I am so excited and honored for my first post on our new family blogspot to be about a cause that is very dear to my heart and my family. This is my cousins, Tony and Jenny Murphy's story, such an amazing example of experiencing unimaginable loss and how they are helping orphans in Jamaica to honor Adrian's life.
Adrian's Wall
July 30, 2007 on our two year anniversary, I was admitted into the hospital to celebrate the birth of our precious baby boy. After 24 hours of labor our dear son, Adrian Tony Murphy was born, July 31, 2007, weighing in at 6 lbs. 9 oz. and reaching a whole 21 inches in length. As Adrian grew, Tony and I couldn’t believe how loving our precious boy was. There wasn’t a day he wasn’t smiling and giggling, such a ray of sunshine. He brought joy to so many different lives.
Even though it wasn’t a public dedication, Tony and I had dedicated our young son to God. We were certain that we would bring him up in church; needless to say, he was the one that brought us up in church. He knew exactly when it was time to go and constantly reminded us of it, “Church? Church? Go to Church?” he chimed as we readied ourselves. Each and every night when we laid him down for rest he waited patiently for his “night, night” song. His father and I had to sing him “Jesus Loves Me” before he fell soundly asleep. For two wonderful years he stayed with a relative of Tony’s and loved playing daily with their children. Adrian’s caregiver cared for him since he was five weeks old. He was a dear part of their family as well as ours.
On September 14, 2009, Tony took Adrian to his caregiver’s house at about 6:00 a.m. ready to play and have a day filled full of fun and laughter. In his sandals and ball cap, he began to play with his best buddy, Noah. They ran about laughing while waiting on breakfast. After eating they began to play once more. They played on the front porch for a while then asked for another snack; an apple. In the next moment, Adrian went through a gate into the back yard, climbed some steps onto the deck and over another gate to the pool…
Adrian left us to be with the Lord on September 15, 2009. Since his untimely death, our family, friends and church have searched and prayed for a way to honor his life and death to glorify God. During this time many things have taken place. People have been touched and lives changed all while struggling with accepting and dealing with this “New Normal Life.” Through a series of events, a group from Adrian’s church, Pastor Kevin Page with Maranatha Baptist Church in Jefferson, went to Martha Brae, Jamaica on a Mission Trip to serve and work with the local missionaries and assist on the building of the new orphanage. While there, Missionaries Mack and Marilyn Locklear, worked alongside the members of Maranatha and a group led by Pastor Pat Lawrence from Athens, Alabama. They visited, built, preached and worshiped with the people in Jamaica. Pastor Kevin and Bro. Mack Locklear discussed the need for a wall to be built between the “Noah’s Ark Children’s Home” and the Martha Brae River. The government insists that a wall be built for the children’s protection, in God’s time and the need for the wall, Tony and I, our family, Maranatha Baptist Church and Pastor Pat have come together to form “TEAM JAMAICA and ADRIAN’S WALL”
There are several needs: the cost of the materials to build the wall, the people to build it, the funds for those to go and the time. The people have stepped up, the time has been set aside (October 1-8, 2011) and now the need of finances is a work in progress.
Please pray about what you can do to help build Adrian’s Wall.
Forever In Our Hearts,
~Tony and Jenny Murphy
So... I received a letter from my Uncle Kevin Page's church (Maranatha Baptist Church, Jefferson GA) who is also my cousin's Tony and his wife Jenny's pastor requesting prayers for this upcoming mission trip and decided that I would like for our church in TN to do something to help in their efforts to honor Adrian. We decided (thanks for helping with the idea Marlie Henley :)to have a ride-a-thon for our youth to collect change and have a balloon release for Adrian. I was so proud of our church and their generosity not only with the love offering sent to this mission, but also the giving hearts of our children who were eager to give and help us raise money. We can't wait to see pics from this mission trip and of Adrian's Wall that will protect many children for many, many years to come.
You can also learn more about Adrian's Wall, as well as donate to the cause by visiting
