Juanita Hall lives on a farm in Ooltewah, Tennessee. Every day, she wakes up at 5:30 a.m., makes her coffee and sits on a comfy chair and reads her devotions. It’s the most still she’ll be all day. As soon as it’s daylight, she goes outside to feed and care for the cattle. As long as the weather cooperates, she stays outside until it gets dark. 

And she’s 87 years old. Juanita definitely doesn’t let a thing like age get in the way. 

“I do a lot of things that normal people don’t do,” Juanita said. “My age has never bothered me.”  

As a retired pediatric nurse, Juanita has been to over 10 countries on countless mission trips. She’s provided medical aid for children in Chile, gotten lost in an African desert, and even traveled on a plane that blew an engine and needed to make an emergency landing in Venezuela. 

Now, she helps deliver shoes to children in Mexico with Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls. For the last seven years, Juanita has traveled with 88.9 Moody Radio to Oaxaca, Mexico, to put shoes on children’s feet, share Bible stories and teach hygiene classes. 

“She’s kind of a pioneer,” said Shawn Spurrier, assistant director of Shoes for Orphan Souls. “It doesn’t feel like we have someone in a different age range because she always keeps up with the team. She’s one of our most active and strongest on the team. And she’s genuinely one of the sharpest and funniest people I’ve ever had go on a trip.”

Juanita sits on the floors and giggles with the children as she puts on their new socks and shoes. She stands with the mothers and shows them hygiene practices. With the rest of the team, she laughs, hikes, plays games and even tried out a zip line. 

“I figure if I’m going and doing God’s work, then he’s going to take care of me,” Juanita said. “I love going on mission trips. I’m still healthy and I want to continue to do this for as long as I can.”

There is nothing Juanita can’t do. 

“I can’t jump rope,” Juanita said. “And I cannot eat a grasshopper. I don’t believe that is one of the requirements of going on a mission trip is eating a grasshopper. I think the Lord would say, ‘OK Juanita, I’ll excuse that.’” 

Learn more about serving with Buckner on a mission trip.