MONTROSE WAITE: African-American Missions

It appeared to be a perfect match, African American missionaries serving in Africa. But in the early 1920's racial bigotry plagued Christian mission agencies. This did not deter a 25 year old African American from his vision of laboring for Christ on the “Dark Continent.”

In 1923, Montrose Waite set sail for Sierra Leone on an old World War I freighter. In the midst of his missionary struggles he also fought discrimination. "American blacks were a different people in the eyes of the veteran white missionaries," he wrote, "most of them - would not work with us."

Waite decided to form an independent board for black missionaries in 1947, calling it the Afro-American Missionary Crusade.

Galatians 3:26 states that, “we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Prejudice over the color of a mans skin has no place in the Kingdom of God. Being in Christ means that we are related to all who have embraced Christ as Savior as a unified family. This unity transcends and eliminates ethnic barriers and old racial divides.

Montrose Waite battled prejudice and left a legacy of inspiring others to missionary service. "For 55 years," he wrote, "I have made it a rule to tell everyone about the mission fields of the world .. I especially hoped that young African Americans would hear the Lords call .. and be willing to go."