Fair ministry reflects Baptists at their best

By Dianna L. Cagle

BR Editorial Assistant

Each year, many people look forward to going to the state fair.

The rides, food and entertainment all play a part in drawing hundreds of thousands to the fairgrounds.

But for hundreds of North Carolina Baptists, the fair is a time to minister to the workers and the participants.

"It's such a blessing," said Carroll Flowe, a N.C. Campers on Mission (COM) volunteer at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. "I think the Lord called me to do this so I would learn not to judge people."

Flowe and her husband, Lee, are members of Grace Crossing Church in Charlotte. They have been volunteering since 1990.

With the NCSF drawing about 800,000 people in 2005, George Fuller said the fair ministry each October shows "Baptists at their best."

Fuller, who is pastor at New Community Church in Raleigh, has been heading up the chaplain ministry for the Raleigh Baptist Association (RBA) for five years. He says typically the fair uses more than 400 volunteers each year.

Iris Woodard, right, and her husband, Dale, left, served as volunteer chaplains at the State Fair.

While RBA is the main source for ministry at the state fair, Fuller said volunteers come from all over the state and across the nation, especially if they are with COM.

On the western side of the state, the Mountain State Fair in September also offered Baptists a chance to minister to workers and fairgoers alike.

"It gives people an opportunity who can't go outside Buncombe County to do ministry," said Norma Melton, director of church and community ministries for Buncombe Baptist Association. "They are able to reach the same people here. It's a way to express God's love for them here in Asheville."

Melton said the fair in Asheville uses more than 800 volunteers from associations in the area: Buncombe, Green River, Transylvania, Yancey, Carolina and Polk.

Both state fair ministries provide food, supplies and other help to the workers during their stay in the respective cities. Hygiene kits as well as some blankets are donated.

The Asheville fair even has a clothes closet and a barber and hairstylist for the workers. The volunteers in Raleigh used a disaster relief laundry unit this year to wash and fold carnival workers' clothes.

Nellie and Martin Love arrived at the state fair before it started. They set up their camper at nearby Ephesus Baptist Church and commuted to the fairgrounds for several days. The Loves have been disaster relief volunteers since 1999 after Hurricane Floyd. Propane gas fuels the three washers and four dryers in the portable laundry unit.

Nellie draws pictures and writes Bible verses on the bags that store the workers' clean laundry.

Fuller said it is the first year they've used a laundry unit, but it may not be the last. He said he contacted the fair officials last year about the possibility but never heard anything. This year, he made the offer a while back but did not hear until a couple of weeks ago that they wanted the unit.

Fuller said more than 300 loads of laundry were washed, dried and folded for carnival workers during the state fair. One supervisor approached Fuller and said he'd heard about the nice people providing this service, and shared that some had even put up the tracts they had received in their trailers.

"We're seed sowers," said Flowe, who describes her job as "general flunkie." The COM started out by giving tours at the chapel in the section called "Yesteryear" at the state fair.

There, volunteers dress in period costumes and give tours. Volunteers also donate their time and talents by performing on the side stage. Gospel groups, puppet teams, clowns and other talented individuals and groups share with passersby.

Fuller said that more than 14,000 people came to services at the chapel during the state fair.

Volunteers also prepare meals for fair workers. "We fix their soup and drink and pray with them one on one," she said. "We give them a loving touch. A lot of times what they want is someone to hear them."

Flowe said they served about 10,000 servings in 2005. She makes a different soup each day with donated food from individuals and area businesses.

The Flowes said about 38 COM couples volunteered during the state fair this year.

She said the workers are amazed at the generosity of Baptists.

"Some can't believe it," she said. "They're just real thankful."

Melton said this year's fair offered a special opportunity for ministry for volunteers. One of the workers from South Africa had joined the amusement company to raise enough funds to purchase his 5-year-old son a used wheelchair. His son has cerebral palsy, and this man had asked his boss to keep money out each paycheck to save for this item. The bosses donated some money as did the other carnival workers.

Melton said other volunteers chipped in money to purchase a new wheelchair for him to take back to Africa.

"A bunch of people wanted to see him get a new chair," she said. "He said it was too expensive, that it cost too much money. He could not believe the church would do that for him."

Each of the fairs also offers the dental bus with medical professionals providing screenings and other services.

Melton said the Asheville volunteers saw about 140 dental/medical patients and spent between $2,000 and $3,000 on medicines.

Fuller said the numbers were down during this year's state fair because of different companies providing services. More than 20 dental patients were seen, and four were able to see a doctor.

About 3 years ago, Buncombe Association was using two golf carts to run supplies to each of the tents, said Melton. Now, they have four to six courtesy golf carts to run during the fair. They transport people with medical needs and other workers that need to get around quicker.

"The carts stay busy," said Melton. "People love it."

She said they keep stickers and tracts on the cart so they can share with the riders.

"It's an amazing ministry," Melton said.