Margaret Gaines collection

At the age of fourteen, Margaret Gaines dedicated her heart to the Lord, was baptized in the Spirit, and enrolled in Bible Training School. Having heard veteran missionary Josephine Planter during a BTS missions service, Gaines opened her heart to Arab people. Four years later, the octogenarian Planter invited the eighteen-year-old Gaines to join her as a missionary in Tunisia. The Church of God World Missions Board was not open to sending a single young woman to North Africa at that time, however. Despite what seemed to be a setback, Gaines continued to do all she could to prepare. God miraculously opened doors, and on April 16, 1952, she arrived in Tunisia to assist Planter. One year later Gaines began her own mission with her first convert Yvette. After professing her new-found faith Yvette’s father tried to kill her and the government made Gaines her legal guardian. The World Missions Board finally appointed Gaines as a missionary in 1956. After ten years in Tunisia, political turmoil and typhoid forced her take a leave of absence during which she worked in churches throughout Europe. In 1964, the Missions Board appointed Gaines to Jerusalem, Palestine. In 1967, the Six Day War ensued and Israel claimed Jerusalem. Among her many ministries was establishing a church and school in the village of Aboud. The original school building was completed March 25, 1973 and was dedicated in September of the same year. She served as pastor of the Aboud Church of God until 1992. Although a fourth heart-attack forced her to relocate to Pell City, Alabama, in 1996, she continued her ministry to the people of Aboud with building projects, fund raising, and advisory leadership. Gaines served as pastor of the Wattsville Church of God from 2010 through 2014.

Timeline: 1931 Born December 2 1946 Called into the mission field (December 6) 1952 Arrives in Tunisia 1953 Church of God Exhorter’s Certificate Issued (February 21) 1956 Church of God Evangelist Certificate Issued (April 20) 1956 Missions board appoints Gaines as missionary 1962 Arrives in France 1964 Arrives in Jerusalem 1967 6 Day War – Israel takes Aboud 1969 Aboud Church of God built 1970 School founded 1970-1983 Gaines is founder and principal of Aboud School 1972 Aboud School built 1973 Arlene Miller arrives 1982? Gaines graduated Lee College 1983-1993 Arlene Miller Missionary teacher and Principal of Aboud School 1987 Gaines’ 25th Anniversary as a missionary 1987 Gaines graduated Church of God School of Theology 1991 Receives COG School of Theology Distinguished Alumnus Award 1993 Parsonage added to the church 1995 25th Anniversary of School 1996 Returns to live in Pell City, Alabama 1997 New church ministries and kindergarten added 2001 New church wall added 2002 Gaines’ 50th Anniversary as a missionary 2010 Appointed pastor of Wattsville Church of God

SOURCES: Margaret Gaines David Roebuck