Faith remains strong in Murray family

Mick and Julie Murray of Wellman died in a car accident south of Tiffin Saturday afternoon. They left behind four children: Brittany, 21, Nicole, 18, Chase, 16, and Jordan, 14. Julie?s sister Beth Fiordelise and Beth?s husband Bill are taking care of the children.

In the days since the accident, many people from the community have stepped forward to coordinate fundraisers for the Murray children and their aunt and uncle. A Murray family fund has been established at Hills Bank and Trust Company in Wellman. Those who wish to donate items to the family may call Stacia Bontrager at 319-936-9350. Carol Horning is also coordinating donations for the family and she may be reached at 319-653-2480.

Bontrager knows the Murray family through the Kalona Mennonite Church. Mick had been the associate pastor at the church for 17 years and he and Julie had led a youth group during that time. Bontrager?s sons Kyle and Kendall attended the church?s youth group for a year before she and her husband attended. Bontrager said she could tell the Murrays were doing something special in their youth group and she and her husband wanted to be a part of it.

?We wanted to know what was going on,? she said. ?The Murrays had such an infectious love for people. Kyle would tell you that Mick was one of the most influential people in his life.?

Bontrager said that Mick and Julie passed along their strong faith to their children. She said Nicole organized a Bible study at Mid-Prairie High School every Monday morning before class.

?It was a fellowship that pulled kids in,? Bontrager said.

Mick had Bontrager?s husband in youth group many years ago. Once Bontrager began attending Kalona Mennonite she got to know the Murray family on a deeper level.

?Julie had a smile that was like sunshine,? she said. ?You just felt her love. You never heard Julie say anything negative. You never saw her down. Mick was your jokester. He?d say it like it was. If there was something wrong, he?d let you know about it. He was the most real pastor ? a leader at all times. He accepted everybody and loved everybody and found good in everybody. To us, Mick and Julie displayed true Christ-like love and acceptance.?

The children have shared their thoughts on Facebook about the death of their parents and how their religious convictions have kept them going in this trying time.

?Each one of those kids is unbelievably strong,? Bontrager said. ?This community is inspired by them by their strength and love. They are deeply rooted in their faith, and that is a testament to their parents.?

In a post that Nicole published Saturday night and titled ?Joy Whenever,? she wrote, ?I sit here before you all tonight, broken by tragedy. Yet in the midst of it all, the pieces are being held together by love, support of every kind, lots of wonderful hugs, and most of all, by prayer. For I could not face this without the Lord's embrace.?

Later in the post Nicole writes:

?My family and so many friends have had their lives flipped upside down, but God's grace has been so evident!! I never imagined we'd get the kind of support we have. And how two people can have such an impact in their short lifetimes is beyond me, but that's the kind of people Mom and Dad were.

?They taught me that the ?little things? can have the biggest impact, and that when you step back, the ?big things? are often actually quite small. Just a glimpse of what God has in store for us.

?So Mom, thank you for teaching me to enjoy the ?small things? --sweet tea and chocolate chip cake, a preschoolers joke :)  I pray that someday I will be as wonderful at being a wife and mother as you were!

?Dad, thank you for teaching me to make the most of everyday moments--to be adventurous and not be afraid of going into pizza hut or wal-mart in my dirty saturday clothes :) Thank you for loaning me your swearshirt--again!--tonight, even though I?m wearing that ?stinky? lotion you love so much! ;) I pray that I will take your advice in choosing my man wisely, and that he will be as much a spiritual leader as you were!?

On Sunday morning, Brittany wrote the following on her Facebook wall:

?ohhh the twists and turns of life! :) I wasn?t ready for my world to be turned upside down and inside out!! And the two people I?d want wisdom and comfort from are precious memories!!! You know the craziest thing though... (and each one of us kids have said it) we should not have this much peace and hope right now!! The Lord is good and righteous and the only hope that we have, but that hope and peace surpasses all our understanding! Yes life stinks right now but it?s just a wonderful deep color in the masterpiece that the Lord is painting! Thank you all for your prayers and support ... I don?t have the words to let you know how much it means to us!!?

A dinner and auction to benefit the Murray family has been scheduled for March 9. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mid-Prairie High School. All proceeds from the auction and dinner will go toward the Murray family fund.