Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Because one person spoke up...

For my birthday this year, my wife gave me a subscription to www.ancestory.com  Putting together my family tree is something I've talked about for a while but never followed through with.  Since my Father (who is a historian) has completed a great deal of research, I have loads of information to utilize in this process.  The history of the Newlands in particular is quite detailed.  As a result, as I'm plugging information into my tree, I'm discovering stories in my history that are interesting and jaw-dropping.  For instance, I found out that my Great-Great Grandmother Gibbs had six children.  But after the fourth, she lost her arm to a gun accident.  Not only did she raise six children with one arm, but because  one of her oldest died early in life, she raised three grandchildren as well.  With one arm!  I can barely handle two kids with two arms.

Last night I was continuing to add names to the Newland tree and made it back to the mid 17th century when my family was settled in Ireland - just before they immigrated to America.  Nicholas Newlin (name was changed when he immigrated and later changed back) was a Quaker and came to America to escape religious persecution.  What's amazing are the events that precluded our arrival in 1682.  This is what our family records recounts:
"Tradition says that the family of Nicholas Newland were living in Ireland at the time of the massacre of the English Protestant settlers by Irish Catholics in October, 1641.  An Irish servant girl was observed to be uneasy and troubled in mind about something and being questioned as to the cause, she confessed that such a plot existed and that the family were to share the fate intended for the other English settlers.  They fled to the woods and finally succeeded in reaching Dublin, thus escaping the fate that overtook most of their countrymen.  The number of victims who perished in this massacre estimated from 4,000 to 40,000 people."

Wow.  I was blown away by this story.  Needless to say, I have been thinking about the ramifications of this account since I first read it.  The reason the Newland family made it out of Ireland alive is because of one Irish servant girl who chose to speak up.  If she had not shared these facts, the Newland family may not have made it to America.  Instead, she spoke up and I am here today.  My kids are here today because one girl spoke up and warned my ancestors.

As a follower of Christ, I know that I am called to love God and others.  To help the poor and needy.  And to give a voice to those who cannot speak up for themselves.  God has given me a voice and a point of influence to make a difference.  I have to speak up so that many can hear my voice.  Because as I now realize, one person speaking up can change history.