I could hear them, but I couldn't talk.

And the nurse said to him, should I

wash her and clean her up?

And he picked up my wrist like this and he said, no.

He said, she won't be here till morning, leave her.

NARRATOR: Beatrice Lamonte was 23 years old and newly married

when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis

and quarantined in a sanatorium.

The doctor had given up hope, but Beatrice called out to god.

I said to the Lord, if you let me

live to see the sun comes in that window,

I'll serve you the rest of my life,

and I'll go where you want me to go,

and I'll do what you want me to do.

And from that moment on, god began to heal me.

NARRATOR: When she was discharged in 1940,

Beatrice was the only patient on her ward to survive.

Now, 100 years old, she's kept her promise to God.

And it's taken her from her home in Pittsburgh

to the plains of South Africa, from preaching the gospel

to starting churches, to housing and caring for recovering drug

addicts.

The Lord gave me such faith.

I can't even tell you, I just believe god for anything.

There was no limit with god with me

when I come out of that hospital.

NARRATOR: Beatrice began to minister

in a local congregation.

And then in 1955, she started her own church at a time

when few women filled the pulpit.

She gathered up young people from the rough parts

of Pittsburgh and invited them into her home,

later, moving into a storefront.

The place was just filled, standing room only.

She introduced us to god and I came to the church

to the young people's meeting one night.

And it was tremendous.

And these kids, we just bonded, we became like family.

Would hate to think of what my life would

be had she not come up there that day and took us to church.

NARRATOR: In the 1960s, Beatrice offered a home

to a group of former drug addicts

launching into ministry.

Among them was John Jimenez, the founding pastor

of Rock Church International, who was introduced to his wife

and by Beatrice.

BEATRICE: Tremendous what this couple did together and served

the Lord from youth up.

And then John was in charge of Washington for Jesus three

times.

He started works all around and also over in foreign countries.

NARRATOR: Beatrice became a mother for the first time

at age 58, when she and her husband adopted their son.

Samuel now serves as the senior pastor of Temple

of Faith, the church's mother founded

and where she still teaches and preaches.

He's been a special comfort to her, especially

after her husband passed away in 1991.

You can't imagine how good Samuel is to me.

You know, god blesses you through your children.

NARRATOR: Last October, in honor of his mother's 100th birthday,

Samuel invited friends and ministers from 15 states

to celebrate her 77 years of ministry

and to thank her for keeping her promise,

a promise she has no intention of giving up anytime soon.

This one brother asked me to come to his church.

He said, Sister B, I want you to preach old out of people.

But we don't preach life.

When you reach 70 years old, the doctor says,

well, you're 70 years old, what do you expect?

If you go to him and you're sick, right?

And if you're 80, well, you're living above your time.

What do you expect?

You're 80 years old now, you're not a teenager anymore,

what do you expect?

And in other words, get ready to die.

No.

Jesus said, get ready to live, that you might have life

and that more abundantly.

Hallelujah!

And I just thank the Lord this morning for Jesus.

Really, truthfully, and honestly, the word of god

keeps me alive.