William and Nannie David
As Nannie lay dying onboard a ship in Africa, her last words to her husband were “never give up Africa.”
As Nannie lay dying onboard a ship in Africa, her last words to her husband were “never give up Africa.”
William David moved to Nigeria when there had been no Southern Baptist work there for ten years. Earlier efforts in the country had been almost completely wiped out by civil war and a strong anti-Christian uprising in 1860. The few missionaries who had remained were dead. Soon after arriving, William met a young national believer who had been preaching during the interim and immediately partnered with him to establish work in the country. Anti-Christian rhetoric was still strong, but a few believers remained and began gathering together to form a church.
William was often ill and had to return to the U.S. for treatments from time to time, but he wouldn’t give up the work. One trip home allowed him to meet his future wife, Nannie. She served with him for six years filled with hardship and grief. They lost their firstborn girl and their only son, and then Nannie became gravely ill. With her dying breath, she urged William to continue their work in Africa.
William and the Foreign Mission Board did continue the work there despite the fact that Africa was hard and unforgiving. Roughly one-third of all missionaries appointed to the continent in the first 50 years of work died while serving, Nannie among them. But by the turn of the century, there were six churches and more than 350 baptized believers.