Knitting Angel

Sunday, September 12, 2004

What's Happening!

It's been awhile since I posted on the board. A dea friend of mine passsed away a couple of weeks ago of a massive heart attack. I spet quite a bit of time with his wife and their kids helping them during the difficult process.

Joe was a good man that had a bad break when he was in his early 20's. He got into some trouble and was convicted of breaking and entering (he fell through a rotted door on a unused barn). After many years, he made changes in his life and his civil rights were restored to him. He put this experience to good use to work with troubled youth in foster care until some idiot in government decided that because he had been convicted of a crime that he could no long do the work that he loved doing. Ove the past 2 years, however, he talked to many people, lawyers, doctors, judges, police officials and then wrote and sent 100+ packets to every senator in our state. A senator took notice of that packet (would you believe not out local senator?) and contacted him to verify its contents. From January to May of this year, he made many trips to Richmond and talked with EVERY senator and or their aide to lobby for their support. The Senator sponsored a bill (Senate Bill 612) for him and it passed. On October 25th, he would have been able to return to the work that he loved doing, being a foster parent. He died3 days after his 46th birthday and 59 days before becoming a foster parent. I guess, however that God had a better plan for him. I am so glad to have known Joseph Massie, and am so proud that he was my friend.