The Words of the Kasbow Family
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The Words of the Kasbow Family |
Despite dismal marriage statistics in Detroit, where the divorce rate is 76 percent and the out-of-wedlock birthrate is 70 percent, the city’s chapter of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) is finding pastors and community leaders who have been successful in raising children to be abstinent before marriage and creating lasting marriages in their communities. These pastors and community leaders, who are “Ambassadors For Peace” in the realm of the family, were honored by over 220 colleagues and friends among the faithful on April 4 at Detroit’s Seventh Annual True Family Values Banquet at the Fellowship Chapel Banquet Center.
To find those doing the work of saving marriages and thus possibly worthy of an award, the ACLC in Detroit sent press releases calling for nominations in any of five categories: (a) Promotion of Marriage and Family, (b) Promotion of Abstinence Before Marriage, (c) Married Couples Serving the Community, (d) Community Service That Helps Families, and (e) Role Model Couples --Those Who Have Been Married the Longest. From the nominations that came in, we chose eight to receive a framed certificate and a gift.
At the April 4 program, ministers were honored to have as guest speakers the dynamic couple from the ACLC National Executive Committee, Rev. Carl and Marilyn Rawls. They are a great example of a married couple serving God. Marilyn, originally from Detroit, introduced her husband, who then gave the keynote speech, setting the tone for the evening. To further explain the religious foundation for these awards, a section from Reverend Moon’s Tenth Peace Message was read.
Reverend Rawls, representing the national ACLC, and Rev. David Kasbow, pastor of the Detroit Family Church, gave out the awards and let each award winner briefly testify to his or her work. This was a truly moving experience. People were in tears as Mark and Betty Squire related how their marriage was on the rocks after 19 years. With divorce lawyers working to separate them, they decided to take one last chance with a program designed for troubled marriages. It worked. Now, 10 years later, their marriage is better than ever. They were honored for their personal success and their leadership in the program; they are now the lead coordinating team of 18 other couple teams.
Ms. Ty Adams, author of the book, Single, Saved and Having Sex, was a hit with the young people in the audience. She is a nationally known speaker who challenged the young people at the program -- and all single people -- to wait for God’s call to marriage. Deacon Ralph Bell of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church brought two of the young graduates of his church’s Young Warriors program, which preaches and teaches abstinence. They showed us a model of the “Sword of Truth” (a real wooden sword) that they receive upon completion of the program.
Dr. Michael Ross, an emergency room physician and leader of the Family Rights Coalition, was passionate about the need to change the laws that so easily lead to divorce. We also congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Sam and Dorothy Kimble, married for 62 years, as our Model Couple for the night.
The ACLC will continue the work of saving marriage in America with the promotion of Marriage Day in Detroit. This is the brainchild of Rev. Dr. Nathan Proche, of Tree of Life Baptist Church. This day will be celebrated on the fourth Sunday of June, which this year will be June 28.
Contributed by Rev. David Kasbow