MISSIONS
Local, State, National and International Mission Trips and Projects
First Baptist Church provides many opportunities to support missions financially as well as experience missions practically. Local, state, national and international mission trips and projects provide wonderful year round "missionary" experiences.
For more information on any of our mission opportunities please contact the church office at 252-446-9113 to see how you can become involved.
Click below to download our Missions Manual.
ABRO (American Belarussian Relief Organization)
First Baptist Church has joined with other churches in the area to share the love of Christ through ABRO for over ten years. ABRO was established to bring children from Belarus to the United States for six weeks each summer. These children live in the area affected by the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster of 1986 and suffer many resulting health problems. A few weeks in a radiation free environment helps to boost their immune systems. At First Baptist, we have the additional privilege of ministering to the spiritual needs of these children as Christian families open their homes and hearts. The Christian chaperones who accompany the children to Rocky Mount offer Sunday School and Bible studies in their native language. Several of these children have come into a saving relationship with Christ. Six weeks of healthy food, medical and dental care in an environment of Christian love makes a lifetime of difference to these children – and to the host families too!
Dolls On Mission
Our Women's Missionary Union (WMU) and gracious volunteers make hand-made dolls that are shared throughout the US and in many other countries to tell the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. The dolls have two faces - one a sad face with closed eyes and the other a happy face with open eyes. The sad face indicates darkness with no knowledge of Christ; the happy face indicates that the person who knows Christ knows that He brings light and joy! The dolls also wear salvation necklaces to aid in telling the story of Jesus' gift to us. They consist of a black bead for sin, a red bead for Christ's blood, a white bead for Jesus, who was without sin; a blue bead for resurrection, a green one for life, and a yellow bead for heaven.
Church Plant in Ecuador
Our Equadorian ministry leader and other FBC representatives travel to Salasaka to work with the local church one week each month, ministering to an active group of new Christians and reaching out to other communities.
UPDATES FROM THE FIELD
The Shelter of Love in Cambodia
The Shelter of Love Center was begun through funding provided by an American couple, John and Anne Lewis, who formed the Faith Foundation with a desire to help needy children. Twenty-four acres of land were purchased in November of 2002 and the first building was begun in July 2003.
The Shelter is operated as a non-governmental organization with a Cambodian staff of fifteen (15). The land is titled to the Shelter of Love Center. By January of 2005, two houses were built to accommodate fourteen (14) children in each as well as a small apartment for the house parents. The dining room was built to serve as a classroom and worship center on Sundays. A health care center and office were also completed in this building phase. By 2006, a laundry house was added. Seventeen (17) more children were able to join the Shelter of Love Center, due to the completion of the third house, bringing the total to fifty-one (51) children living at the Center. Applications were received; home visits made, investigations and interviews were conducted in the villages to select the children most in need of a better living arrangement. Preference was given to orphaned children. In February of 2005, Children entered the Shelter to make it their new home!
The Vision of Sue Singleton, Founder of the Center
“God has allowed me the privilege of working with the Khmer people since 1993. I first lived in the capital city of Phnom Penh, and later moved to Kampong Thom. In the evenings I teach English, using lessons from the Bible. On Sunday evenings, we study the Bible in the Khmer Language. What a blessing it has been to see many young people accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, be active in the church, and be baptized.
God led me to a very special opportunity that has become a great joy! It was to be involved in the start of a new children’s home for orphans, abandoned and disadvantaged children. What a privilege it is to see Children literally rescued from dire situations and come to know the love Jesus Christ has for them.”
What the Center is currently up to:
Providing children with vocational training and/or university studies is an important goal for the Center, so that these children can be equipped to be Christian Cambodian citizens, able to make a difference in their country!
Kids Practicing Khmer Music
Most of the children were behind in school when they entered the Center because they had not been able to attend school regularly enough to progress from one grade to the next, and some not at all. Since entering the Center, several of the children have been able to skip a grade, and have felt challenged by each other to do well in school. The children are presently learning computers and how to grow vegetables. Some are learning to play Khmer musical instruments and some are learning to sew. All of the children study English.
The Cambodia Times - December 2015 >
For more information about the Shelter of Love, visit their website at shelteroflove.com
Uganda - Westminister Medical Missions
First Baptist Church (FBC) has been supporting Westminster Medical missions (WMM) since 2006. Currently FBC has allowed WMM to use three closets and one room for storage and packing space. FBC has also allowed WMM to use their vans to transport the mission teams to Washington Dulles airport and back with the assistance of several faithful members, some who have gone to Uganda with the teams before. On Saturday, January 14 2016, a team of ten people left for Northern Uganda for the 24nd year of Westminster Medical Missions trips to Uganda.
Disaster Relief
Our disaster relief teams provide assistance to those experiencing the ravages of natural disasters. They work in conjunction with the NC Baptist Men of our State Convention traveling throughout the state and beyond as the need arises. They also provide "handyman" type assistance to those in need in our local area.
Meals on Wheels
Volunteers deliver hot meals to those in need on the fourth Wednesday and Thursday of each month.