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A servant’s heart:
Dana Bailey
More than eight decades have passed since
BY KELLEY M. ARNOLD
Harrison spent one year at BPI. Life has taken
DIRECTOR OF NEWS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
him far from those old Georgia dirt roads he
used to hitch-hike, but his heart remains. He’s Dana Bailey (BME ’99) is on a mission to
raised three daughters and cherishes the serve God and others – and her servant
memory of a 41-year marriage to a “wonderful heart and Christian leadership are making
lady.” He owned a shingle business in Scott, an indelible impact on the Georgia Baptist
then a soda bottling company in Dublin. When Convention (GBC).
WWII arrived, he was drafted into the Army in
1942. Following an honorable discharge from Bailey accepted the position of secretary to
the service as a 1st Lieutenant in 1945, he the GBC’s Music and Worship Ministries
returned to south Georgia and opened another five years ago, and ever since, there’s
soda bottling company. “Hycee” in Macon never been a day where she wasn’t serving
bottled a popular type of soda called a “three- in some aspect of the position with her
center,” “because it cost three cents,” Harrison whole heart – a heart “sold out” for Him.
said. After operating this business for 20 Following a promotion after the retirement
years, he started over in a different enterprise of Mary Margaret Willis earlier this year, she
with Rite-away Cleaners in Macon. He retired is now the administrative secretary to Jon
Dana Bailey (BME ’99)
at 72. Duncan, Music and Worship Ministries’
specialist.
Amazingly, one of Harrison’s stories outside of
BPC lore details a first-hand look at a Daily she helps plan and prepare for upcoming concerts of the Sons of Jubal
significant moment in the world’s collective and Jubalheirs, of which she is also a member, singing soprano and traveling
history. During WWII, Harrison was one of the around the world with the women’s music ministry. She also assists the
few men ever to look upon the plane carrying organizers of the Georgia Church Music Conferences and, for the last five
the first atomic bomb the day before “it years, has helped organize – and attended – the GBC youth music camps
dropped.” and festivals.
“I guarded planes when I was stationed at Iwo Duncan is thrilled with Bailey’s outstanding job performance – and states “it
Jima, and we had a lot of planes come in is a joy to share about Dana.”
overnight. Usually we’d only have one guard
for every two planes. One night we had two “One of the first issues I had to deal with when arriving at the Convention was
guards for one plane. I walked around it and to secure a new secretary for Music and Worship Ministries. This position
couldn’t figure out why it required two guards. was critical. Of utmost priority was to secure someone that was a devoted
I found out the next day. It had the first atomic Christian with a genuine love for people and the ministry,” said Duncan.
bomb on it. They dropped it the next morning,” “Since serving at the Convention, I have seen first hand what others had
said Harrison. shared regarding (Dana’s) strengths as a caring and diligent servant of the
Lord.”
It’s hard to believe the soft-spoken gentleman,
pale in face and warm in his firm, inquisitive “Dana’s greatest attributes stem from her commitment to the Lord and her
gaze, carries the history of almost a century of faith walk. Dana’s work is best seen as an offering,” added Duncan. “Out of
American life, but he does. He carries BPC’s her relationship with Christ, she is motivated to bring excellence in all she
history with him as well. All one needs to do to does as a sacrifice to the Lord she serves. We are most fortunate to have
find out more is to ask him about the day he Dana serving Georgia Baptists through Music and Worship ministry.”
went to the fair at 14 and got caught in the
rain. Bailey shares that “His timing” and her BPC connections were the reasons
this former music education major is now working at the Convention in an
1
Brewton-Parker College: Triumph Over Adversity The First 100
administrative support role. She explains she tried teaching but quickly
Years by Ann C. Turner
discovered her heart wasn’t in it.
“I always wanted to do something in ministry,” she said. “I originally heard
about the (secretary) position and called about it, but it wasn’t available.
Months went by and I went to a BPC alumni dinner at the Convention. It was
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THE LAMP FALL 2007 15
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