Our booth at the #SBCPC began not as some grand plan, but with a simple promise. Debbie Vasquez was making a great effort to come to the annual meeting, so she could talk to messengers, pass out the material she prepared, and do everything she can to keep other children from going through the horror she did. Of course, security is tight, getting in the building requires you to be a registered guest and passing out literature that hasn’t been approved is restricted, and she wasn’t sure she would even be able to talk to messengers even if she could somehow get to Anaheim. As Debbie shared her plans, I made a promise to help her.
I approached Matt Henslee, this year’s PC president with an idea. And Matt agreed to give us a booth for expressly that purpose – to give her and other survivors a voice. As an exhibitor, she can talk to anyone who comes to the booth and pass out her 14 Ways to “Stop Sexual Abuse in Our Churches.” We started planning the #standwithsurvivors booth as an effort to help Debbie and give her access to you, the messengers of this annual meeting.
By now, I hope you know her story. More, I hope you know what we as Southern Baptists need to do on Tuesday. For 10 years now, she has done everything she can to research this issue and get others to pay attention.
I’m asking you now, to stop by the booth today (the first booth on the left as you enter the main hall). Meet Debbie. Listen to her story. Experience her passion to help others and see an end to abuse in our churches. Show honor to her. Be encouraged by her. And then on Tuesday, show with your vote that you #standwithsurvivors.
