Shirley Clark and her husband, Charles, served as missionaries in Venezuela for more than 30 years. They were appointed in 1951, studied the Spanish language in Costa Rica for one year, then moved to Venezuela as church planters. For more than three decades, they served among the Venezuelans. Charles served in roles including pastor, Executive Director of the Venezuela Baptist Convention, and professor at the Venezuela Baptist Seminary. Both Charles and Shirley served during different terms as treasurer for the missionaries in Venezuela and Shirley was instrumental in starting the Venezuela Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union in the early 1950s. Faithful in missions even after their retirement, the Clarks left a long legacy of believers, healthy churches, and missions-minded disciples.

In this video, Shirley, age 100 and IMB’s oldest living missionary emeritus, talks with her son Charles who was also a missionary in the Americas with his wife, Karen, about her hopes and prayers for the next 100 years in missions. Charles currently serves as vice president of mobilization for the IMB. Shirley lives in Houston, Texas.