loco_engr
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2011
- Location
- Lansing KS
We received the following email in reference to one of our volunteers, I wanted to share it, and ask if anyone knows the "BBQ Preacher"
If you know this person please let us know.
Dana
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Operation BBQ Relief <information@operationbbqrelief.org>
Date: Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 8:17 AM
Subject: {OBR Board of Directors Group} Fwd: Searching for a BBQ man who helped my family in Joplin in 2011
To: Group - OBR Board of Directors <bod@operationbbqrelief.org>
Why we do what we do,
w
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Christa Thurman
Date: Mon, Apr 21, 2014 at 3:29 PM
Subject: Searching for a BBQ man who helped my family in Joplin in 2011
To: "information@OperationBBQRelief.org" <information@operationbbqrelief.org>
Hello, my name is Christa. I'm trying to find a specific man who helped my family and was a great comfort to us in the aftermath of the Joplin tornado in May of 2011.
For nearly three years at this point, I've been trying to find him so I could thank him. This task has turned out to be pretty difficult. To be honest, I don't even know if he is a part of your organization (a wonderful organization by the way; God bless you all) but obviously I hope he is, or that maybe you know of him.
You see, I never learned his name. He introduced himself as "the Barbecuing Preacher" and that's what we called him from then on. I think he was from Kansas City, but again I'm not sure.
When the tornado happened I was 20, living with my grandparents most of the time, helping take care of my Grandpa who was fighting lung cancer, and my Nana who had had a heart attack in April. I met the Barbecuing Preacher at a church when I was collecting donated clothes, shoes, and toys for my sister, her husband, and their two little girls because their house had been completely demolished and they had lost everything. I met him shortly after I had been given a pair of shoes by a woman who saw my bare feet and was afraid I would cut up my feet out there without shoes.
Somehow, as we were talking, the conversation turned to my Grandpa, who was home that day, too sick to walk to the church lot. Because of the harsh cancer treatments, you understand, he had been having a hard time eating. I had to make him, which was something I hated, because it upset him. I (or maybe my Mama, I don't remember) mentioned to the Barbecuing Preacher that my Grandpa always loved BBQ, and he told us he would bring him something after the volunteering day was done.
This man, true to his word, brought my Grandpa some delicious BBQ, and I saw my grandpa happily eat for the first time in a long time. The Barbecuing Preacher prayed with us, with my Grandpa, and he returned many times afterward to bring my Grandpa more of his BBQ and to pray for him. My Grandpa was weak and sick, and he had a hard time with his food, and this man would bring him BBQ ribs that he had shredded to make it easier for my Grandpa to eat. And his prayers were a great comfort to my Grandpa.
Eventually, of course, he had to leave and return home, but he promised that he would come check on us when he had the chance.
My Grandpa passed away in July of 2011, and I continued to live with my Nana who was heart-broken and afraid of being all alone. One day that summer, sometime after my Grandpa's death, but before I moved to Colorado in September, I was outside watering flowers (that summer was hard for the flowers, all the trees were gone and they had no shade) and the Barbecuing Preacher showed up, with a to-go box of ribs he had brought for my Grandpa. When I told him that my Grandpa had passed away, I started to cry, and he hugged me and let me cry on his shoulder. When my Nana came outside, he let her do the same. He stayed and talked to us for a while, and he again prayed for us, with us. And then he left, and I never saw him again.
I've been trying to find him for a long time, even though I really didn't even know where to start. At the very least, I'd just like to send him a thank-you card, because I don't know if he knows it, but he was truly a gift to my Grandpa. He got him to eat without a struggle, and my Grandpa really liked him. He was a Blessing. I just keep kicking myself for never getting his name.
If you can help me find him, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And if you can't, I want to thank you anyway, for all the good work your organization has done and for all the people you have helped!
God Bless you,
Christa
If you know this person please let us know.
Dana
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Operation BBQ Relief <information@operationbbqrelief.org>
Date: Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 8:17 AM
Subject: {OBR Board of Directors Group} Fwd: Searching for a BBQ man who helped my family in Joplin in 2011
To: Group - OBR Board of Directors <bod@operationbbqrelief.org>
Why we do what we do,
w
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Christa Thurman
Date: Mon, Apr 21, 2014 at 3:29 PM
Subject: Searching for a BBQ man who helped my family in Joplin in 2011
To: "information@OperationBBQRelief.org" <information@operationbbqrelief.org>
Hello, my name is Christa. I'm trying to find a specific man who helped my family and was a great comfort to us in the aftermath of the Joplin tornado in May of 2011.
For nearly three years at this point, I've been trying to find him so I could thank him. This task has turned out to be pretty difficult. To be honest, I don't even know if he is a part of your organization (a wonderful organization by the way; God bless you all) but obviously I hope he is, or that maybe you know of him.
You see, I never learned his name. He introduced himself as "the Barbecuing Preacher" and that's what we called him from then on. I think he was from Kansas City, but again I'm not sure.
When the tornado happened I was 20, living with my grandparents most of the time, helping take care of my Grandpa who was fighting lung cancer, and my Nana who had had a heart attack in April. I met the Barbecuing Preacher at a church when I was collecting donated clothes, shoes, and toys for my sister, her husband, and their two little girls because their house had been completely demolished and they had lost everything. I met him shortly after I had been given a pair of shoes by a woman who saw my bare feet and was afraid I would cut up my feet out there without shoes.
Somehow, as we were talking, the conversation turned to my Grandpa, who was home that day, too sick to walk to the church lot. Because of the harsh cancer treatments, you understand, he had been having a hard time eating. I had to make him, which was something I hated, because it upset him. I (or maybe my Mama, I don't remember) mentioned to the Barbecuing Preacher that my Grandpa always loved BBQ, and he told us he would bring him something after the volunteering day was done.
This man, true to his word, brought my Grandpa some delicious BBQ, and I saw my grandpa happily eat for the first time in a long time. The Barbecuing Preacher prayed with us, with my Grandpa, and he returned many times afterward to bring my Grandpa more of his BBQ and to pray for him. My Grandpa was weak and sick, and he had a hard time with his food, and this man would bring him BBQ ribs that he had shredded to make it easier for my Grandpa to eat. And his prayers were a great comfort to my Grandpa.
Eventually, of course, he had to leave and return home, but he promised that he would come check on us when he had the chance.
My Grandpa passed away in July of 2011, and I continued to live with my Nana who was heart-broken and afraid of being all alone. One day that summer, sometime after my Grandpa's death, but before I moved to Colorado in September, I was outside watering flowers (that summer was hard for the flowers, all the trees were gone and they had no shade) and the Barbecuing Preacher showed up, with a to-go box of ribs he had brought for my Grandpa. When I told him that my Grandpa had passed away, I started to cry, and he hugged me and let me cry on his shoulder. When my Nana came outside, he let her do the same. He stayed and talked to us for a while, and he again prayed for us, with us. And then he left, and I never saw him again.
I've been trying to find him for a long time, even though I really didn't even know where to start. At the very least, I'd just like to send him a thank-you card, because I don't know if he knows it, but he was truly a gift to my Grandpa. He got him to eat without a struggle, and my Grandpa really liked him. He was a Blessing. I just keep kicking myself for never getting his name.
If you can help me find him, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And if you can't, I want to thank you anyway, for all the good work your organization has done and for all the people you have helped!
God Bless you,
Christa
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