Member of the Month 

September 2006

Anita Gilmore

by: Tom Whitener

Anita Gilmore always seems to have a smile on her face. She spends her days helping people as a registered nurse at Children’s Medicine Center. She spends her Wednesday nights teaching children about Jesus. Anita is celebrating her 20^th year of being an AWANA leader and this month, we celebrate her being our September 2006 Member of the Month.    

Anita currently lives in Charleston with Rick, her husband of 14 years. The Gilmores have attended Spring Hill Baptist Church for 20 years and Anita feels that “our people are cohesive and willing to help. We have spiritual depth here and a solid Biblical foundation.” 

While she was born and raised in the Mountain State, she also told me about the time she spent in San Diego, CA. When I brought up the beautiful California coastline, Anita quickly pointed out, “They do have mountains there. Nothing like we have in West Virginia...no trees, just mainly rocks and brush.”  She continues to have a close relationship with her older sister (who still lives there) and it gives Anita an excuse to visit often.   

Anita spends much of her free time going to yard sales and finding the best bargains. She even managed to buy a boat at one of them. She elaborates, “We picked it up at the end of the day. It is burgundy, gray and white with a 240 horse-power engine.”

Riding on a church bus to attend Vacation Bible School, Anita accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was eight years old. She adds, “I remember sitting in little wooden chairs at a little round table when I heard the good news.” 

Anita has also been involved for many years in Child Envangelism Fellowship (CEF). She recalls the first time she was invited to Camp Whitney to receive training on how to teach children about Jesus. That experience led Anita to conducting 5-day clubs in her neighborhood and becoming more concerned about reaching children for the Lord. Anita explains, “Back then, every kid knew something about God and Jesus. Now it seems, many children don’t even know about Jesus. We need to change that.”   

“When I counsel at AWANA, it’s very rewarding,” Anita says. “I know that I will get to see those children who are truly saved in Heaven with me someday.” She quotes II Thessalonians 3:13 to remind all of us to “not grow weary in well doing”, because as she puts it, “All we can do is plant the seed and let the Holy Spirit take care of the rest.”

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