When disaster struck American Samoa in September, no one was more concerned than Vera Vaughn, a member of Shades Crest Baptist Church, Bluff Park, in Birmingham Baptist Association. While some Americans may have never heard of this U.S. territory, Vaughn spent five years living there, learning about the culture and helping to improve the education system.
In 1989, Vaughn, a recently retired elementary school principal, received a phone call from a volunteer with the Home Mission Board (now the North American Mission Board, NAMB) asking her to consider moving 5,000 miles away to become principal of Samoa Baptist Academy, located in the village of Tafuna.
She remembers having to ask where American Samoa was. The man she was talking to told her, “Go to Hawaii and turn left.”
After much prayer and consideration, Vaughn visited the group of islands and realized it was a place she needed to be.
During her time at the academy (1990–1995), Vaughn established a summer school program through which students could study things like drama and public speaking.
“I was so proud to be able to build a library, set up a computer lab with 20 computers and get a testing program going so we could see their strengths and weaknesses,” she said.
Vaughn left behind quite a legacy at Samoa Baptist Academy and in American Samoa. “When we mention Vera’s name, a lot of people still remember her,” said Sarah White of NAMB’s national response team. “She’s still very well known.” Vaughn has fond memories of them, too.
“They honor people so greatly,” she said, remembering when she was made an honorary high chief. It’s a revered title usually reserved for men. That’s when she knew she had truly been accepted as part of the American Samoan community. Though Vaughn is unable to travel to American Samoa these days, her thoughts and prayers are with her friends as they recover from last fall’s earthquake and tsunami.
“I would go there today if I could,” she said. “They do need people to help rebuild.” (TAB)
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