We met Jeanne in the late 80's, when our interest turned to short-term missions, first in South Africa, then in Kenya, and finally to long-term mission plans for West Africa. We'd studied the "dew breakers" of missions in Africa--the Merritts, Lawyers, Sherriffs, and Hobbys who walked before the rest of us, shaking the heavy dew of darkness off a continent that was ready to receive the light. We admired their sacrifice, leaving home and family to travel for weeks by ship to reach the distant land. Some of them stayed in Africa for years before their first furlough. Some never returned.
Jeanne's father was one who lost his life in Africa, his blood spilt out on the red soil in a senseless hunting accident. But like so many things that seemed to go so wrong, God was able to use it in ways so right. Jeanne, only 5 at the time her father died, had the language and faces of the Chitonga people firmly planted in her heart. Throughout the years of being raised at Abilene Christian College, Harding College, and the years she spent in the schools in Portland, the heart of Africa still beat strongly in her spirit.
How many times did Jeanne sing "Jesus Loves Me" to us in Chitonga? More times than I can count. As I held her hand and sang the words to her in English only days before her death, I wished I could make the foreign sounds of a foreign land that was home to her despite the fact that she left it 85 years ago.
Jeanne passed from this life to the next 2 weeks ago today. She joined her husband Don, an old boat captain who "crossed the bar" 3 years ago, her mother Zelma, father Ray, baby brother, and so many others. I imagine, though, that she was most excited to stand face to face with Pencil and so many of the other brothers and sisters of Southern Rhodesia who can approach the throne of grace with confidence because Jeanne and her family carried hope and life to them.
Jeanne made the world a brighter place for me and for so many others. She kept a bucket list to the very end, though in recent weeks that list had very few items left on it. One item on the To Do list was to clean out the back bedroom. We all knew that wouldn't get done. The only other item on the list was to finish teaching the gospel to a woman she was studying with.
What will be on your list when you're 90?
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At the last, Jeanne was still at work on this project, and Ann, her student, who was baptized before Jeanne's final ilnesses, expressed her love and gratitude to Jeanne for insisting that the answers to her questions all come directly from the Bible. Thus was the craft of a master teacher with her student up until the very end.
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