Kingdom Builders

JENKINS, KENTUCKY

June 10 – 17, 2017
 
East Highland Baptist Church’s Kingdom Builders participated in a summer mission project in Jenkins, Kentucky. Fourteen East Highland members along with 20 members of Central Baptist Church of Decatur, worked with the SmileFaith Foundation to rehabilitate two abandoned buildings in the Jenkins, Kentucky area. The SmileFaith Foundation is a faith based group that provides a Christian witness and enables dental professionals to provide free dental and denture care to the community. Image Jenkins, Kentucky is an economically depressed region in the Appalachian coal mining area that no longer has an active coal mine. When the mines shut down, the coal company, support businesses, and many residents left the area. Those who remained in the area, had few jobs to choose from in order to make a living. In an effort to help revitalize the area and address a community need, the SmileFaith Foundation acquired two of the abandoned buildings.
 
The first building acquired by the SmileFaith Foundation, was a large warehouse with an attached office area. With the help of the East Highland Baptist mission team, Central Baptist mission team, and many others, this warehouse is being converted into a community recreation center and dental offices. Some of the needed renovations to the abandoned warehouse included replacing the old roof, demolishing and building new walls in the interior, and rewiring and replacing light fixtures.
 
The second building acquired by the SmileFaith Foundation is being converted to a residence area for mission teams that come to the community to provide charitable dental services. The new residence area will include a kitchen, living area and sleeping area to accommodate up to 15 people. The East Highland and Central Baptist mission teams provided assistance by insulating walls, replacing ceiling tiles and installing paneling in the basement area. The mission teams also built walls, hung sheetrock, and insulated the ceiling in the ground level of the residence area.
 
Near the end of the trip, a four member volunteer dental team arrived at the SmileFaith Foundation Dental facility. This volunteer dental team provided free dental services to 13 patients and had three professions of faith. The East Highland/Central Baptist mission team was so humbled and blessed to see their efforts pay off when those individuals received help with their physical needs, but most importantly, their spiritual needs were met.
 
Kingdom Builders next trip is scheduled for June 9-16, 2018. The location is yet to be determined, but God knows where there is a need. If you would like to be a part of such a life changing mission trip, please be in prayer and plan on going.
 
YOU WILL BE BLESSED!!