Margaret Gaines: 60 Years of Ministry
ALABAMA — On March 17, 2012, Pastors Paul and Paula Lett of the Harvest Center Church of God in Pell City hosted a celebration for one incredible lady who has been faithfully serving the Lord in full-time ministry for 60 years.
At the age of 14, Sister Margaret Gaines told the Lord she was giving her whole heart to Him without return and without reserve, and she has done just that throughout her life. At the age of 19, she answered His call to the mission field. Shortly before graduating from Lee College, Sister Gaines received a letter from Sister Josephine Planter asking her to come to Tunisia. Sister Gaines took the letter to the World Missions board; she told them of her calling and presented them her letter. They declined her request to send her to Tunisia.
After dealing with the despair that fell upon her when men told her no because they believed her to be too young, she sought the Lord on the matter. When the triune board of Heaven said, “yes,” Sister Gaines made the short trip from Anniston, Alabama, to Birmingham, Alabama, and applied for a passport and booked passage on a steamship to Tunisia.
On March 25, 1952, Sister Gaines set out with a one-way ticket and $100 in her pocket on a journey that would take her from North Africa to France to Palestine and ultimately back to Alabama, where at 80 years of age she is pastoring the Wattsville Church of God.
Margaret Gaines has been and continues to be one of the greatest assets of the Church of God International and the Church of God in Alabama. She has proved that with God all things are possible and that a young woman from Alabama, who wished only to serve God and God alone, can do great things for the Kingdom of God.
Source: Alabama Echoes
© 2012 Church of God World Missions
