BMS Missionaries - Past and Present

PHYLLIS HILDA JESSOP  (20^th March 1908 – 25^th September 1999)

Phyllis Jessop was born on 20th March 1908, and, according to notes jotted down when I first met her, I believe that she was the daughter of a local carpenter.

She was baptised here at this church (Fuller Baptist Church) on 29th November 1925 - one of 9 young people baptised at the evening service on that occasion, and then a week later she was welcomed as a church member at the communion service on 6th December - which means she was a member of this church for very nearly 74 years.

According to an old Fuller church magazine, it would appear that Phyllis was a member of the Christian Endeavour, and it may have been through these meetings with their monthly missionary meetings, together with the annual visits of BMS missionaries, that Phyllis received her call to overseas service.

It would seem she had this sense of call for quite some time before leaving for Congo - she struggled with the idea at first, refusing to believe that God was calling her in this way, but in the end the call was confirmed.

She was an inspiration, indeed something of a hero, to the younger people in the church, many of whom worked through the Ropeholders to support her.

Phyllis trained as a nurse and midwife and qualified as a State Registered Nurse and State Certified Midwife, gaining top marks in her nursing exams at the Kettering General Hospital.

She was appointed by the Baptist Missionary Society in 1935 and in Autumn of that year, Phyllis set off for Lisbon, Portugal for language study prior to becoming a missionary nurse on the Congo.

By all accounts she seems to have enjoyed her time in Portugal. She returned in Spring 1936 and then, at the age of 28, Phyllis set sail for Congo on 3rd June of that same year. Three weeks later she wrote home saying "I cannot tell you how thrilled I am about everything... to think that I have really and truly reached Congo at last."

She worked at the hospital in San Salvador and, among other duties, was involved in training nurses.

Phyllis served as a missionary for just over 30 years, until political troubles in Angola made life difficult, and she had to return home.

Back here at Fuller, Phyllis worked for almost 3 years as a Social Worker on behalf of the church, during John Doble's ministry.

She also served for a number of years as a trustee on the Stockburn Memorial Trust.

The following are comments made by church members in response to an appeal for memories prior to the funeral service held on 5^th October 1999 to celebrate Phyllis’ life ...

• Phyllis was always willing to sit with my father when he was ill, so that my mother was able to get out of the house.

• Phyllis always had an encouraging word for people and she was always interested in the young people and in what they were doing.

• Phyllis has been for me at times a real blessing, bringing light to my darkest hours - she was a real woman of prayer.

• Phyllis was always eager for news from BMS headquarters. Some of the things she said in church meetings were really on the ball. She left her heart in Angola.

Graeme Stockdale, conducting the funeral service, made the following comments:-

There are two or three  things I remember in particular about Phyllis.

I suppose the first thing I recall is that she was always late for church services, and when I first came here I had to train myself very quickly not to be distracted when she came in through the door to my left during the service - something the congregation never managed to do!

I realise, however, that getting here was often a great effort for her. If she didn't have transport, she would come right across the town using her Zimmer frame, and in some ways this was a measure of her determination and her desire to be present at worship.

I also recall that Phyllis always seemed to have lots of pieces of paper, and often would be writing things down - I used to notice this especially at the Tuesday evening Bible Study, and I would have loved to have known what she was writing!

She always liked to pick up any papers, leaflets - anything that enabled her to stay in touch with what was happening in the church and beyond.

I also remember her smile. Life wasn't easy for her in recent years, but I remember that when she smiled, her whole face lit up.