Located in the small town of Red Springs in Robeson County, the Red Springs Mission Camp is a place where volunteers go to be used by God to make an impact for His name in the local community.
Every year, hundreds of volunteers come to the camp to help with missions projects and to experience God’s hand at work.
This year, the mission camp celebrates 10 years of serving its community through volunteer work, touching lives and glorifying God’s name in the process.
Operated by N.C. Baptist Men/ Baptists on Mission (NCBM), the Red Springs Mission Camp primarily partners with local churches, local government and others to carry out projects to help serve its community. The 52,000 square-foot facility can accommodate more than 200 mission volunteers.
“Every day … we see opportunities the Lord has given us to share His love and His grace to people that are hurting in the community,” said Larry Osborne, the camp’s director.
“We are here to serve, and we serve … through whatever door God opens up for us, whether it’s through materials, personal hygiene, construction, yard work or just praying.”
Typically, projects coordinated through the camp include construction work, building wheelchair ramps, yard work and Vacation Bible Schools.
In recent months, however, the destruction left by Hurricane Matthew last fall led volunteers to focus on some projects related specifically to home rebuilding and reconstruction.
One of the projects that Osborne felt led to take on was repairing the house of an area resident named Tammy. Her home had been severely damaged by Hurricane Matthew, flooded with six inches of water, and mold had begun to grow.
Tammy’s home is currently under construction, and Osborne said that soon, Tammy will be living in what she calls a “brand new home.”
“(The mission projects) make such a difference in people’s lives and help them to understand that there is hope, and there is joy in Jesus Christ,” Osborne said.
“That’s the big thing – it’s not so much about the construction, but about actually making a difference in their individual lives.”
The Red Springs Mission Camp receives the majority of its funding through the North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO). Each year, 15 percent of the NCMO is designated to the Red Springs Mission Camp and a similar one located in Shelby.
In 2016, 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 in North Carolina, allowing volunteers to represent Jesus and share His love with many.
“All we offer is love, we pray with them,” Osborne said. “We see how we can all work together to help one another.”
NCMO emphasis begins in September
Although contributions are accepted year round, September is the month when the North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO) is typically received. The NCMO is the special offering supporting a number of different ministries including Baptists on Mission, disaster relief, church planting, mission camps, associational projects and missions mobilization efforts.
More information about the NCMO is available at ncmissionsoffering.org. The website also includes a variety of free resources and promotional materials for churches to use in their NCMO emphasis. Resources include videos, bulletin inserts, posters, coordinator guides and more.
Additionally, Aug. 27-Sept. 3 has been designated as a week of prayer for NCMO. Daily prayer prompts for NCMO and ministries it supports are available at ncmissionsoffering.org/pray.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – To learn more about the North Carolina Missions Offering, visit ncmissionsoffering.org.)