This candle is placed here and lit in Barbie's memory and until our children are safe.

I DID NOT KNOW Penned by: Joy Schreiber Tate Copyright ©2000   I did not know I would die tonight. I did not know I would make this heavenly flight. To all I love back on earth today, I need to tell them there is a way. You can be sure you will see me and all the ones you love, If you just give your heart to Jesus with all your love. You see I found something out when I was very young, I found out that Jesus was God's only begotten son. I found out that Jesus died on a cross for my sins. And if I asked Him into my heart, I would always win. As there is much evil out there but Satan did not win this time, As I am up in heaven & I am doing fine. So I am sending you this message from heaven above. Please tell everyone about Jesus' love. I am not dead but live in my new home. I love it here and I am never alone. I live with my sister, Grandmother and Jesus up here. There are flowers, and trees to climb, and I swim in water so pure and clear. If you ever want to join me someday, As I know everyone has only so much time to stay, Please come to Jesus and be with us up here. Do not refuse Him as there is another place you could go. It is down under the earth, where there is no snow, Only darkness and grief and a great amount of woe. So a little girl loves you enough to send you all her love, So that someday you will join me in heaven above.

 

Barbie lost her life at the very young age of 14. She was at her girlfriend's house to spend the night and they were outside not far from the house. Two men with guns grabbed the girls and forced them into a car. Both girls were brutally murdered. According to the newspaper clipping, the two were sweet, bright girls and good students. They both wrote poetry; Barbie wrote several concerning her faith. Barbie was a born-again Christian since the age of 11 and had a beautiful relationship with the Lord, our Savior. Her Dad passed away in 1995, and she had a little sister that died when the baby girl was only 2 days old. We know Barbie is in heaven and has seen the precious face of God. Joy, Barbie's mother, wrote the poem above in her daughter's memory. She says she feels God was guiding her to write it.

Postscript: Joy subsequently visited Barbie's killer in prison, completely forgave him, shared with him the love and forgiveness of Jesus, and prayed with him.