God is using two large metal buildings on 20 acres of land in rural Shelby, North Carolina, to bring hope to an area that was deeply impacted by the closing of several large textile mills in the early 2000s. Janet Brown, one of the on-site coordinators

God is using two large metal buildings on 20 acres of land in rural Shelby, North Carolina, to bring hope to an area that was deeply impacted by the closing of several large textile mills in the early 2000s.

Janet Brown, one of the on-site coordinators for Shelby Mission Camp, said the loss of the textile industry – the lifeblood of that community – resulted in hundreds of people without employment opportunities. Today, she says, the area has a lot of elderly men and women who often have to decide whether to use their limited financial resources to purchase food or fill prescriptions.

“The home repairs always come in last on the list because they need their food and their medicines first,” explains Brown. “Shelby Mission Camp enables them by working and doing home repair and home modification to help them to live in their homes throughout the rest of their lives.”

Last year, through the Shelby Mission Camp, volunteers spent nearly 4,000 days engaging in a variety of projects across the area – including construction, painting, home repair, yard work, sports camps, VBS weeks and more. Shelby Mission Camp is run by N.C. Baptist Men, also known as Baptists on Mission, and is supported through the North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO).

Last year, through the Shelby Mission Camp, volunteers spent nearly 4,000 days engaging in a variety of projects across the area – including construction, painting, home repair, yard work, sports camps, VBS weeks and more.

The Shelby Camp hosts volunteers across North Carolina and surrounding states who come to complete a wide variety of short and long-term mission projects – from installing wheelchair ramps to harvesting potatoes from the camp’s own fields – to help those in need. The camp has two large buildings – one that can house, feed and sleep up to 200 volunteers, and the other that stores building materials and tools.

Mr. Norman, a Shelby resident, has been the recipient of the generosity from Shelby Mission Camp volunteers. David Brown, one of the onsite coordinators, worked with a team to fix the roof on Norman’s truck and repair his home, which was destroyed in a fire.

To Brown, his work at the Shelby Mission Camp is a way to serve others and proclaim the love of Christ. He and his team have been able to share about Jesus and pray with Norman all while meeting his physical needs.

“We do so many different things at the Shelby Mission Camp but we’ve kind of taken the initiative that if God gives us a need, and He sent us what we need to do it, we’re going to try to meet that need,” Brown says.

The Shelby Mission Camp receives the majority of its funding through the NCMO. Each year, 15 percent of the NCMO is designated to the Shelby Mission Camp and a similar one located in Red Springs.

In 2017, more than $300,000 in proceeds from the NCMO went to the mission camps. These funds help make a difference in the lives of many North Carolinians, through volunteers who serve as the hands and feet of Jesus and share His love with many.

“We’d like to thank everyone that supports the North Carolina Missions Offering,” Brown says. “Without this offering, there’s no way that we could help as many people as we do and reach the lost for Christ.”

For more information or to be a part of the NCMO, visit ncmissionsoffering.org.