Charity Wallace (center), Senior Advisor to Mrs. Laura Bush, with assistant Jenny Lynn Buntin (left) and LH’s Paula Davis.
Charity Wallace has logged a million miles and traveled to 60 countries as part of George W. Bush’s presidential staff. She’s served as Deputy Chief of Protocol (Nancy Brinker was Chief) and Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush. She spent Friday heaping praise upon Healing Hands Ministries.
“What you do in this community is of great significance,” she told the sell-out crowd at the second annual Tablescapes Luncheon. “Each day you show God’s goodness and faithfulness.”
Wallace shared her inspirational story, “From Fear to Faith,” beginning with her days as a young graduate of Pepperdine University. After two years performing in musical theatre, she volunteered in Bush’s presidential campaign. She made herself useful to the candidate’s advance team, and was in the thick of the Florida recount intrigue in Palm Beach. She helped plan the inauguration, including the family prayer service, and landed a plum job in the White House with the 43rd president.
Wallace says her fascination with politics began even before she hit junior high. As president of her California elementary school, she wrote Ronald Reagan a letter in Washington. It began, “From one President to another…”
Wallace has now signed on to serve as Director for the Women’s Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute. This worldwide outreach to lift women up keeps her working closely with Laura Bush who, Wallace says, still maintains an incredible public events schedule.
“In 2004, her events schedule was unbelievable, but I just figured that was because it was a re-election year. Then, in 2005 she had 300 events, in 2006 she had 350 and in 2007 she had 400.”
The work of the Women’s Initiative is based on the precepts that when a woman is educated, her children are more likely to be educated, healthy and successful, and a woman’s network is the best indicator of her success. Women in developing countries are brought to the U.S., nurtured in groups, equipped with training and delivered home ready to bring long-term stability and prosperity to their families and communities.
Not bad for a First Lady who finally has her wish of living in Dallas, or – as she calls it – Afterlife in the Promised Land.
In addition to Wallace, attendees heard from LaSonya Zackery, whose family made one of the 10,000 patient visits to Healing Hands’ medical and dental clinics.
“Janna was convinced that I was meant to sit next to her at church,” Zackery said, explaining that Healing Hands Founder and Executive Director Janna Gardner met her and personally urged to visit the clinic and seek care. “I’m so thankful for Healing Hands. It’s truly a blessing for people who have low income, no insurance and no place to go.”
“We try to stay out of the way and prayed up,” said Janna Gardner, who shared that Healing Hands was founded after God whispered about the need in her ear.
“God wasn’t whispering in your ear, Janna,” quipped Paula Davis, a member of the Friends of Healing Hands Auxiliary. “He was yelling, and we’re so glad you were listening.”
You can see my photo slideshow here.
