ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 6, 1996 TAG: 9603060075
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SULLIVAN, ILL.
SOURCE: MATT KELLEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS proved to be a mixed blessing for the family whose son said, 'God can heal me'
When young Samuel Herschberger was torn nearly limb from limb in a farm accident, his Amish family realized they had to look beyond the traditional bounds of their community for help.
Facing a six-figure medical bill, they opened their home each weekend to non-Amish visitors. Guests donated whatever they chose for a home-cooked meal and a ride in one of the family's horse-drawn buggies.
Donations - mostly from people who read about the family's plight - have erased about $250,000 in medical bills. But the attention has caused other complications, and now the Herschbergers are trying to keep a flood of good intentions from sweeping away their simple way of life.
The Herschbergers say they want to make sure their recovery from tragedy does not stain them with the sins and temptation of the outside world.
The dinners continue, but the Herschbergers would like the donations from letter-writers to stop. Accepting any more would go against traditional Amish ways of humility and reliance on community, says Samuel's father, Oba Herschberger.
Thousands of outsiders have written the Herschbergers in the past month after reading an Associated Press story about Samuel's 1991 accident. The Roanoke Times was among the newspapers that published the story.
The family won't specify how many letters and donations it got; all the attention for one family raises eyebrows among Herschbergers' neighbors.
The Herschbergers say they have felt the undercurrent of unease, including a rumor that they paid to get the story in newspapers across the country.
They have declined TV interviews and turned down a bid to make their story into a television movie. They rejected Simon & Schuster's offer to publish their journal of the accident and its aftermath, choosing instead to have Southern Illinois University Press quietly publish the book later this year.
``We want to thank everyone for all the cards and letters, gifts and especially prayers that were sent our way,'' Herschberger says. ``We tried to answer many, but we could not answer all.''
Letter writers from Florida to Japan told of being moved to tears reading about Samuel, who got caught in a powerful grinding machine a few days before his 10th birthday. All but his left arm was saved.
``I'm sure all readers of your story of tragedy, sorrow, faith, perseverance and love were similarly moved,'' wrote a Chicago man. ``I wholeheartedly agree with you that much of what is wrong with the world today is the lack of emphasis on church, family and friends.''
The healing continues for Samuel. While his life is once again typical of Amish youngsters - he spent much of a recent evening memorizing Bible verses in English and German - he will need more operations to gain further use of his feet and right hand.
When people ask how Samuel is doing, his father is reminded of the boy's words to his mother during a hospital room vigil.
``He opened his eyes and said, `Mom, God can heal me,' which, in turn, he did,'' Herschberger says.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB