At Mission of Hope, some of the most meaningful stories come directly from our delivery teams. Their dedication and love for the communities we serve show what it truly means to extend Hope. One of our longtime team captains recently shared how these experiences have impacted both the children and the volunteers themselves.

For nearly 10 years, our team has been blessed to share Hope in this community. We have watched children grow up, built lasting friendships with the staff, and been able to help during some difficult times. Even through the challenges of a pandemic and a hurricane, God allowed us to continue our commitment.

Through our involvement, we are the ones who have been blessed. With the support of our church, Callahan Road Baptist, we’ve been able to provide extra help along the way. Most years, we take three trips—kicking off the school year, celebrating Christmas, and closing the year with a fun day of games. Over time, the children have come to trust that we’ll be back—unlike some groups who promised but didn’t return.

This past summer, a group from Middle Tennessee joined us to make Hope even more real. They brought both a construction crew and a sports camp team. While part of the group worked with Appalachian Outreach to repair and build projects, others held a sports camp—where six children made professions of faith.

Isn’t it amazing how Mission of Hope is planting seeds, and others are helping nurture them so they can take root? When we returned this fall, we were overwhelmed by the gratitude of the parents, staff, and students.

Thank you for allowing us to nurture, share, and provide Hope in this area.

Stories like this remind us that Mission of Hope is about extending Hope that lasts. We are grateful for every volunteer, church, and partner who makes this possible. Together, we are planting seeds that continue to grow into something greater than we could ever imagine.