When Father Abraham heard God say move, he packed up everything and went – no questions asked, just strict obedience. If God ever chooses you, don’t expect your mission to be easy, and sometimes He calls the most unlikely people. But surely, God always prepares His soldiers for the journey, and age never matters.
Joshua led at 77 years old. King David was crowned at 30 while this missionary was called at 63. For her obedience, dedication, and perseverance, she has earned the title – National and International Missionary Betty Florence. Now, at the young age of 90, she is still doing God’s business, 27 years later.
Born in Bulloch County to the late Ruth Wells, she acquired 13 siblings after her mother married Johnny Wilkerson. However, her farming grandparents Novle and Mary Hill Wells raised her. In 1942, her education began at Pretoria, a church school established by Bethlehem Baptist Church. Unfortunately, she was a junior high dropout and moved to Ohio and New Jersey; she later earned her GED. In 1956, she returned home with her daughter Charlene. Helping to raise her Uncle Frank Sabb’s children until he remarried, she later married Delmus Florence and birthed her next two daughters: Gale Florence Shell and Delphia Florence.
In 1966, now divorced and a single mom of three, she experienced financial hardship. She remembers working as a maid for five years at $3 a day, which was 45 hours per week at less than .50 per hour. She brought home less than $25 per week. As a result, she took advantage of a one-year work training program to help train low-income people for jobs. Once finished, Ms. Emogene Sikes, a white friend, helped her to get hired as a data clerk at Georgia Southern, where she worked for 30 years.
Still financially burdened, she sought part-time employment. One five-year job was driving for the High Hope Center. Her eldest daughter Charlene Florence Reid remembers: “Mom sacrificed for us. She did not receive welfare, but worked several part-time jobs instead to keep a roof over our heads, food, and clothes. . .. She even started a book to tell her story.”
Becoming a Christian
Openly admitting that she was not a Christian at first, she found herself in some compromising environments, but one day she heard God say: “You should not be here!”
Now, her change began. Fasting and praying 10 days at a time, she sought God’s guidance because she “really wanted to know the truth.” At age 32, she finally accepted Christ, first worshiping at Summer Hill Baptist Church and then spending many years under the leadership of Bishop Wiley at Holy Zion in Portal, Georgia.
However, Bishop Virgil L. Badie, Sr., prompted her to obey God’s command in 1999, her year of preparation. Then, off to Africa she went.
Once saved, she started ministering in her own home, praying and baptizing in her bathtub. It is this strong faith that has been passed down from generation to generation.
According to granddaughter Ashton Kelley, “Grandma has Abraham faith; she believes that God speaks to her, and she never waivers. She instilled this faith into her daughters, and now we all believe due to her consistency.”
As her faith increased, she witnessed in Brooklet. In 1997, she founded her first church here – God’s Will to Fulfill Mission for Souls. Her African ministry, the Betty Florence Mission for Souls, is an outreach of this church. Pastor Tony Wells was its first shepherd. God was surely preparing her to build churches in Africa.
Founding churches
In total, she has made 18 trips to Africa, staying between 6 months to a year. She ended her travels in 2025 due to political unrest, but God brought her safely home. Today, she continuously sends financial support to her mission, which consists of one primary school grades 1-6 (established 2002) and 6 churches all located in “the bush.”
However, church #7 is now under construction in the city district of Fakonoh.
Her mission educates approximately 130 elementary students for free, but $125 is paid for each high school student. Here children walk miles to school on rough roads.
Years ago, her mission adopted a smart young boy named Alex Jusu (now 35) and educated him, paying for his education.
Today, he is Pastor Alex Jusu, the director of her Mission for Souls ministry, and her present contact.
Unfortunately, due to slowed transportation from here to Atlanta, drums filled with non-perishable goods earmarked for her school and churches have been delayed.
According to Missionary Florence, it takes $175 to ship each drum when she can get them to Atlanta. Then, another $200 is needed to get them from Sierra Leone to their churches in “the bush,” approximately 200 miles away. She keeps praying that God will send her someone to help.
Recognition
Missionary Florence has been recognized several times for her personal and community accomplishments. From Georgia Southern, she received her Computer Operations Operator certificate (1973) and from Upward Bound, her Certificate of Appreciation for her Voluntary Mission Group (1999).
Her wall displays her Leadership Training for Pastors Certificate as founder of God’s Will to Fulfill Mission for Souls (2006).
From the Republic of Sierra Leone in 2007, she received a certificate of Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Welfare. In 2009, on National Prayer Day (1st Thursday in May), she was called to pray on the steps of our Bulloch County Courthouse. Prayer works!
Yes, everyone has a purpose, and Missionary Betty Florence is truly fulfilling hers. On March 19, 2026, she will celebrate her 90th birthday. Let’s help make this birthday memorable by giving to her mission!
Choose Zelle – bjoflorence88@gmail.com – or call her at (912) 764-7475. Happy Birthday, Missionary Florence! May you keep birthing churches and educating God’s children.