Elizabeth Thompson

A native of Madison, Georgia, Elizabeth has one brother, Leonard. When she was twenty-three the family moved to Decatur. Her health was never good; she was in the eighth grade when her physician told her she’d never go to school another day: "The world doesn’t need an educated invalid." "Doctors don’t know everything," her father said.

During her teen years her family spent summers at Blue Ridge Assembly, where she heard wonderful speakers from over the world. This was a positive experience that led her to her life work. In high school she missed about as many days as she attended. However, she managed to graduate, in spite of the migraine headaches that knocked her out for four days at a time. She studied at Georgia College for Women, Agnes Scott College, and has some work at Emory University before she enrolled in Scarritt College "just to help me become a better volunteer in my church." As she graduated from Scarritt the president and faculty recommended she apply for the deaconess relationship, in spite of her physical problems.

When she was appointed as a Rural Worker in Alabama, no pastor wanted this young woman appointed to his church! The District Superintendent asked that she work from the district office to be available to all churches for leadership development. "My goal was to work myself out of a job." Her other appointment began in 1946, when she was appointed to the Conference Board of Education and the Woman’s Society of Christian Service for cooperative work with all organizations to meet the needs of the whole person. There were Woman’s Societies and MYF groups made up of members from several churches meeting together. There was work with older adults. She wrote some material for children’s mission studies. Once she had the opportunity to participate in a three-day "Churchman's Seminar" in Washington, D.C., with leaders from several denominations. They met with Senators, Representatives, the head of the World Health Organization, and others. President Truman discussed with them what later became the Marshall Plan.

"All my life I’ve had trouble with overextending myself. This is the first time in many years that I have been able to relax. Being here makes me feel so secure, so loved . . . But I would like to be called by my first name, rather than always being ‘Miss Thompson’: in fact, when I remember what my father used to call me, it would please me when a nurse comes in to hear, ‘Here, take your medicine, Ladybug.’"

--Anne McKenzie

[Elizabeth reported that the morning after the Serendipitor was distributed at Brooks-Howell, the nurse who came in early in the morning with a pill said, "Here's your pill, Ladybug!"]

Some who read this may have access to the book entitled Along the Way. If so, read the story entitled "The Downpour" for a delightful account of one of Elizabeth’s experiences as a Rural Worker.

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