[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17329]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 WELCOMING DR. HAROLD BALES, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, UNITED METHODIST 
                   CHURCH, SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA

  (Mrs. MYRICK asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, it is a true honor for me to have Dr. 
Harold Bales here to offer prayer to us at this most difficult time in 
our Nation's history.
  Dr. Bales and his wife, Judy, have been friends of my husband, Ed, 
and myself for over 20 years, as well as pastor. Judy and their 
daughter, Suzannah, are here with him today.
  He has served in many capacities in the Methodist Church, from being 
a pastor to organizing the World's Fair in Knoxville to administrative 
positions; and many years ago in Charlotte, he was among the first to 
recognize our growing problem with homeless people. And our church, 
First United Methodist, was among the first to start a program uptown 
to help. He was also instrumental in building our homeless shelter.
  When tornados raked through North and South Carolina in 1986, Harold 
was one of the first responders, not only with spiritual leadership, 
but also in a relief and recovery effort in the basement of First 
Methodist, over a hundred miles away.
  Recently he has battled cancer, but that has not stopped him from 
caring and working for others. Harold relieves many tense situations 
with his wonderful sense of humor. He always makes everyone feel 
comfortable, and he has always got a real story to tell that is funny 
as the dickens.
  He also writes poetry. One of his masterpieces is called Ode to Okra. 
Yes, that is the vegetable. Harold loves okra.
  As an instrument of reconciliation, Harold has repeatedly brought 
together people of diverse beliefs and different factions to celebrate 
their similarities in honor of God. His surgeon, who coincidentally was 
also my surgeon for breast cancer, recently shared something with me. 
She has become a dear friend, also.
  Dr. Teresa Flippo told me that he always had an aura of calm about 
him. Whenever he would come in and when she would go in to see him, he 
would end up ministering to her and really being concerned about all 
the stresses that she underwent in her profession, had far more concern 
for her than he did for his own condition.
  That is Dr. Bales, a true servant of God.

                          ____________________