Nancy Osgood

Alma Doering — Missionary Heroine, July 8, 1981

Left: Miss Alma Doering, pioneer missionary and founder of St. Petersburg’s D & D Mission Homes, turns frequently for comfort to the Gospel she translated into many tribal tongues in the Belgian Congo.

Right: D & D Mission homes on Lealman Ave. between 10th and 41st Sts. N., were founded by Miss Doering to house—absolutely rent-free—any preaching missionaries, whether retired or on furlough, who cared to use them.

In a modest little cottage on 57th Ave. N., live one of the great heroines of the missionary world.

She is 80-year-old Miss Alma Doering, who as a young pioneer missionary trekked alone 1,000 miles into the untraveled interior of the Belgian Congo—who once miraculously escaped a cannibal cauldron—who has found time to write two books and three booklets to the glory of God.

But more than that, following retirement Miss Doering recognized the need for a haven for furloughing and retired missionaries. This led to the establishment in 1949 of the D & D Mission Homes on a tree-shaded area of Lealman Ave. between 40th and 41st Streets.

Since the more than 4,000 missionaries and their families have enjoyed absolutely rent-free accommodations in the 19 units with an 82-person capacity. This holiday season has brought 56 guests including 26 children.

Nowadays, broken in health, Miss Doering spends her days quietly—content in the world-wide friendships which brought 803 treasured cards for her April birthday. Her recollections of a long life spent in God’s service fade as quickly as they are revived.

She is entirely dependent upon the devoted young friend and companion who—on a visit from Philadelphia four years ago—became so interested in the work that she remained to take complete charge of the mission homes.

“And it has been more satisfying than I can ever say,” said Miss Pearl Louis Howard, who pieced together the dramatic story of the woman she affectionately calls “Grandmother.”

“Miss Doering,” she related, “was brought up in the Evangelical Church by German parents who met and married in Chicago. At the age of 9 she was converted and immediately dedicated her life to the service of the Lord.”

A brilliant student, Alma Doering graduated from high school with highest honors. Following business training, she served as a court reported while attending the Moody Bible Institute.

In 1887, Dr. J. O. Buswell Sr., a noted crusading missionar, told the Chicago students of his need for helpers in Iron County, Wis., a rough lumbering area where saloons were the rule and churches non-existent.

Several years later, after training at the Bethany Deaconess School in Chicago, Miss Doering joined Dr. Buswell—traveling daily from one lumber camp to another—helping the women and children—teaching the word of God—eating when she could—sleeping where she could.

“After two years in the frontier section,” Miss Howard continued, “she heard the call of the Lord to the Belgian Congo, and went to Europe for six months training in the nursing of tropical diseases. Then, under the Mennonite board of the Africa Inland Mission—an interdenominational organization—Miss Doering went 1,000 miles alone into the interior of the Belgian Congo. There she was to remain 22 years—until 1925.”

This venture met with the disapproval of the Belgian Government which would not allow civilians to enter the cannibal-inhabited territory without military escort. Alma Doering refused such protection, knowing that to arrive with an armed guard would defeat her friendly purposes. She was permitted to proceed only after signing papers waiving the Government’s responsibility for her welfare.

Danger was her constant companion. She worked with eight tribes who never had seen a white person—paving the way for male missionaries and medical men to follow. She had to learn the various dialects and reduce them to writing before she could teach the natives reading, writing and arithmetic—and through translated portions of the Bible, “introduce them to Christ her Savior.”

In her first three years in the Belgian Congo, Miss Doering seven times fell victim to malaria, including the dreaded Black Water Fever which few survived.

On one occasion, according to her companion, only a miracle saved the missionary’s life.

“A group of cannibals had been sent to scout for the ‘white meat’ the tribe preferred. When she saw them approaching her tent, Miss Doering bolstered her courage by singing loudly, ‘Anywhere With Jesus I Can Safely go.’ The fled.”

Later, when friendly relations had been established, the tribal chief explained … men had said they had … group of Belgian … ing after them. … had believed the … hymn had been … armed assistance. … were anywhere in the vicinity.

After 22 years in the jungles of Africa, Alma Doering returned to the United States to establish a mission board “for the exclusive purpose of carrying the Gospel to tribes which never before had been reached.” The resultant “Unevangelized Tribes Mission” organized stations across a thousand miles of the Belgian Congo.

“Since 1925,” Miss Howard said of her friend, “she has had many obstacles to overcome—in her mind and her being. But Miss Doering never comprehended the word “defeat” or doubted her ability to accomplish.

She has traveled and spoken extensively in nine European countries, in every Canadian province and in every state but Mississippi. On this continent alone, she covered 30 to 40 thousand miles a year—mainly by bus—addressing as many as five church audiences a day. She has made 27 ocean voyages.

“Everywhere she captivated her audiences. Up to 1950 when she was too worn out to continue, Miss Doering had raised more than $1½ million for missions, and had recruited innumerable missionaries.”

Miss Howard further explained that $85,000 of that amount had been placed in the hands of British and American Bible societies for the purpose of establishing in their own dialects whole portions of the Scripture … strokes which affected her speech and memory, in 1948 Alma Doering resigned from the Unevangelized Tribes Mission.

“But she felt that God never intended His chosen people to resign entirely from His work,” the companion said. “And so, through prayer, letters to friends, and donations from people who have been contributing to her work since as far back as 1893, Miss Doering raised about $65,000 for her mission homes in St. Petersburg.”

The cottages, where preaching missionaries may rest and recuperate during an entire year’s furlough if they wish, are completely furnished with the aid of used donations. Guests pay only such personal expenses as food and utilities.

But the funds which bought the land, and built the private chapel and the D & D Mission Homes now are exhausted. The work burden is far too great for Pearl Howard, even with the assistance of the man and wife who came to help two months ago.

And so the Misses Howard and Doering pray daily that civic-minded groups—whether church—affiliated or not—now will become interested in the interdenominational mission homes as projects.

There is much to be done—sewing, cleaning, redecorating, refurbishing, taking care of the older … missionaries …