Long before she became known across Liberty County for founding Operation Refuge, helping grow Liberty Church or traveling the world on mission trips, Frieda White of Tarkington was just a little girl in Kentucky riding her bicycle home from the library with a basket full of books and a heart full of questions about faith, life and purpose.
Decades later, those same qualities – curiosity, compassion and an unwavering belief in God – still define the 78-year-old ministry leader whose life has impacted thousands of people both locally and abroad.
Sitting in her Tarkington home surrounded by shelves overflowing with books she has collected over a lifetime, White reflected on the moments that shaped her — the painful ones, the joyful ones and the unexpected ones.
She talked about growing up in Kentucky, where books felt like treasures because there were so few in her home.
“I thought you were wealthy if you had books in your home,” White said with a laugh. “So now I’m wealthy because I have books.”
But behind her warm humor and gentle spirit is a woman who survived difficult circumstances long before she ever stepped behind a pulpit.
White spoke candidly during the interview about witnessing domestic violence in her home while growing up, explaining how the contrast between outward religion and private cruelty deeply impacted her faith.
Her father served prominently in the church, but life at home looked very different.
“It just grieved my heart,” she said. “How you could be so pious at church and then beat everybody at home?”
Rather than hardening her, those experiences gave White compassion for people carrying hidden pain.
“I have a real heart for those that have been mistreated,” she said.
White said her relationship with God became personal at age 9 when she walked down the aisle of her small Baptist church and gave her heart to Christ.
“From that moment on, I believe I was marked by God,” she said.
Years later, life brought her to Memphis, Tenn., where she met her future husband, Bob White, on a blind date after the tragic loss of her first husband in a scuba diving accident. Eventually, the couple made their way to Texas, settling on property in Tarkington that the Whites still call home today.
When Bob felt called into ministry, Frieda followed alongside him, never imagining how large that calling would become.
In 1984, the Whites started Liberty Church in Cleveland inside what she described as a rundown building downtown near the railroad tracks. The building was in such poor condition that White said it would have been condemned today.
Yet on that very first Sunday, 36 people showed up.
White had dreamed about that exact number the night before.
Their young son Joshua stood at the door counting attendees as they walked inside.
“He ran up to me and said, ‘Mama, your dream was right. There’s 36 people here,’” she remembered.
Over the next four decades, Liberty Church grew from those humble beginnings into one of the area’s largest congregations. Today, the church averages nearly 600 attendees and is now led by White’s daughter, Paige Bostwick, and son-in-law, Preston Bostwick.
White said stepping away from leadership wasn’t difficult for her.
“It was past time to let the younger generation who were well equipped take over,” she said.
Even in retirement, however, Frieda White has never really stopped serving.
After a major health crisis in 2001, White said she made a promise to God that if He restored her health, she would dedicate herself to helping the people of Cleveland.
That promise became Operation Refuge.
What started as a simple food ministry has since grown into a major nonprofit effort that includes a food pantry and thrift store helping hundreds of families each month.
White believes much of the struggle facing families today comes down to hopelessness, lack of opportunity and the erosion of work ethic.
“You’ve got to improve yourself,” she said. “You’ve got to educate yourself if you want to make good money, if you want to escape poverty.”
Still, despite the hardships she sees daily, White remains hopeful.
“The Lord is in control,” she said. “He told us not to be afraid.”
Throughout the interview, White repeatedly returned to the importance of purpose — of refusing to waste the time God gives you.
At nearly 79 years old, she still manages Operation Refuge behind the scenes, teaches Bible studies, mentors others and keeps close relationships with friends and ministry partners around the world.
When asked what burdens her heart most today, her answer came quickly.
“Apathy,” she said. “People that just don’t care.”
And when asked how she hopes people remember her someday, White didn’t mention awards, churches, books or accomplishments.
“I want them to say, ‘She did her best,’” White said.
To hear the full interview with Frieda White, click on the YouTube link below:
What an amazing person and a beautiful legacy. I’m looking forward to meeting you one day.