FLOWERY BRANCH — Finishing up her Master of Divinity degree at New Orleans Seminary in 1996, Margaret Burks admits the toughest class her final semester had nothing to do with theology or ministry methodology, but athletics.

“It was required,” said Burks. “I nearly killed myself competing and playing soccer with those kids in their 20s.”

Instructors urged her to take it easy. After all, it would’ve been a little heartless to tell an 82-year-old to suck it up and get back on defense.

Burks, now 96 years old, didn’t take the conventional route to missions involvement. In May 1985 she was recently widowed and serving as WMU director for Chattahoochee Association. She said Dorothy Prior, then leading Georgia WMU, called and asked Burks about going to Liberia.

The day after Christmas that year Burks, a member of First Baptist Flowery Branch, was on a plane to the west African country for her first mission trip. She was 70 years old.

“The [Georgia Baptist Convention] had a partnership with Liberia then and I went to work at a youth camp,” said Burks, who would go to Africa 21 times before graduating from New Orleans. She would return to the country to assist in establishing women’s ministries as well as part of a construction team, building eight churches.

On those construction efforts Burks came to be called “Mud Mother” by the decades-younger men as she mixed mortar.

“It was just like mixing cornbread,” she said. “One day a man didn’t take his medicine so he went home. I took his place laying bricks.”

Around the time she finished her degree at New Orleans, Burks’ attention turned to Tanzania. Six weeks before finishing her course work Harrison Olange, president of International Baptist Theological Seminary of Eastern Africa, had come to speak on the New Orleans Seminary campus, said Burks. She ended up following Olange back to the school, now named Mount Meru University after the nearby mountain of the same name. She would wind up teaching English and the Bible – among other subjects – for three years to women.

“We taught in Swahili,” she remembered. “I only knew three words, but we were able to communicate. Women have a language all our own.”

In the mid-90s the school housed only around 240 on campus, said Burks. Now it enrolls more than 1,000. In all she would return to Tanzania eight more times. An elementary school she helped built now has about 400 students and teaches English, which according to her is unusual because “most schools there don’t teach English until the 7th grade.”

“She’s an inspiration,” said Earl Pirkle, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Gainesville and a friend of Burks. “She went back to Africa multiple times through 2007.”

Pirkle had known Burks for more than 20 years, but only in the past few have they grown closer through a shared loved for missions. A January 2007 journey to Tanzania – Burks’ last international trip – gave Pirkle a first-hand look at her desire to spread the Gospel.

“I saw her passion to teach and minister to the people there,” he said.

Burks knew she was on the verge of beginning dialysis, he added, but wanted to make that final overseas excursion. In May she began the visits to aid her kidney functions.

“From that point I continued with the mission work in Tanzania,” said Pirkle. “Margaret is still very involved in the planning of these trips and sponsoring students in the university in Arusha, Tanzania.

“She has a passion which is like a fire when you are around her. She does not like anyone to tell her no! Her passion at her age gives me motivation.”

Burks’ time in Africa came with some hairy moments as well as God’s provision. She was among International Mission Board personnel forced to make a quick exit to avoid being caught up in Liberia’s 1989 civil war. In Tanzania, Burks recalls driving a seminary student to his church plant – students had to start a church as part of their degree – when her car ran out of gas “in the middle of nowhere.”

The two pushed her car to a tree where they were to pick up a passenger. Fortunately, not only did he have a can of gas, but it was diesel, the specific fuel the car required.

“God gives you a love for the people you serve,” she recalled on her time there. “They called me ‘Koko’ – Swahili for ‘old woman.’ I don’t think you ever retire from God’s service.”

Or encouraging others to pursue that service and education for it. While at New Orleans, Burks came to know Stan Wilkins, one of her favorite professors. Wilkins was a longtime pastor in the Cobb/Bartow county areas who served as associational missionary for Bartow Association before dying in 2006 following a fall at his home on Thanksgiving.

For the past four years money raised during a motorcycle ride in Wilkins’ honor has gone toward a scholarship – named for Wilkins and his widow, Gail – to New Orleans Seminary. Burks had always contributed to the effort.

This year, Gail Wilkins contacted Burks about helping get a few extra riders for the event. The senior obliged, with one condition.

She wanted to ride too.

The request – though that may not be the right word considering Burks’ history of determination in doing what she wants to do – shouldn’t have surprised Wilkins. “Stan talked about her a lot,” she said. “He’d say she was so full of life and enthusiastic and driven to learn and do the work of the Lord. She never let anything stop her or stand in her way.”

“Mrs. Margaret thought the world of him,” added Wilkins’ daughter, Tamara Brock. “She was more than thrilled to be there at the ride and honor him.”

So, Burks took part in the 100-mile ride stretching through Bartow, Polk, and Floyd counties perched on the back of a Honda Goldwing Trike driven by Pirkle’s brother, Paul.

“[Her activity] confirms that it doesn’t matter what age you have to be to reach people for the Lord,” said Brock. “She has a heart for ministry and reaching people.”

No longer an 80-something-year-old kid, these days Burks drives herself – yes, herself -– down I-85 – yes, I-85 – three times a week from Flowery Branch to Buford for dialysis treatments.

It’s only slowed her down somewhat, as she drives others to doctor appointments. To her it’s nothing special.

“I just think [of my time of service] as normal. Whatever you’re to do, He gives you the strength to do it.”