Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., hosted the Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting of Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union April 8-9.
International Mission Board representatives Darrel and Kimberly Hathcock greet visitors at their display to acquaint them with their service in Hungary. (Bill Webb)Attendees held their general sessions in the chapel, their breakout sessions in adjacent space and spread out displays and a bookstore in the chapel foyer on the seminary campus.
Matthew MarrInternational and North American Mission Board representatives and Missouri Baptist Convention staff were featured, including Michelle, Southeast Asia; Darrel and Kimberly Hathcock, Hungary; Matthew Marrs, city missionary for NAMB’s SEND Kansas City emphasis; and Dwain Carter, coordinator of MBC disaster relief/mobilization.
President Cherri Crump of Rolla, Mo., presided over sessions as attendees heard and acted on reports from the Nominating Committee, Madge N. Truex and Alberta Gilpin funds that benefit various programs and missionary families.
Rosalie HuntRosalie Hunt, author, speaker and retired overseas missionary, presented the interpretation of the theme for the meeting: “All for You: Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve.”
“In our world, everything is about self,” Hunt said in the opening session.
She recalled service in China as a young missionary and was surprised when her Aunt Grace, a veteran missionary, said, “The hardest thing you will face on the mission field is selfishness.”
“And that was not just missionaries, that was everybody,” Hunt said.
“Surrendering is not fun,” she admitted. “And surrender is something you do every day. I’m 77 now.”
She cited Adoniram Judson, legendary early missionary to Burma (now Myanmar). “Judson surrendered time, talents, comfort and everything important to him,” she said.
“And what did surrender get him? He lost two wives in Burma, spent two years in Burmese death prisons and only six of his 13 children survived to adulthood.”
