Standberry continuing `Peace Walk"

Not even getting his leg nearly cut off has stopped Earl Standberry from carrying out his message. The Peace Pilgrim has made a stop in Pecos, despite an accident which almost took his entire leg.

"The accident happened right out of Benson, Ariz., on my way back to Tucson," said Standberry, who has been walking across America since the beginning of the year, hoping to get his message across.

"I was virtually living on the streets with no direction in my life, when I decided to leave it up to God," said Standberry.

And the path God has laid out for Standberry consists of many miles across America.

Standberry is following in the steps of Mildred Norman, who covered many miles across America in the name of Peace during the early 1950s.

"It's her anniversary and I want to do what she did," said Standberry.

Norman has a book published in several languages, crossed America seven times, along with trips across Mexico and Hawaii, and also visited the U.S. Capitol.

"I eventually want to meet President Clinton, like Norman wanted to meet the president back then," said Standberry.

Standberry's accident left him a bit torn up. But his leg was successfully reattached, and his resolve has not changed.

"God's people are good and so far He has taken care of me, so I know He always will," said Standberry.

All the doctors who attended Standberry predicted that the leg would have to be amputated.

"Right there it shows me that God does have a purpose for me," he said.

Standberry's accident happened when he jumped off a train.

"That train just caught my leg and spit me out," he explained.

Standberry laid on the ground for an hour, watching himself bleed to death before a train employee came by and summoned help.

"The doctors thought for sure that they were going to amputate and then they asked me the crucial question, `can you move your toes,' and that's when they decided it was salvageable," said Standberry.

"He put me in the right place, with the right doctors, so my belief now is even greater," said Standberry, who will be in Pecos all week and welcomes speaking engagements.

"I'd like to talk to school children and others would like to hear about what is going on in America and about my great belief," said Standberry.

The former Marine carries with him the three wishes, three petitions, that Norman carried with her 45 years ago: the establishment of a Department of Peace by the U.S. government, an end to all war-like activities the country is involved in and a presentation to the United Nations asking for world peace.

"I don't have any rush to finish this quest," said Standberry.

Standberry stated that he feels very close to Norman, "I feel very close to her, I know she's with me every step of the way and is guiding me," he said.

Standberry can be reached this week at the home of a friend if anyone wants to contact and visit with him or ask him to speak to others, at 445-9508.

Standberry calls himself a "walking billboard," for peace.

"That's my job, that's what I do and what I'll continue to do until I die," said Standberry. "I'll continue to spread the word," he said.

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