I was born at Lincoln University, in Chester County Pennsylvania, on Oct. 22, 1944. My father was from Johnson County in Tennessee. My mother, from Buchanan County in Virginia. Both my grandmothers were of Native American ancestry. My 5th and 7th generation ancestors were Cherokee chiefs. We started moving South in 1946. The first stop was near Rising Sun, MD, near Cecilton, Maryland.

In 1948 we moved to the Federalsburg area. I started school in 1950 at Federalsburg, Maryland. We lived on a dairy farm between Harmony and American Corner. I have told many people that I had the best upbringing anyone could have.

We were taught, (I was the third of four boys), to get up in the morning before daylight and go to work. We learned to do what we were told, when we were told, and the way we were told to do it. When my two older brothers went into the military, they wrote home that they got to lay in bed until 5:30 AM, and that they already knew how to take orders.

In 1953, my youngest brother died. Good friends, family and faith got us through that time. My mother called us in, put our heads in her lap and said, "Boys, you don't have a little brother anymore." He wasn't with us; but he never really left us. The circle is unbroken, and someday we will see him again.

In 1955, we had another brother. He left us in 1966 just weeks short of his 11th birthday. Again friends, family, but especially faith carried us through. The more heartbreak that happened, the stronger became our faith. This was not belief in a god; but, in the one and only true God that knows all there is from the beginning.

In 1958, my hip came out of place, and I walked nearly a year with it out. The day I went to the hospital in Easton MD, I was on a hay wagon behind a baler loading the wagon. My mother picked me up and we went to see a doctor at the hospital. He took hold of my leg moved it and said, "Can he stay?" The rest of that story has already been written. The living God knew everything about me, He planned my way. Even when I went astray, He was there to bring me back. He knows the way to take, as you will see in the following stories.

I went to work in the Fall of 1961 at the local bakery. I worked 90 to 100 hours a week while still being in school. I started off cleaning floors and was plant Superintendent when I left 11 years later. I then started operating heavy equipment in 1972 and did so until 2000. Except for the first company I worked for, I was the job supervisor as well as an operator. The Lord always promoted me to higher positions with more responsibility. I hope you will see through some of my life-stories, that our greatest promotion is leading someone to higher ground in Christ.

I've been the pastor of Faith Fellowship Church near Preston, MD, since 1985 when the pastor died, and I was asked to fill in until they found a pastor. It's now been over 35 years!

Buddy Dunn

December 2021