Penny And Sammy

   The Testimony of  Penny and Sammy     

 

LECIL SULLIVAN told the story of Penny and Sammy in connection with our study on the resurrection of the body at Post Falls preps: I John 3:2; I Thess. 4:13; John 5: 28-29; 11:23, 24; I Cor. 15:51-54.

There were two children born crippled as a result of the mother taking some medicine before the birth of each to try to destroy the babies, as neither was wanted. Both times, the medicine failed to destroy the baby, but each was born very crippled and pitiful. Surgery was performed on them, but not much could be done, as it was degeneration of the muscles. The mother did not want either of the children, and could not take care of them. The Doctor knew of a woman named Sadie Burley who seemed drawn to retarded or afflicted children. Sadie was asked if she would want to care for them, then 9 and 7. They were expected to live only six months at the most. Now they are 23 and 21.

My companion and I were having meetings in a town where Sadie's brother lived. This brother had professed at one time, but then lost out at the age of 25, and had been out for 35 years. He wanted to come back, but felt there was no hope for him because of those verses in Hebrews 6:4, "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift ... and fallen away to be renewed ... " But as we had visits with him, he realized there was hope for him; he began attending meetings and was renewed. After he professed, Sadie began attending meetings that two brothers were having in the area where she lived in Kansas. She would come home and tell Penny and Sammy what she heard. Sammy is unable to talk, but Penny could talk at that time. Later, she was unable to talk any more, but could write very slowly and laboriously. Sammy is bedfast, put Penny can be lifted into a straight backed wheel chair while it is tipped back, and then braced in, and sat upright. They are both very thin and distorted.

Sadie decided in those meetings. The children became interested and wondered if those boys would come and talk to them. The two brothers that were in that field did come and have studies with Penny and Sammy. They weren't sure how much they were taking in. One day Penny asked, "When we go to heaven, will we have crippled bodies?" They could tell them then of the resurrected body. As the boys continued studies with them, Penny expressed a desire to want to serve God. She also expressed a thankfulness for a mother like Sadie. (Penny and Sammy's parents are divorced. The mother has two other children, and sometimes she would come and see them.) Penny wanted to make her choice, but the brothers let it ride, as they were not sure how much she understood. Preps came, and then conventions - and they were away for six weeks. After convention, we were sent to the field. We continued to have studies with Penny and Sammy, and Sadie was always there. It was not always convenient for her, as Sadie worked nights and it was hard for her to have the children ready.

Sadie and her husband had little money, which necessitated Sadie working. The welfare helped some, but not enough to meet all their needs. Sadie had a son of her own who was a little retarded. He was grown, and helped a great deal with Penny and Sammy. He was very gentle with them, and knew how to lift them so as not to hurt them.

During these meetings, it was obvious Penny was grasping some of the Truth. We would ask her for a choice of a hymn, and then we would sing it. We would ask Sammy for his choice. Penny would look right into his eyes for a few seconds, and then would tell us Sammy's choice. She was always right! We would ask Sammy if that was his choice, and he would nod his head. There was nothing wrong with the children's minds. It was soon evident that they were both quite bright. Not very long after, Penny made her choice known, that she wanted to serve God. We were away for a few weeks to go to our special meetings. Sammy got very sick, and he was very troubled. They expected him to die. We were troubled too, because we hadn't really tried to find out what he was thinking. I remember thinking that, if Sammy gets better, I will try to find out if he wants to make his choice.

Sammy did get better. After we returned to the field, Sadie told us that after we had gone, Sammy cried and cried. Sadie wondered what was wrong, as he almost never cried. She asked, "Are you sick?" He shook his head, "No." "Do you hurt somewhere?" "No." Finally she asked, "Sammy, are you crying because you want to make your choice to serve God?" He nodded his head, "Yes. " We went over and had a study, and asked Sammy if he had a choice of a hymn. Penny looked into his eyes, and then wrote down 11. By this time, Penny could no longer speak, so would write when a pencil was placed in her crippled hand.

I said, "Is that your choice, Sammy?" He was weeping, and he shook his head, "No." Penny looked into his eyes again, and this time wrote down number 1. That wasn't it either. By this time, Penny was shocked. She had never been wrong before! So she looked into his eyes for what seemed a very long time, and then wrote 64, "I will say YES to Jesus." Sammy smiled and nodded his head. This is when Sadie told us what had happened after we left. We asked Sammy if he was wanting to make his choice. He nodded, "Yes," and was smiling. We sang 64, and he wept as we sang. We then asked Penny for her choice, and she chose 170, "I am now a child of God." We told Sammy that he could now sing this also, as he was now a child of God.

We told them, "You can't talk as others, but your lives can speak. You can't walk as others, but your can walk in the Way of God." The mother, as she would come to visit, said, "They used to be unhappy and cry all of the time, but now they are always smiling." Truly a picture of a resurrected life! Now they have a tape recorder with tapes of the New Testament that they can listen to. Penny could read if the Bible were placed in front of her and propped up, but the tapes made it much easier for them, especially after she couldn't talk anymore. Some of the friends go and have little meetings with them. Penny got to one convention. On the morning of the baptism, she was crying to see it. It was rainy and cold, and Sadie didn't know if she should risk taking her out. She asked us, and we said to wrap her up real good, and put a raincoat on her, and she would be all right. I pushed her down to the water's edge.

Now came the question of baptism for Penny and Sammy. It seemed impossible. I noticed a new cow tank in the yard, and wondered if it would be possible to put water in it and baptize them there. I didn't say anything about it for awhile, but one day as I stopped by Burley's home, the question of baptism came up, and I mentioned the tank. Sadie said, "I was thinking the same thing. " We were a little worried as they are so fragile and Sammy's back is so rigid, and he has to be handled so carefully. Also, he strangles easily because of his throat, and if water were swallowed, it could be bad. But we decided to try it, so we filled the cow tank with warm water, and had a baptism. A few friends attended. I explained what I would be doing. They would go under the water, and I would hold my hand over their mouth and nose so they would not get any. They handed Penny and Sammy to me very carefully, and I baptized them in the cow tank. Sammy did get some water, and began to strangle, and I had the fear, "What if he dies here?" I didn't know if he was breathing. I said, "Are you all right, Sammy?" He nodded his head.

Sadie had two other children she was keeping also. The time came when the welfare agency wouldn't renew Sadie's license to keep them. There was a regulation that they had to have a sprinkler system in the ceiling in case of fire. There was no way the Burleys could afford to put in a system, so they weren't going to renew the license. There was a hearing, and a health nurse who testified was determined to have those children out of there. We feel she had it in for Sadie because one day she went there, and Sadie was gone for just a short time. Her son, who is very capable in taking care of Penny and Sammy, was left in charge. It could be that he wouldn't let the nurse in, and she got miffed! Sadie was told she was to be there at all times, and that the children could never be left alone, and that the sprinkling system had to be installed.

There was a court hearing, and it was decided that the children were to be taken from Sadie and placed in a mental institution. A few of us workers were at the hearing. The father of the children was in favor of Sadie keeping the children. We each had an opportunity to have a word, and tried to explain to them that if they were placed in a mental institution, they would never have the care Sadie had given them. In all the years they were there, neither had had a bedsore; they were fed, loved and cared for in every way. But we couldn't get it across to them. A mediator tried to help us. He asked about adoption, but the answer was, "No. " We left the courtroom, and I remember thinking, "There is a God in Heaven, and His Will will be done." It was decided that the children had to be out within a certain time, and if they weren't out, there would be a $500 fine. The father turned against the Burleys and was determined to get them out and put them into the state hospital, and that was final. The mother was to come and get them on a Saturday and keep them for two weeks, and then take them to the state hospital. Penny and Sammy were nearly heartbroken while all this was going on. Mr. Burley doesn't profess, but he wanted to keep them as much as Sadie did. We went to have a meeting with Penny and Sammy. No words of comfort could be given. Penny sobbed the whole time. We had Esther Shrow visit them, and she told them if it is the Lord's will, to just accept it. The next day Penny asked Sadie to write Esther that there would be no more tears. How they shut the tears off, we'll never know, but they did. They were still very sad.

I was in my room praying, very heavy-hearted, and the phone rang. Esther called and said one of our young friends had talked to an attorney who thought he could help us We went to see him and one question he asked was whether they were of a sound mind. We said they were, and he said if that were true, they could adopt themselves out. Sammy and Penny would have to go through an adoption where THEY adopted the Burleys. He told us to meet him on Monday morning with the birth certificates and the Burleys. The attorney had the adoption papers prepared. Penny could sign, but Sammy couldn't. They put a pencil in his hand and helped him make an "X". The attorney said to Sammy, "Is this what you want?" Sammy raised both hands as high as he could, and grinned. That was his YES! The new birth certificates did not have the names of the former parents on them; only the Burleys. So now Penny and Sammy had a new birth certificate, a new home, new parents and a new life. The attorney didn't charge a cent for his work. He also had adopted a child, and knew the love in his own heart for his child.

Penny and Sammy can't give their testimony, so we give it often for them!