth and
believeth in' me, shall never die”
(John 11:25-26).
The new creation is just wonder
ful—it brings us into what Adam and
Eve fell short of and missed. Glory be
to God forever. “Life, and that more
abundantly.” Amen.
Read your Bible prayerfully and
think!
their members to consider adoption.
Now she can talk specifics.
“When you can stand up and talk to
people and you’re talking to them
from knowledge and personal ex
perience, they’re more receptie to
it,” said the insurance consultant.
She and her husband decided to
adopt girls because they had three
sons from previous marriages. It
hasn’t been easy for them.
“You go through some trying
times, but being a Christian, you find
help,” said Poole, who attends a Mis
sionary Baptist Church in Winter
Park with his wife. “You learn to rely
upon God.”
The Rev. Michael Cousin, pastor of
Mount Olive African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Orlando, is a
new local coordinator for the pro
gram, and he hopes to increase
church participation.
“I think it’s a worthwhile
program,” he said. “I didn’t know
there were so many children out
there that really needed homes.”
Debra and David Tosgie, an Oviedo
couple, adopted their son Greg seven
weeks ago after seeing his picture on
a bulletin board at a church presenta
tion.
Ms. Tossie recalled youngsters
talking about being sad and happy at
a Christmas party for their son’s pre
kindergarten class. The teacher ask
ed their son what made him happy.
He said, “My new mom and dad.”
Aging Institute Focus
On Helping Older Mate
The holiday season—’tia the time
for family reunions and traditions.
But if it’s been a while since you’ve
seen your parents, be prepared for a
possible change in the familiar
routine.
The family is aging. Fortunately,
. says a spokesman for the National In
stitute on Aging, today’s adult
children are better able to help their
parents come to term with some of
the changes that commonly accom
pany aging.
How can you help older family
members cope with age-related
changes? Brainstorm, recommends
Gene D. Cohen, deputy director of the
NIA. Intergenerational brainstorm
ing sessions are likely to help family
members identify the issues they con
front daily and produce an exchange
of creative coping strategies.
“The quality of life for older people
may be affected by lots of little-ticket
items that interfere with their func
tioning,” says Cohen, a nationally
known researcher in the field of aging
and psychiatry. “By encouraging
them to talk about their daily routine
and how they spend their time, you
may help them articulate their needs.
And whether those needs are social or
medical, you can steer them in a bet
ter direction for action or proper
evaluation.”
According to Cohen, some changes
that can occur with aging may reduce
a person’s physical functioning,
speed, and excellence of perfor
mance, and may even increase his or
her susceptibility to disease. Often,
these age-related changes are actual
ly signs of specific diseases, making
it difficult to separate the effects of
aging and disease.
“For example,” he says, “many in
dividuals will experience pain and
stiffness as they age, but X-rays of
older adults generally show that
many older people have some clinical
evidence of arthritic-like
symptoms.”
What’s important, he cautions, is
recognizing that many age-related
changes can be modified through
treatment, and that many older peo
ple can benefit from some of the same
healthy behaviors that younger
adults are involved in, such as exer
cise. Cohen points to a recent NIA
funded study of 90-year-olds in a nurs
ing home who exercised their legs us
ing a weight machine.
“Our society has become much
wiser when it comes to dealing with
aging issues,” Cohen says. “Fifteen
years ago, we saw aging as a disease
to which every older person succumb
ed. Thanks to research on aging and
research on the illnesses of later life,
we know bette.r We know that il
lnesses in later life are different from
normal aging changes, that illness in >
later life can be modified, and that1
normal—or typical—aging can be
enhanced.”
If you’re planning a visit with older
family members, Cohen suggests!
that you call their local Agency on
Aging to And otu about community
services, resources, and activities.
“Make a few phone calls, get a few
names to contact for more informa
tion, then follow up,” he says. “Con
sider it a New Year’s resolution.”
UNDERSTANDING
When we affirm understanding in
stead of misunderstanding, and we
see all things in a clearer, more lov
ing way, we release criticism, fear
and doubt, and we are infilled with
trust, love and understanding.
Today
DAILY THOUGHT
No fearful tear will ever last though
hostile storms do glower because the
clouds of shadowed past grow bright
in new hope’s flower, as darkness has
gone when earth has welcomed rising
dawn.
Eugene Betelho
WISH THEM WELL; THEY’LL NEED
OUR HELP AND PRAYERS
TT.re" ""TnT YBffi 'W'
One of the principal differences
between a Bee society and a totalitarian
one is that we elect our governing
officials, who win by a complicated
process based on receiving a majority of
the votes. This means that there are also
those of us who would have preferred
another or slate of officers,
and who received the news of this
defeat with not only disappointment
but also great apprehension about the
fete of our country. Nonetheless, when
the majority speak, the remainder must
accept die venlict with good grace; and
we must all pray at odr House of
Worship for the Lord to guide the
chosen leaders in the right direction.
Also, we should let them know of our
concerns and recommendations. If we
all do this, it might enable them to do a
better job; and prove our fears about
the future to be completely unfbundeo.
KIMBRELL’S FURNITURE CO.
3 DOWNTOWN RALKIOH LOCATIONS TO 3r.» VE YOU!
JOHN W. WINTERS REALTY
507 East Martin Street Raleigh 828 578b
THE FOLLOWING MERCHANTS URGE YOU
TO ATTEND YOUR CHOSEN HOUSE OF
WORSHIP THIS SABBATH:
Firestone Stores
3901 New Bern Ave. Raieigh. N.C. 27610
(919) 828-4446 or 4447
MCLAURIN PRAKIN6 COMPANY
UPCHURCH’S EXXON SERVICE
2601 Glenwood Ave. Ph. 782-0419
600 W. Peoce St. Ph. 834-1198,
BRAGG STREET GROCERY STORE
710 Bragg Street
Ph 634 9903
CAROLINA POWER AND U6HT CO.
WPJL CHRISTIAN RAOIO OF RALEIGH
1240 AM FOR FREE INFORMATION GUIDE
PHONE 834 6401
DANELS OF RALB8H INC.
21213 S. wSBT133-2446 46
TERRY'S FURNITURE CO.
214 East Martin Stiaai 132-3134
HUDSON BELK
• Crabtree Valloy
Village Mai_
DAVIDSON'S JEWFlFrs
19 West Hargett Street U32-694S