Ora Lee Barnes Program

We still don’t know how it happened that we ended up with you To calm our fears, dry our tears and navigate us through, the mountains highs and valleys lows, the twist we didn’t see. The kicks in the gut when we could get up and you willed us to keep going. You’d say, “straighten your face dry your eyes,

you have what it takes to get through this. Your dad and I put in you all that we had, you’re a winner and it’s time that you knew it.

We ate your cookies and cakes until our bellies ached and we loved your fried chicken, pot roast and yams and each one of us when you sum us up can say “You are the reason, I AM”.

You busied about like a Christmas mouse filling shoe boxes with candy and fruit, with toys hid a way in the most secret of spaces, so excited and we had not a clue.

Demure on the surface, you appeared easy going and for the most part, you were but if they messed with us children right in front of their eyes, you became an invincible bear.

The years grew long and your strength did fade, But you still stood and cheered us on The same relentless song that you sang all along “You’re a winner, I know you can do this.

We still can’t figure it out, how it came about that we ended up with you. But of this we are sure, when we look at our lot in you we hit the “Jackpot”.

Author: Debra B. Hill

We love you with all our hearts, always have and always will. De, Do, Anony an Paici “Tisha”