THE POWER OF ONE!

She was born, raised, lived 88 years, died and was buried in Baltimore, MD, but she impacted the world like few women have. Her name is Annie Armstrong. Born to a prominent Baltimore family which had influenced the area for generations prior, the city in turn influenced Annie’s life and work. Living in a port, industrial and railroad city broadened her horizons and facilitated her interest in missions. She started and supported evangelism and needs-based programs for port-workers, sailors, immigrants, Blacks, Native Americans, the sick and the poor especially women and children.

Other influences were her mother who took Annie to Church and missionary meetings, her pastor Richard Fuller who deepened her convictions about living a missionary lifestyle and the new Church start in which she participated. Most importantly, she went from being a Church girl to being born again at the age of twenty. With all of these influences it is interesting that God never called Annie to be a missionary…He had other plans for her.

A turning point in Annie's life came in 1880 after she heard a speech on the destitution of Native Americans in Oklahoma. She and other women organized to gather gifts of money and clothing. This experience germinated into the idea of encouraging women to organize into groups to educate and help the needy….the idea became the seed for the start of the Woman’s Missionary Union.

Missionary Lottie Moon (China), desperate for help, wrote home and encouraged women in the USA to band into formal societies to promote foreign mission work. She asked them to send two women missionaries to her aid. Annie took up the cause with a passion. The seed began to grow into a sprout.

Annie began writing relentlessly to other women’s groups asking for monetary donations. By the goal date in December, enough money had been raised to send not two but three women to China.

In 1888, women from 12 states formed an auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Annie was elected Corresponding Secretary. Then in 1890, the name “Woman’s Missionary Union” was adopted (www.wmu.com). Now the flower was in full bloom and Annie continued serving as its leader without pay until 1906.

This short article cannot begin to mention the incredible amount of labor and travel that Annie Armstrong performed to support missions in the USA and abroad nor the powerful influence she had over the continuing formation of the SBC (www.sbc.net). As a result of her efforts, the Home Mission Offering (www.namb.net) was named in her honor. From the beginning to the end of 2005, giving to the Christmas and Easter offerings has blossomed to nearly $3.7 billion. If you are interested in learning more about her incredible life, google “Annie Armstrong missionary” or visit her profile at www.facebook.com. The 2009 Home Missions Offering Goal is $65 million. Be a part of this ongoing legacy…give!