Who was Miss Alma?
May We Be Found As Faithful

She was missions. Her countenance an icon that calls us to action - the mention of her name is an inspiration for all to be all that God intends for us to be. She was “Miss Alma,” the Virginia born academian whose classroom was the world.

Traveling to 93 countries through almost nine decades, Miss Alma had many cherished friends. In an interview for Missions Mosaic magazine she shared that keeping up with friends in far away places is quite a challenge. “I feel inadequate, if not defeated, when a day has passed and I didn't get around to seeing someone who needed a visit or writing a letter of encouragement.” What is it that made her so dear? No doubt her zeal for life and her devotion to following the plan that God created for her lead others to hold her in the highest of regards. But it was her love for others and her desire to encourage them in their walk of faith that rendered her a treasure in Baptist life.

Named Executive Secretary of the WMU in 1948, Miss Alma gave 26 years of superior leadership and furthered the cause of missions. Under her tenure, WMU acquired a national building and watched its membership exceed the one million mark. The Annie Armstrong Offering rose nearly $6.5 million and the Lottie Moon Offering soared to over $22 million, and work with the BWA helped to sharpen the world mission vision. Her retirement years afforded her even further opportunities to enhance mission causes. She kept a full datebook of speaking engagements across the country served as a Baptist stateswoman and goodwill ambassador.

Certainly we know that Miss Alma belongs to the world! To try and keep her all for ourselves would be selfish. But to say that there is enormous pride in Virginia for what she has meant to missions would be a ghastly understatement. Thus the celebration in naming the offering for mission causes in Virginia for Miss Alma.

Miss Alma remained active in mission causes whenever she was able until she went to be with the Lord on June 14, 2008.

Miss Alma, Virginia Baptists say thank you for your gift of dedication to missions and furthering the cause of Christ.

May we be found as faithful!