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Friends United Meeting |
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May 1998
Edith and Gerald Haynes: Lives of Passionate Caring
By Lorton Heusel
"We have a simple life style that allows us time and energy to help others," explains Gerald.
The phrase, "to
help others" particularly characterizes the witness of Gerald and
Edith Holling Haynes, who over the years, have invested an enormous amount
of time and energy in an array of volunteer ministries. Gifted with imagination
and resolve, Gerald and Edith have been and continue to be tenaciously
involved in causes which are rooted deeply in the Quaker story. To them
the persistent and vigorous pursuit of peace, justice and service is not
to be regarded as peripheral or optional but rather as a central expression
of Christian faithfulness.
Born of Quaker parents, Edith grew up on the family farm in northeastern Nebraska. She acquired her college education at Nebraska Central, financing her education by serving as secretary to the president of the college. During the summer months she served as secretary of the Yearly Meeting superintendent and worked on her parent's farm.
A native Kansan, Gerald moved with his parents and siblings to Ontario, Canada, during his high school years. Drafted into military service during World War II, he served three years in field artillery. Out of this experience Gerald deepened his aversion to violence and to the military approach to conflict resolution. While studying at Whittier College he found in his association with Friends a confirmation of his growing sense of harmony with the spirit of nonviolence. During these years he became affiliated with First Friends in Whittier. With the re-enactment of Selective Service in 1948, Gerald refused to register for the draft, was prosecuted and sentenced to a brief term in prison.
When reflecting on the question of what drew him and Edith together, Gerald observes: "Edith understood my radical pacifism." That spirit of mutual support of one another's leadings has marked their 44 years of life together. Besides pursuing careers in education, and raising three children, the Haynes have shared a common interest in providing "a home away from home" for young people making the transition from youth to adulthood. Over a period of twelve years they opened their home to six young men who needed a place to live while finding themselves, going to school, or while seeking employment.
Through the years they have both been active in the life and work of Whittier Meeting. Through their service on numerous committees, they found many opportunities to put their faith to work, sharing values and bringing their influence to bear on program development as well as in interpersonal relationships.
Edith's interest in and visitation of prisoners developed early on in her teaching career when she learned that the parents of two children in her school were arrested and sent to jail for a crime they did not commit. While providing encouragement and support to the children as well as the parents, Edith followed the case until the parents were cleared and released.
For more than forty years since that experience Edith has visited in jails and prisons, including San Quentin and Marion Prison in Illinois, because, she says: "The inmates have no one else corresponding with them or visiting them." On one occasion a prisoner asked her to attend his execution"if it happensbut not my parents, because," he said, "you care more than they do." Over the years Edith has corresponded with more than 50 prisoners and currently she is either corresponding with or enlisting others to correspond with quite a number of inmates, including seven on death row. Both Edith and Gerald are widely known as foes of the death penalty and as advocates of prison reform.
In years past, Edith has been actively involved in the work of the American Friends Service Committee at both the regional and national levels, and with the Friends Committee on Legislation in California and the Friends Committee on National Legislation. No stranger to conflict, opposition and controversy, Edith has the gift of being on the one hand a forthright advocate on issues of peace and justice, yet on the other hand she has the ability to identify areas of common interest with those who hold different views.
When Peace Camps were organized for small children in the '80s, Edith was among those who gave enthusiastic support. "I had observed" she explained, "that the sorry things that happened to many prisoners, occurred when they were children. Peace Camps provide another opportunity for teaching children self-esteem, how to resolve conflict and how to appreciate people across differences." While she and Gerald have been personally involved in only three Peace Camps, they are persuaded that these camps for children are very effective and that every meeting could benefit enormously from the sponsorship of such an effort. "We are going to do our fourth one this summer!"
Among their interests and involvements in community affairs, their work with the homeless has been especially notable. Working with representatives of churches in Whittier, Edith helped to develop a shelter program for the homeless that provides two hot meals per day and overnight accommodations for all the homeless who are willing to comply with minimum conditions. One component of this effective ministry consists of a requirement that each homeless person who accepts the hospitality of the participating churches must become involved in a self-improvement program and be willing to become seriously engaged in a search for employment. Combining both compassion and tough love, Edith maintains a remarkable relationship with the homeless. And they respect her.
"Retire as soon as you can," the Haynes advise. "Opportunities for volunteer work are unlimited and challenging." Besides devoting nearly every Saturday to Habitat for Humanity which is constructing four houses in Whittier, Gerald's interests center around the Whittier Area Peace and Justice Coalition, which Edith helped to organize in 1979 to assist 18-year-olds who are required to register for the draft. Young men, confused and uncertain, both about what to do and as to what they believed, consulted with Edith who was the only local person listed as a draft counselor.
"To what should Friends give attention in the coming years? To what will I be giving attention?"
First, I'll continue to pray, a prayer that accepts and realizes God's presence, a prayer of experiencing God's love, a prayer of being open to God's direction. Such prayer keeps me from being overwhelmed by the suffering people inflict on other people.
Second, as Friends, I hope that as we use and live the words "evangelism," "peace," and "justice" they are complementary.
Gerald Haynes
In May, 1997, when the United States Army Adventure Van was scheduled to visit La Habra High School, the Peace and Justice Coalition staged a protest. Gerald, queried by the press regarding the protest, explained: "At a time when guns are a leading cause of injury and death among 15- to 24-year-olds in Southern California, what kind of mixed messages about guns and violence are our schools communicating to our youth by permitting an activity like the adventure van visit? The equipment on the van is designed for killing. We would like for students to know there are peaceful ways to resolve conflict."
To the question of how they coped with the problems or crises they faced along the way they point to the meeting for worship as being a major resource. "We have been so blessed," they add, as they look back over their journey. Having received, they find meaning and joy in giving generously of themselves, of their time and of their resources to those causes designed to help others.
Lorton Heusel served as a pastor among Friends and was general secretary of Friends United Meeting, 1967-1978. He and Magaline have retired to California after a tour of service in Uganda and an interim pastorate at First Friends, Whittier, California.
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