Residents and staff members of Martha Franks Baptist Retirement Community in Laurens gathered around a special mirror in December to reflect on and pray for the impact of Southern Baptist missionary efforts around the globe.
They also gave $6,669 toward the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions.
The mirror was one that was used by pioneer Southern Baptist missionary Lottie Moon while serving in China. It was brought to the South Carolina Baptist retirement community years ago by Martha Franks, for whom the facility is named, and who herself served as a missionary to China.
The Lottie Moon mirror is always displayed at the retirement center and “made a perfect platform on which to build the offering this year,” said Martha Franks spokesperson Lisa Yarber.
Residents, guests, staff and friends of Martha Franks heard testimonies from missionaries who now live in the retirement community.
Retired missionary Franklin Harkins told of how funds from the mission offering helped to rebuild a church that was wiped out by a typhoon near Korea, where he served years ago.
Former missionary Barbara Hunter sang a song in Swahili and talked about working in eastern and southern Africa.
Retired missionary Jean Phillips gave a testimony of how mission funds helped to provide a four-wheel-drive vehicle so that the gospel message could reach the lost in the bush of Zimbabwe.
“I just think it is awesome that these folks, in the retirement years, still give so sacrificially for the cause of missions,” said Laurie Register, executive director of South Carolina Woman’s Missionary Union.