Ex-missionary must move, judge rules; Home where woman raised 28 Haitian orphans is sold

Indianapolis Star, The (IN)

Author: JASON THOMAS JASON.THOMAS@INDYSTAR.COM

Dateline: 09) Shelby County

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. -- Kathy Blackburn holds tight her vision of opening a women's ministry.

Its location, though, she's leaving up to God.

On Monday, a Shelby Superior Court judge approved the sale of five acres of land in rural Shelby County and the 12,000-square-foot home where Blackburn has raised 28 Haitian orphans.

A story that began in Haiti more than two decades ago where Blackburn and her then-husband, Dan, were evangelical missionaries, has ended in a Shelbyville courtroom.

For Blackburn, Monday's decision was part of a bigger plan.

"The media will only pick up on the loss of this house," she said, "but will they pick up on what God does down the road?"

For $65,325, James and Terry Deem, along with their daughter and son-in-law, Virginia and David Griffith, are the new owners of the property, located on Ind. 9 about five miles south of Shelbyville. Both families are from Indianapolis.

According to Steve Allen, principal broker with F.C. Tucker in Shelbyville, the family plans on refurbishing the home and living there.

"I don't think they have any aspirations for anything other than that," Allen said.

An eviction hearing was begun two years ago between Blackburn and the Shelbyville Ministerial Association, a philanthropic group that spearheaded the fundraising efforts to build a home for the Blackburns after they arrived from Haiti in 1991. Blackburn was born and raised in Shelby County.

The association holds the deed to the land and wanted the property to be used as a charitable cause, as was stipulated in the deed; additionally, the association was concerned about the condition of the home, which had fallen into disrepair.

An agreement eventually was reached to sell the property. The deal stipulated that Blackburn receives 65 percent of the proceeds and the association receives 35 percent.

At a hearing last month, adopted son Aaron Blackburn made a surprise verbal offer of $78,000 to purchase the property, which prompted Judge Jack A. Tandy to extend the hearing to accept any remaining offers.

At Monday's hearing, it was revealed only two bids were made: the $65,325 in cash and Aaron Blackburn's offer, which had increased to $101,000 after a gift of $23,000 was added to his original offer.

However, the Blackburns recently parted ways with the group that offered the gift, and attempts by a relative to cover the $23,000 fell through.

That forced Aaron Blackburn to rescind his offer.

"We'll just move on from here," he said. "Everything will be fine. Things will work out for the best."

Kathy Blackburn would not reveal the identity of the group that offered the $23,000, only saying they were interested in her plan to open a women's ministry on the property. Blackburn wants to open a haven where women can find spiritual guidance and possibly short-term housing.

"We felt they were going a different direction than we were," Blackburn said. "At the risk of losing the house, we're not going with that particular group."

Mark W. McNeely, a lawyer who represents the ministerial association, said Blackburn would probably have between 30 and 60 days to leave the property. He did not know what the Deems planned to do with the land.

"I feel sorry for Mrs. Blackburn," he said. "On the other hand, I think this is as good a result for everybody concerned as could happen. Her life will go on. The ministerial association's life will go on. This house will have a life, probably.

"It will be interesting to see in a year or two what happens."

Blackburn won't wait that long. She went house hunting immediately after Monday's hearing. Her share of the settlement is about $39,000.

"I've got to find somewhere big, I've got to find somewhere that will fit the ministry. It's going to be tough," she said.

Memories, Blackburn said, are more powerful than buildings.

"I don't have memories of the buildings, I have memories of people in the buildings -- the things that go on and the kids that learn to live in God," she said. "It's not in the house; it's in the heart."

Call Star reporter Jason Thomas at (317) 444-2708.