 Emily Keyes on the Queen Mary sailing to Brussels to prepare for the mission field. |  Emily Keyes in later life. |
Leanna (Emily's dear friend & caregiver) posed as Emily, in one of Emily's African dresses, and read her missionary letters home.
The Mother’s Day presentation of Mama Emile celebrated a lady who was never a "mother in the true sense," but became "Mama Emile" to the many she taught and worked with in the Congo as a missionary from West Henrietta Baptist Church.
Eighteen readers told the story of Emily's life as she wrote it in poems and letters across six decades. The Readers’ Theater presented the story of Emily Keyes’ life in the years before and during her service as a missionary in Africa. Two soloists and organist, Edo Frenkel participated, and the Program Narrator was Dan Scurlock. Guest readers Martha Keyes and Susan Deer are the nieces of the late Emily Keyes and Rev. and Mrs. Donald Deer, who served together in Vanga, Congo, in 1960. A book compiled by our Historian was condensed to construct the program. Emily, the poet was presented in her 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Round-robin letters to and from her dear friends, Nan & Nellie were read from each of the decades.
When Emily returned to Henrietta upon retirement, she devoted many, many hours to serving others in our community through the FISH/RHAFT organization as a driver and dispatcher.
Eighteen readers told the story of Emily's life as she wrote it in poems and letters across six decades. The Readers’ Theater presented the story of Emily Keyes’ life in the years before and during her service as a missionary in Africa. Two soloists and organist, Edo Frenkel participated, and the Program Narrator was Dan Scurlock. Guest readers Martha Keyes and Susan Deer are the nieces of the late Emily Keyes and Rev. and Mrs. Donald Deer, who served together in Vanga, Congo, in 1960. A book compiled by our Historian was condensed to construct the program. Emily, the poet was presented in her 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. Round-robin letters to and from her dear friends, Nan & Nellie were read from each of the decades.
When Emily returned to Henrietta upon retirement, she devoted many, many hours to serving others in our community through the FISH/RHAFT organization as a driver and dispatcher.
Order Emily: A missionary's life or view the Mama Emile video
 To order the more complete compilation of poems and letters found in the book, Emily: A missionary's life, click the book cover above to go to amazon.com. Or contact Bonnie, our Historian at [email protected]. |  To view the videotape of the Mama Emile's Readers' Theater on youtube.com, click the photo above. You may view the entire presentation or individual decades. Click "Show More" in the video description to find where each decade starts. |
