HENRIETTA MURRAY
MEMORIAL WATER PROJECT
A message from the family:
Henrietta had a big heart and loved others well. She often would talk about how she wanted to help others and tell them about the love of Jesus. When it became clear that Henrietta would not live much longer, she made us promise that we would live out these dreams. Even in her final days, she was making it a priority to care for those around her. This project is one of the ways that we have decided to carry out our promise to our daughter. We would love for you to be a part of making this dream come true.
Love,
Ben, Maria, and Ann Shepard
Henrietta's Journey
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THE BEGINNING
On January 4, 2013, Henrietta was born to Ben and Maria Murray. A precious little sister and a perfect little angel.
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THE SYMPTOMS
At the early age of 3 years old, Henrietta began showing symptoms and was diagnosed with being blind.
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THE DIAGNOSIS
In February 2022, Henrietta was diagnosed with a rare and incurable mitochondrial disease that affected her entire body.
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THE SUPERSTAR
Henrietta captured the hearts of all those who came in contact with her, including her favorite football star, Malachi Moore of the University of Alabama.
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THE WORST DAY EVER
After an early "Christmas in May" with her family, Henrietta passed away on May 15, 2024, at the age of 11. Her passing has left a deep hole in the hearts of so many who loved her.
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THE INSPIRATION
Henrietta loved Designs For Hope, where her dad works and ministers. As she left an eternal impact in the lives of so many, we want to do the same in her honor.
To honor this special and precious young lady, we will design, drill, and dedicate a water project in Ethiopia to her life and memory. This project will provide clean drinking water to a community living in a desperate situation where frequent drought and lack of resources have caused great suffering. This one life will bring life to so many in this community. Please consider walking alongside the Murray family to bring hope from the ashes.
Every $25 donation will provide clean water to one person in Ethiopia. Please give as you feel led.
“Henri was my best friend and I hope I was hers. She brought joy to every room she stepped in, never shying away from who she was. We all knew that she would tell you how she feels and that’s one of the many reasons why I love her.”
Malachi Moore, Starting Safety The University of Alabama
“Henrietta was a part of the Hope Heals Camp family from the very first days, and she set the community’s heartbeat with her spiritedness, humor, and deep faith in Jesus. She was a living, breathing model of what it means to wholeheartedly live the good/hard life in front of you with hope, honesty, and resilience.”
Katherine Wolf, Co-Founder of Hope Heals Camp
“Henri was one of a kind. That sounds like such a simple way to describe her but if you knew her, you know exactly what I mean. There was no one like her. She lived differently than the rest of us. Like in the hard things of life…hard can be held together with joy and comfort, laughter and singing, celebration and dancing. I learned that from Henri.”
Andrew Murray, LIV Development
“I loved Henrietta and was given the high privilege of serving as her pastor, yet so often she was the one teaching me. Henri taught me more about the hope of heaven than any book I could ever read. Both her life and her longing for heaven continue to make an impact on me and the community she loved.”
James Dickson, Covenant Seminary
“Henrietta considered complex situations from innumerable angles. She identified solutions long before the adults in her life even recognized dilemmas.”
Rachel Kassel, M.D., Ph.D., Children’s Hospital of Alabama
“In her short 11 years, Henrietta’s life inspired and humbled us all. She embodied childlike faith, yet her love for Jesus was mature beyond her years. She faced such daunting trials but was able to live in joy because her faith was her sight. Our memories of Henri will always point us to the hope we have in Christ.”
Joe Gunter, Ruling Elder, Christ Church Trussville, PCA
“Henrietta understood the value of a moment in time, each priceless and worthy of celebration. With grace beyond her years, she continues to change the world.”
Cynthia Wozow, D.O., Children’s Hospital of Alabama
“I’ve never met someone who understood the reality that ‘Heaven meant being with Jesus more than it meant personal healing’ than Henri Murray. She taught me so much about authentic faith.”
Chris Bond, Designs For Hope
“Not a day goes by that I don't think of Henrietta and smile. I could never forget her or how she lived: passionately, boldly, and simply unforgettable. I can't help but smile at how many lives she's continuing to change with her legacy of hope. Thank you, Jesus, for letting me be part of Henrietta Murray's life. I will never be the same because of the difference she made in my life.”
Shayna Swann, Henrietta’s 2nd Grade Teacher, Paine Elementary
“Henrietta touched our lives through her love for others, honesty, and unrelenting faith in God's goodness in the face of suffering. Her wisdom was beyond her years and her heart to help others was an outpouring of God's love in her own life. Providing clean water for those in need is a beautiful way to honor her memory and carry out the work she began while she was with us.”
Emily Michalke, Family Friend
“Henrietta was kind, honest, and had great taste in fashion. She was the best friend and always stood up for herself and others. She was my best friend in the whole entire world.”
Logan Kinner, Best Friend
“Henrietta lived wholeheartedly as a beloved child of God, and she invited us all to embrace our belovedness, too. She was as strong-willed as she was gentle, and as funny as she was insightful. There will never be anyone like Henrietta and I am so privileged to have called her friend.”