Once a vulnerable child removed from an alcoholic and abusive family, Shirley Duncan came to Hephzibah as a 13-year-old and eventually became the devoted and much-loved Director of Church and Public Relations there for over 30 years.
Shirley recalls a day when she was a child and able to see a miracle at Hephzibah Children’s Home. On this day Shirley missed school because she had a doctor’s appointment to have a physical exam. Shirley joined the staff for their daily prayer and devotion. She heard them talk about the little food they had and lack of resources to purchase more. As the director, Joe Neyman, led the staff in prayer they prayed for God to provide food. As they were praying the phone rang and Joe directed Shirley to answer it. The voice on the other end of the line was the manager of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store asking if they needed food. The manager said the freezers at the store had stopped working and they needed to give all the frozen food away before it thawed. The same day a truck broke down near Hephzibah Children’s Home and the driver walked up the driveway to use the phone. After finding that it would be a while for help to arrive, he asked if they would like to have the ice cream that was in his truck. At a young age, Shirley personally experienced the answer to prayer as God provided an abundance of food and treats for the children and staff of Hephzibah Children’s Home.