Red Springs Camp takes missions to a new level

By Mike Creswell

BSC Communications

Eddie Williams talks to a delivery man about new kitchen equipment being delivered to the Red Springs Missions Camp.

Photo by Mike Creswell

Baptist State Convention

RED SPRINGS - N.C. Baptist Men call it their mission "camp," but Red Springs Mission Camp is much more.

It's actually a bold new direction for Baptist missions work in North Carolina and might just turn out to be hugely important to the life of Baptist Men and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Drive through the town of Red Springs, deep in Robeson County, and just on the north side of town you'll come to a series of factories, many of them deceased. Their passing took jobs, income and dreams from many families in Robeson County and helped cement the county's dead last ranking in income and prosperity in the state.

But at one of these former factories things are humming - the gate is open and a sign proclaims this 10-acre complex surrounded by chain link fencing as the Red Springs Mission Camp of N.C. Baptist Men. It's hard to visualize how big the actual building is, but just think of your nearby Wal-Mart store and you'll be close to sizing up the 52,000 sq. ft. building that once churned out T-shirts.

There's an office out front as on many such factories and a line of loading docks in the back.

The building was in "pretty good shape" when Baptist Men and the Baptist State Convention partnered on buying it for $330,000, an amazingly low price, considering what was obtained. But coordinators Eddie and Martha Williams have been working hard to make sure the facility will be a jewel for North Carolina Baptists.

"It will be a fine facility. I think our volunteers are going to enjoy coming and working out of there," Eddie Williams said. Coming from Williams, that statement must be taken seriously. He and his wife spent 29 intensive months in Gulfport, Miss., where they served as lead coordinators to more than 35,000 volunteers in rebuilding 715 houses and an extensive amount of other aid to the Katrina-devastated region.

The hard work brought healing and hope to thousands of families, along with salvation to 429 people who became Christians during the process.

Now the Williamses have parked their camper trailer on the Red Springs site with several others as they get the Red Springs camp up and running.

Already more than 500 Baptist volunteers have worked on Red Springs to get it ready for business. They have rebuilt big sections of the plant, installed walls to set apart storage areas, tool storage, sleeping quarters, offices, a kitchen complete with walk-in freezer, food pantry, showers, huge rooms for stockpiling drywall and other materials - all under one roof.

The facility will be able to sleep some 200 volunteers

"It's ironic Baptist Men have made our way here. This was the first disaster we responded to back in 1994, so in a sense we've come full circle," Williams said.

A camp like this has long been a dream of Richard Brunson, state director of Baptist Men. Volunteers have acquired missions-minded eyes and hearts, plus the training and expertise to respond to many kind of disasters, of which Katrina was one of the toughest.

"God has blessed us with lots of willing volunteers, tools, equipment, expertise and experience for North Carolina Baptists to impact our state for Christ," Brunson said.

Baptist Men leaders had begun looking for a site to establish such a work camp; they heard about Red Springs through Wendell Hunt, an area pastor who had worked in the building.

"The more we looked at it and prayed about it, it seemed logical to put the camp in this location," said Williams.

So far most of the volunteer work here has been used to get the camp functional. During the last week of May, Williams was overseeing installation of kitchen equipment and several volunteers were painting halls that seemed to stretch out as long as a football field.

Over the summer volunteers will start building, rebuilding and repairing houses; and installing handicap ramps. They will work with the Lumbee Indians and partner with two local helping agencies. Volunteers will also work with Burnt Swamp Baptist Association and area churches to do evangelism, run sports camps and tackle other projects. Local churches have been especially interested in Red Springs; local church teams have been hard at work on the facility for weeks.

"We'll grow as our camp grows," said Williams. "We look for everything to increase as time goes by."