To prepare for life as a missionary to Ivory Coast, Diane “DP” Smith received extensive training in the French language and European cultural influences of the small country in West Africa. Her missions education began much earlier, however.
“Because people raised me up doing missions, I went to the missions field,” Smith said. “If you are teaching children on missions, you are touching generations and nations.”
Smith was one of the current and former missionaries leading workshops at Equip, the annual leadership training event of Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), held July 18–19 at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega.
Though this year’s conference included a celebration of Alabama WMU’s 125th anniversary (see story, page 3), participants were fed much more than birthday cupcakes. Throughout the two-day event, WMU leaders and volunteers from across Alabama were discipled and encouraged in their work to teach future generations about the need for missionaries to reach a lost world.
In addition to the opportunity to meet missionaries and hear about their ongoing work in places like North Africa, the Middle East, East Asia and Clarkston, Ga., participants could choose from sessions aimed at those involved in various adult, youth and children’s ministries.
Two simple questions
In her sessions, Smith introduced participants to Ivory Coast, the focus of this year’s International Mission Study by national WMU. Smith, an art professor, showed photographs, drawings and other artifacts from her time in Ivory Coast. She encouraged the women that their efforts are essential to spreading the gospel, asking two simple questions: “Who’s going to tell if we don’t teach? How will they go if they don’t know?”
During Friday night’s Global Café, participants enjoyed cupcakes and coffee with state and national WMU leaders and there was a global photo booth where groups could have a souvenir photo made. Several missionaries were on hand for informal conversation, and several women learned about gospel storying through henna tattoos.
Amid the fun, an exhibit titled “See the Lostness” brought visitors face-to-face with the lost people of the world. Black-and-white photos of children and adults from the world’s Unengaged Unreached People Groups lined three walls of the room from floor to ceiling. Visitors were invited to write prayers or thoughts on self-adhesive notes and add them to a fourth wall.
The display was a powerful reminder that more than 250 million people around the world are not only lost but also have no access to the gospel.
Vickie Hicks, WMU coordinator for West Cullman Baptist Association, called the display overwhelming.
“It caused me to ask forgiveness for not lifting the lost up enough in prayer,” Hicks said.
Diane Tucker, Acteens coordinator for West Cullman Association, said the exhibit, coupled with the worship service earlier in the evening, challenged her as a leader of young women.
“We need to be giving young people the light,” she said.
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