My Friend Liz: Her Story

[wrdsandwrks]

Liz’s Story

I have a friend named Liz C., whom I’ve sadly lost contact with over the years. I’ve hesitated about posting her story because I haven’t been able to find her in quite a few years. But it’s one of those things that keeps coming up in my heart and mind as a hurt that needs to be exposed, one more of the awful charges to be laid at the feet of TWI in the hopes that one day it will be made right before God. It’s not my story, and I’m not the one who was harmed by the insidious lack of love and care for one of God’s own, except as a friend who saw the hurt and felt a measure of responsibility for encouraging her to enter the Way Corps training where this hurt occurred.

I’m also hampered somewhat in the telling of this story by my rather fuzzy memory of the dates and timing of her ordeal. Anyone who was in residence at HQ and Emporia with Liz, (or Liz, if you’re out there please let me know if this is okay.) who remembers more, please fill in and/or correct. Okay, here goes.

How I met Liz

My husband and I, new 9th Way Corps graduates and newlyweds married in the WC weddings were assigned as branch coordinators to the San Fernando Valley, northern Los Angeles. Liz was one of the believers in the branch and she and I and her friend Irma became friends. I remember taking a dance class with the two of them at a local community college. She was a gem of a girl, just the kind of person that I loved spending time with, fun but serious about living a godly life.

Liz Goes into the Corps

I think that she went into the 12th Corps, a year after we graduated, but it could have been the 13th. I remember we were proud to have her go in the Corps from our branch, and I was happy that she was my Corps sister. Everything seemed to be going fine with her until her interim year. She was assigned to staff at Headquarters for her interim year. I’m not sure when the headaches started, but at some point in time either while in residence at Emporia or her interim year at Headquarters she began having excruciating headaches.

Liz Goes Blind while Babysitting EB’s Kids

Liz’s job on her interim year involved babysitting and housekeeping for EB, who I believe was Trunk leader or some kind of mucky-muck high up in the food chain. Liz's headaches kept getting worse. I remember Liz telling me that her head was killing her all day, and she was standing in the kitchen washing dishes when everything went dark. She was completely blind. She called EB and told him that she couldn’t see. He came home and so thoughtfully gave her a ride to the BRC and dropped her off there for dinner. This young girl who was basically a slave in his house loses her sight and he drops her off? She has to feel her way to find someone to help her. Finally she finds someone to help her and she is taken to a hospital.

A catscan or MRI revealed the cause of the headaches and the blindness was a brain tumor. She had brain surgery to remove the tumor, but unfortunately the blindness was permanent. The doctors told her that if she had come in just hours before, they could have removed the tumor before it caused permanent damage to her optic nerve.

There is more to this story, but I’m going to stop here for now. I’ll post the rest of what I remember later. I am livid at remembering this kind of mistreatment for a precious sister in Christ. I remember talking with Liz about what happened. I think she had been to see a Dr. about the headaches but they didn’t want to spend the money on a proper diagnosis so she was treated with herbal teas or some such garbage and probably told to just “believe” to get rid of the headaches because after all it was her lack of believing which was causing them.

[anotherDan]

tragedy

lots of thoughtless things happened

Someone new to pray for. Thank you, Wrds

[frank123lol]

I am saddened to hear about Liz.The way did not give spit about people.

[doojable]

Good Lord! When did it become acceptable for people to be treated like cattle?

[RainbowsGirl]

Another appalling and senseless injury to one of God's dear ones(((((((Liz)))))! How very cruel and heartbreaking! Will this never end?

Somehow I feel that it will take ages for God to recompense all the evil that has been delivered by selfish, self-centered sickos. Some I believe possessed and others truly evil by choice. Some I believe just tragically stupid and void of understanding!

What a day they will have before GOD's judgment seat! Oh the shocks alone when the truth is revealed... It should be worth any pains we have endured! I know that it will be worth all my pain to see GOD exact His justice!!! Amen!!!

Edited October 9, 2007 by RainbowsGirl

[polar bear]

Would this be another case of "the blind leading the blind"?

My heart goes out to this poor soul. I hope that one day you find her WAW. I for one would be glad to do anything I can for her.

[nandon]

EB... any more of a hint as to who this is.. or if not who it is,,, are they still in a leadership position at TWI?

[anotherDan]

Good Lord! When did it become acceptable for people to be treated like cattle?

I still cannot BELIEVE (but I have to) how Mrs. W was treated in her old age and need. Un-freakin-believable.

How we treat one another, not only in the "household," but how we treat all men, is of utmost concern to our God. Religion can make man such a fool. Remember the Samaritan. I wonder what "denomination" or class of men Jesus would have used in place of "Samaritan" in that parable if he'd have spoken it in the 20th Century. All the "pious" relgious folk looked the other way. The despised Samaritan had compassion, and gave him what he needed. The others were hurrying to church, I suppose. "Church" happened that morning by the side of the road.

[likeaneagle]

WWKS- My eyes filled up with tears as I read this story..

I have a casualty story too about a girlfriend...made me think of her...this is painful...OMG.

I hope it helps you to talk about it.

Hugs

Edited October 9, 2007 by likeaneagle

[excathedra]

ohmygosh poor poor liz, this "story" is just too sad for words

herbal remedies.....

EB dropped her off....

words fail, dear w&w

i thank god he will make it up to her

[DontWorryBeHappy]

Hi WrdsandWrks!.................another gutwrenching tale from the land of the prevailing truth.......only this was way before even that horror was alive and stalking the church!!

please excuse me waw for taking it upon myself to answer a question from another poster.............EB is earl burton............a real little mean wuss of a man.......never the trunk coordinator.......at the time of this gutless act of "spiritual" terrorism....the assistant to the secretary-treasurer of twi back then, howard allen...and member of the glorious president's cabinet!!...........the same hypocrite who had no trouble at all buying the medications his poor little wife needed to ease her panic attacks and depression as she tried to deal with the horrors she was stowing away in her memory!!..........did'nt drop her off at the brc for some green tea or grace bliss magic potion!!............nope!.....she got the full course of all her "mother's little helpers" did'nt she, earl???................you see....when waw's friend got sick....she was a weak little nobody stuck in some kind of "unbelieving funk"............worthy of being dumped at the brc to fend for herself...........

but when nancy's conscience started getting to her......she got drugs.......no expense spared there!!.........only the best for "god's best" first corps stepford wife!!!!

how sad wrdsandwrks.............i too hope one day you'll come across your beloved sister in christ............next time you can recommend her to some coffee here at the greasespot instead of some poison at the hands of twi!!...............sadly, the purity of your heart and hers was abused by the very "ministry" you each trusted.............god's keeping track!........he knows the purity of your hearts......as well as the fear and self-serving pomposity of those who abused that purity!!!

thanks for "going on the record" here at the spot, wrdsandwrks.................................peace.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Don'tWorryBeHappy

[wrdsandwrks]

please excuse me waw for taking it upon myself to answer a question from another poster.............EB is earl burton............a real little mean wuss of a man.......never the trunk coordinator.......at the time of this gutless act of "spiritual" terrorism....the assistant to the secretary-treasurer of twi back then, howard allen...and member of the glorious president's cabinet!!...........

thanks for "going on the record" here at the spot, wrdsandwrks.................................peace.

Thanks for the clarification, Don. I do think he should be held accountable. I wonder if he even gave it a second thought.

[wrdsandwrks]

More about my amazing friend...

Liz, despite her blindness, was determined to finish her Way Corps training. She is an amazing person and once she puts her mind to something she does not quit. The obstacles for her to overcome were incredible, but she was determined. I saw her at Emporia when I went there to teach. It was heart-breaking what she was going through. Really, thinking back on it, I can’t believe the cruelty of the leadership.

When I saw her at Emporia, she was almost starving to death, I mean that literally. You see, apparently the wonderful compassionate people of the Way Corps were determined to not help her in any way. So she would sit at the meal table and not be able to eat because she couldn’t see the food. No one offered to help her. I couldn’t believe it. I remember sitting with her and helping her by telling her what was on her plate and where it was and she was finally able to eat. She had no training in coping skills that a person who loses their sight normally gets by going to life-skill training classes, so she was completely on her own.

The worst thing I observed when I was there with her was at a Corps night. The poor dear was still wearing her glasses even though she couldn’t see. She still took her Bible to Corps night and tried to follow along. But since she couldn’t see she was not looking at her Bible when LCM was teaching. She was looking up. He noticed her and starting ranting at her about why wasn’t she looking at her Bible. He tore her apart and she was a mess when he made her answer his question. She said she couldn’t see and he tore into her about her lack of believing and how she was weak and she should be looking at the book, yada, yada, yada. It was one of the cruelest things I’ve ever observed.

I remember trying to comfort her after the night, and her biggest fear was being kicked out of the Corps. She is amazing! It wasn’t the first or the last time that she was berated for what happened to her and for her lack of believing for healing.

We got together after we were both out of TWI and had some really sweet visits. She went to school for life-skills and actually made her living as an instructor, teaching blind people how to live life in a sighted world. There are lots of skills that someone like her needed, from how to arrange food on a plate to be able to eat, to handling money, to cooking etc. She was being a blessing to others who recently became blind by teaching them the skills that she found were essential and were denied to her.

[excathedra]

i'm too sick to even comment

[doojable]

Somehow it seems fitting that a certain VPW lost an eye...to the big C, no less... Even though it was LCM that did the yelling and screaming - it was on vp's watch.

For the record, I wouldn't celebrate vp's illness. There just seems to be a bit of poetic justice in it all.

I'm so happy that Liz was able to make her life productive. Her inner strength shone through and God's hand apparently guided her. God didn't make her sick, but he certainly did heal her life, if not her body. I'm sure she is a blessing to all she meets.

[Danny]

This story just breaks my heart.

I understand I was in a similar situation.

I also spent my middle year at HQ for my slave labor training.

It was this time of the year first or second week in Oct.

I worked in Way Builders in the cabinet shop.

One day I got poisoned and ended up in the

emergency room then admitted to the hospital for a few days

Only one person from HQ came to see me.

One call from JT saying I was wrong for being there and

bla bla bla . Maybe if your believing was bigger.

Not being on staff long enough for there insurance to kick in

guess what I get a bill for many thousand of dollars and they say to bad

it's your problem. Even though we poisoned you.

Yes this is the greatest place on earth that has the love of God.

I know first hand and feel for Liz

I don't know to be angry or cry.

Edited October 10, 2007 by Danny

[wrdsandwrks]

Would this be another case of "the blind leading the blind"?

Yes PB, I think some are more blind than others, and the leaders who were supposed to be servants were expecting to be served and so weren't leaders at all.

[excathedra]

cruelty or gross lack of caring is just so hard to take

[wrdsandwrks]

This story just breaks my heart.

I understand I was in a similar situation.

I also spent my middle year at HQ for my slave labor training.

It was this time of the year first or second week in Oct.

I worked in Way Builders in the cabinet shop.

One day I got poisoned and ended up in the

emergency room the admitted to the hospital for a few days

Only one person from HQ came to see me.

One call from JT saying I was wrong for being there and

bla bla bla . Maybe if your believing was bigger.

Not being on staff long enough for there insurance to kick in

guess what I get a bill for many thousand of dollars and they say to bad

it's your problem. Even though we poisoned you.

Yes this is the greatest place on earth that has the love of God.

I know first hand and feel for Liz

I don't know to be angry or cry.

((((((((Danny))))))))

I don't even know about the Dr. bills for the surgery. I imagine she was left to fend for herself.

[Nottawayfer]

Oh my gosh....what inconsiderate bastards to treat someone that way when they needed so much. They gave that poor girl a scorpion, not the love of God they proclaim to be the best at showing. What hypocrites! It makes me ill.

(((((LIZ)))))

[wrdsandwrks]

The last time I saw Liz she was getting ready to get married to man she met in one of her classes. They were buying a house together in the Bay Area. I've tried to find her by googling her or her husband's name but had no success. I pray that she is happy and well.

She and I both believed that God wanted to heal her and restore her sight. The destructive criticism about "Why aren't you believing?" tore her down so much. I still pray for a restoring miracle to clean up the damage done to her optic nerve.

Does anyone else who was at HQ or Emporia during this time remember Liz? (I think she went by Elizabeth in the Corps.)

Edited October 10, 2007 by wrdsandwrks

[T-Bone]

WordsandWorks, I hope you’ll meet her again. Liz’s story just infuriates me – especially how she was treated by Corps and lcm! This has to be one of the most blatantly evil things I’ve ever heard!

My God – what a bunch of hard-hearted…cruel…inhuman ba$tard$ !!!!!

[Danny]

What a bunch of bullies.

I think most of the time they wanted someone to fail so

it made them look better.

If only your believing was like mine gag me.

I would love to go to one of there teachings today.

We would see who rips who.

[wrdsandwrks]

What a bunch of bullies.

I would love to go to one of there teachings today.

Too bad, I think we missed the 65th shindig. Too bad, so sad!

[DontWorryBeHappy]

the further details you have shared, wrdsandwrks............are absolutely mindblowing..............how was the dancing prez treated when he had "medical opportunities"???..............i guess that's just another "divine secret" locked away behind the walls of the promised land of the present truth (sic!)!........i'm sure, almighty mog that he WAS.......his kids never once got sick, did they??..............or his "wife"??

what's cruelly ironic in liz's story, is that earl-da-pearl was head of the finance dept.!......he "started" the way credit union!......another "tool" for the use and benefit of god's people!......next to howard allen, he had the "final say" on financial decisions regarding staff needs, etc...................certainly no expense was spared when the "big shots" got sick!!!.....who paid for harry's surgeries and cancer treatments before he died??...............how 'bout vic's surgery for the occular melanoma?.....his prosthesis?......the bottles of tylenol #3 with codeine, ms-contin, etc. that appeared like "the never ending cruse of oil"???...........who paid for all that drambuie and the rest of the booze????

but if you were just some little interim corps "schlepp" like danny.....no offense meant danny!.............it was ok for way builders to poison you and then leave you to your own devices regarding the hospital bills they caused.............that's when the "super spiritual, heart" people like townsend and burton were let loose to blame the injured and abandon a brother or sister in christ in his/her time of genuine need!!!................the great "heart" they came up with was to condemn you for "getting tricked"........and teach you "a lesson" in real believing!!!......................"woe be unto you, scribes and pharisees! hypocrites!"

thanks again wrdsandwrks.....and you too, danny.....for going "on the record"......................"the arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice"....(MLK).

peace!...................