My best friend and I had just finished doing back flips on her trampoline (with no net) when she suddenly started calling her dog by the name of “Jimmy Carter.” I insisted that she had just “made this up,” and our argument continued through our dinner of Hamburger Helper. In Georgia, we thought it was a very big deal that we finally had a president, and our common residency somehow made us very special, too. The years went by, my friend moved away, Reagan was elected, and we all grew up and went off to college. In my mind, Jimmy Carter occupied the land of things influential but nearly forgotten – along with Andy Gibb, 45 records, maxi skirts, the gas crisis and my eighth-grade boyfriend.
the remarkable simplicity of jimmy carter
Somewhere along the line President Carter became “a thing” again. His humanitarian works are widely known, particularly with Habitat for Humanity. The 94-year-old and his wife, Rosalyn, still work to build houses at least one week out of the year. (Time, 2018)
He also continues to live a simple and modest life, as a carpenter, 9-time Grammy nominee, and Sunday School teacher in Plains, Georgia. In a nanoscopic town of fewer than 750 people, most everyone knows the Carters. Even though they are accompanied by the Secret Service, they still stroll along the sidewalks in the searing south Georgia heat, frequent the shops, and enjoy the local restaurants.
the road to maranatha
About ten years ago, I began thinking that I wanted to go to Maranatha Baptist Church to hear Jimmy Carter lead one of his twice-monthly Sunday School lessons. He was in his mid-eighties, and I worried that the window of opportunity was short. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that we finally made the trip, and it was an experience unlike any other I have ever had.
While a night and Sunday morning in Plains, Georgia is more than worthy of its own journey, it is also an easy stopover from a trip to or from Florida for those taking I-75 through Atlanta. Plains is approximately 45 minutes from Cordele, Georgia, which is on I-75 south of Macon. For those in RVs, nearby Americus has a KOA. Americus also has the historic Windsor Hotel, built in 1892 with rates starting around $100 a night. However, we chose to stay in one of the most delightful and authentic places I have ever been, the Plains Historic Inn.
a wonderful night at the inn
The Inn sits above an antique store overlooking Plains. Its seven rooms, are each dedicated to a different decade of the Carter’s lives. Each of the rooms, from the 1920s to 1980s, is decorated with pieces selected by the Carters. My daughter’s family stayed in the 1970s presidential room, a room where the Carters have stayed (and the best room), while the rest of us stayed in the 1980s room.
At the time that we went, the inn was managed by a wonderful friend of the Carter’s named Jan Williams. Jan is the sweetest kind of person who quickly and genuinely becomes everyone’s friend. So, a bonus of staying at the Inn was that she was able to secure priority seating at the Sunday School lesson for those who came to know her. It was clear when we were there that this was to be unspoken, as there perhaps some mysterious animosity brewing. (Take solace in the fact that even the Christians of Plains have some sin in their hearts).
It now appears that the practice has ended altogether after many years, most unfortunately. I would still stay in the Inn again, with the understanding that I would now need to get in line for Sunday School services around 4:30 am or 5:30 am – and that is likely too late. Still, comparing this with the wait for Animal Kingdom’s Flight of Passage, I will go with Maranatha every time.
HOw early is early?
Just three or four years ago, one had a fairly good chance of getting into the church if arriving by 6:30 or 7:00 am. However, since Carter’s bout with cancer and reduction of his teaching schedule to twice per month, the crowds have further grown.
Upon arrival, we parked, along with the other cars, in the yard of the red-brick church. The line of people wrapped around the building. Many of these people had arrived far earlier, some beginning just after midnight. Upon arrival in the parking lot, they were given a number, and could stay in their cars until around 7:30 am.
what to expect
We fortunately found our friend Jan, and we able to go in early with her. Security is strong, and we were immediately escorted into a room to be searched. Afterwards, we were seated on the second row of the church. The sanctuary filled up quickly, and the remaining guests were seated in an additional room, with live video of the Sunday School and church services. At 9am, a church member provided us with detailed instructions on how to behave (you can take pictures before the lesson, but not during, for example). A few minutes before 10am, Rosalyn Carter took her seat directly behind me. I managed to behave, and remained facing forward.
I was in awe
Suddenly, he appeared. He seriously looked like an angel, standing tall and wise and with the sun streaming in the windows behind him. I honestly think I saw a halo. He began, in the same way that he always does, by asking people where they are from. After that, he went on into the lesson, talking about faith, country, and equality. He was mild-mannered and soft-spoken, and I was unprepared for how magnificent it was. Afterwards, he took a seat with his wife, and the 11am service began. For those who stayed through the church service (we did), President Carter and his wife posed for pictures.
After the service, we lunched with most of the rest of the churchgoers in town at The Silo. The food was downhome southern – cafeteria-style, and reminiscent of a church potluck. Afterwards, we drove the few miles to tour the 39th president’s boyhood home. Like everything else we had experienced in the last 24 hours, nothing was contrived, artificial, or loud. As we drove out of Sumter County and crossed the Dooly County line, I wondered why it had taken me so many years to finally get there.
