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A Will To Serve
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Members of Central United Methodist Church in Albuquerque thought they knew one of their fellow congregants well. But they discovered a whole new side to the woman after her death. She gave them a surprise in her will. She had no children, lived a very simple life, but, in death, she left a fortune for strangers. |
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A Will To Serve – Story:
Helen Fox / Member, Central United Methodist
Church: “She really truly cared about children, and the
fact that no child should have to live on the streets, that all children
should have the right to a home.”
Frances Thaxton Ash was a quiet, devout woman who loved her modest home.
Having grown up in the Great Depression, she was frugal and saved her
money, but there was no indication about how much she had put away. And
when she died at 96, she left most of it to her church, Central United
Methodist in Albuquerque.
Helen Fox: “It was very
overwhelming to me because it was approximately $4 million.”
Four million dollars, with the stipulation that all of it be used to
help homeless families.
Charles Crutchfield / Pastor, Central United Methodist Church: “I thought, my Lord in heaven, are we up to this challenge?”
Single women with children make up the largest group of homeless. Here people in need, like Sylinda and Michael, are given food, clothing and childcare.
Sylinda Byrd: "Right now I'm choosing to pay for school instead of having us being in a place of our own, so probably if I could have help with school, then we could be a little more independent right now."
Mrs. Ash's legacy is a reminder that everyone of
every age deserves a chance for independence, dignity and hope.
Charles Crutchfield: There was a twinkle in her eye from time to
time. And I kind of wonder, in retrospect, if she didn't see this as a
kind of challenge that said, 'All right, folks, you talk a good talk.
Let's see if you can walk the walk.'"
Central United Methodist Church hasn’t decided exactly how to disperse the money. Members want to use most of it for long-term homeless programs – housing, job training, education. A staff person will be hired just to manage the trust. And that’s not all – Mrs. Ash left millions more to friends and to other United Methodist churches in New Mexico.