Kelley, Ozema

Eldridge Baptist Church
Walker Baptist Association

Favorite Bible Verses: John 3:16; Romans 8:28
Hobbies: Reading
Favorite Hymn: “Amazing Grace”
Family Status: Single

According to 89-year-old Ozema Kelley, she was called to teach, which the Lord allowed her to begin doing at an early age. In addition to serving as a first-grade teacher for 42 years, Kelley taught Sunday School for 65 years and at summer camps at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega for 25 years.

Q: What was your childhood like?
A: God gave me a close-knit Christian family. My childhood was happy.

Q: How did you come to know the Lord?
A: My BYPU (Baptist Young People’s Union) leader had me at the right place at the right time. Ms. Virginia Hill asked her BYPU group to come to the Eldridge Baptist Academy after school, that she wanted Brother Charles Nelson to talk to us. While we were there, he presented the plan of salvation and I accepted Christ. That was on Feb. 13, 1933, between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Q: How have you been involved in church through the years?
A: I taught Sunday School for 65 years — 50 of those years I taught the youth and for the last 10 years, I taught adult ladies. I also taught Discipleship Training classes on Sunday nights. While I taught the youth, I also had a Monday night Bible study in my home. For 13 years, I directed the church choir. I was also the GAs (Girls in Action) director before I was the WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union) director at my church. I also worked in our association with our GAs and with church training.

Q: What did you get from those ministries?
A: Encouragement, joy and satisfaction.

Q: How have churches changed over the years?
A: I can see a lot of improvement, but at the same time, I’m not sure we have the same values that we had years ago. It is wonderful now and it was wonderful back then.

Q: What difference has being a Christian made in your life?
A: At my age now and as I look back over my years, I am so grateful for the Christian heritage that I’ve had. There is a satisfaction that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.