Jeanne Walker is my hero.

Jeanne Walker of College Park Baptist Church with her painting "The Stranded Fisherman" by Liberian artist John William-Diggs.

Each May, Jeanne calls me to ask about the production of materials to promote the CBF Offering for Global Missions. A member of College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Jeanne and her husband, Graham, are former missionaries who served in Singapore for 28 years.

They are the embodiment of a missions advocate. So as the advocate program on a national level continues into its second year, we felt it was time to start a new tradition of honoring a CBF Advocate of the year.

There were several outstanding nominees for this first-ever award. Among the more than 200 folks in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Missouri and Florida who have taken on the role of advocate for CBF in their church, much good work has been done.

The award committee kept coming back to Jeanne, an advocate with a demonstrated commitment to missions and CBF. This commitment manifested itself this year in a crowning achievement: Jeanne’s church tripled what it received for global missions in one year.

In 2009, at the height of the recession, College Park collected less than half of their $50,000 goal. They set their 2010 goal at $35,000, but back in December, they were inspired to give more than $74,000 to global missions with $72,000 of that coming in a
single day! They went from having 83 families contribute to the offering in 2009 to 209 families in 2010.

News of this phenomenal achievement reached me through Facebook. Because I am responsible for planning and executing the CBF Offering for Global Missions campaign, I was desperately in need of an encouraging word back in December when all the reports coming in were disappointing. This may have been transformational for this particular
church, but it was nothing short of miraculous for me.

When I presented Jeanne with a piece of art from Liberian painter John William-Diggs, I felt my emotions welling. It’s hard to believe someone cares so much for the work of this
Fellowship.

In response to receiving the award, Jeanne said, “I am overwhelmed. I am just thrilled at all the energy and conversation around the tables today. I didn’t even know there was such an award. Thank you so much for this.”

Jeanne, thank you for being the voice that calls people to an awareness of what God is doing through CBF field personnel. Thank you for being the first one each year to call me about resources. Thank you for continuing to challenge your church to give, even when
financial circumstances are difficult. Thank you for telling the stories of
missionaries and teaching people how to pray for them. Thank you for embodying
the best of what it means to be an advocate.

To learn more about becoming a CBF Advocate in your church, contact your state or regional coordinator, or send me an e-mail at lwallace@thefellowship.info.