Bernadine Hoffman -
A Teacher Sent from God

Bernadine Hoffman served as a UB missionary in Sierra Leone for 39 consecutive years, the longest of any UB missionary. She passed away Thursday night, February 1. She had suffered a major stroke on Saturday, January 26. The funeral was held Monday, February 5, at Crossroads UB in Charlotte, Mich. Rev. Harold Cherry, a longtime pastor at Charlotte, conducted the funeral.

Bernadine retired from missionary service in May 1983, after her 12th term. She originally went to Africa in 1944. Over the years, she taught school, served as matron in boarding homes, and headed up the Christian Education office. She also raised several African children.

Bernadine's 39 years is the longest any UB missionary has served under the Missions Commission (followed closely by June Brown in Sierra Leone and Archie Cameron in Honduras). After retiring, Bernadine settled in Charlotte, Mich., where she attended the Crossroads UB church.

Rev. Joe Abu, a UB pastor in Mid-Atlantic Conference, was raised by Bernadine--or Mama Hoffman, as she was commonly known in Sierra Leone. He writes, "Even though from a strong Muslim background, I came to know the Lord through the missionary ministries of Mama. I still remember our daily devotions at home when she sang from the Mende hymnal and read the Word of God to me in my language. There are numerous other Africans in Europe, Africa, Canada, and around the world who came to know the Lord, and are ministers today, because of the missionary work of Mama.

"We need some Mama Hoffmans today. People ready and willing to invest in the lives of the less fortunate and people around us. There are many waiting today for such Mama Hoffmans."

When Bernadine retired in 1983, Mrs. Hazel McCray, then executive secretary of the Women's Missionary Fellowship, wrote a tribute to Bernadine. The following is adapted from that article.

Bernadine left for Africa on Easter Sunday in 1944. In Fort Wayne, Ind., she joined four other UBs who were headed for Africa: Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd Eby, Miss Oneta Sewell, and Miss Erma Funk. They traveled by train to Miami and, five days later, boarded a Pan Am flight. They flew by way of Brazil and had to endure a six-week delay in South Africa. Finally, in June, they reached Liberia, the eastern neighbor of Sierra Leone. After an eight-hour trip in a surf boat, Bernadine landed on the beach at Sulima, Sierra Leone, on June 9--exactly two months after she left her home in Charlotte, Mich.

Bernadine's first assignment, along with Erma Funk's, was at the Minnie Mull Girls' School at Bonthe. She served as teacher and matron of the boarding home. Her next home was Gbangbaia, where she assisted in the school, studied Mende, and began Christian education projects. Next came a second stint as headmistress at Minnie Mull.

Bernadine returned to Gbangbaia in 1953, then went to Bumpe to serve at the Bible institute. She also filled the role of Christian education secretary.

Working with the Women's Institutes, Bernadine was able to teach the Bible, Christian principles, and homemaking helps. Camp was initiated in 1958, fulfilling a dream she had had since coming to Africa. Camping at Sunfield, Mich., had been an important part of her life.

In 1961, the Christian Education office was moved to Mattru, and Bernadine continued in that office until 1968. Next came ten years at Centennial Secondary School, where she taught Bible Knowledge and English. Then, in 1978, she returned to the Christian Education office, having been elected to that position by the Sierra Leone Conference.

As Christian Education secretary, much of Bernadine's time was spent compiling lessons for the weekly men's and women's classes in the churches, checking various responsibilities with camps, Women's Institutes, Sunday school, and Christian Endeavor. She also taught a Sunday school class in English at the Mattru church, and visited other churches to help them on the local level.

By the time she retired, the Christian Education office occupied the building that, when she arrived in Africa, was the Mattru church. Her house was formerly the parsonage for that church. She cooked on a gas stove, and her refrigerator and lamps were powered with kerosene. The town water system pumped water about two hours a day, so she had a reserve tank which was filled when the town pump was working.

At the end of Sierra Leone Annual Conference in December 1982, the Christian Education department prepared a jollof rice feast in Bernadine's honor. Jollof rice is the "festive food" of Sierra Leone, and it is truly an honor when friends prepare such a delicacy for you. It was a beautiful way to say "thank you," and was a highlight of her last term in Sierra Leone.

It would be impossible to speak of the many lives Bernadine influenced. Thirty-nine years of loving service cannot be measured simply by time. There is the continuing impact on hundreds of lives touched by this "teacher, sent from God."

Top of the List

Bernadine Hoffman heads a long list of missionaries who have served multiple terms on our mission fields. Here are the names and years of service of the missionaries who have spent more than ten years serving under the United Brethren Missions Commission. Unless otherwise indicated, they served in Sierra Leone.