"And She's Only a Woman!"
“And She’s Only a Woman!” by Nita May
Alma Hunt was in East Africa on the day that her Aunt Pete died. She was caught in a border skirmish where she was unable to get home for the funeral. That day the missionaries took Miss Alma to an Associational Meeting. There was a big feud going on, a large split had taken place, and Miss Alma was unaware of exactly what had happened since she did not understand or speak the language.
The leader of the meeting announced that a visiting dignitary was at their meeting and through an interpreter asked that Miss Alma come and address the gathering. Miss Alma began to speak and people began to listen. When she finished speaking, suddenly people began hugging each other and making peace and apologizing and weeping. The interpreter explained to Miss Alma that the presiding leader had said: “To think, she came across the world to bring this message, leaving her family in America, and she’s only a woman!”
Catherine Allen shared that story at Alma Hunt’s funeral on June 18th in Roanoke Virginia. Steve Allsbrook, Jim Hamacher, Sam Duenckel, and I had the privilege of attending that funeral. We were reminded that Alma Hunt was not only known as a Virginia Baptist leader, she was well-known as a great leader globally. Sometimes at great personal risk and cost. A joint statement from VBMB and WMUV noted that Miss Alma’s “heart for missions and commitment to growing the Kingdom was inspirational to Christians worldwide.” In the opening comments of the Celebration of Life service for Miss Alma, Tom Stocks reflected that maybe dripping wet Miss Alma weighed 100 pounds. “ She was a small package with a huge impact - if Billy Graham is an icon for evangelism, then Miss Alma is an icon for Missions.”
Miss Alma epitomized for us that in Christ there is no East or West, Male nor Female - we are all one in Christ Jesus.(Galatians 3:28) Last January, Rosalind Hills Baptist Church asked Miss Alma to let them ordain her to gospel ministry – and she agreed.
Her life prompts us to ask ourselves what we are doing to grow and develop our leadership skills so that we too can grow the kingdom, regardless of age or background. In commenting on her leadership, John Upton said that a lot of leaders today will look to that leader of yesterday; “She has been a bold and influential leader not only for women, but also for all Baptists around the world.” And to think – she was only a woman!
