BCM travels to Ages, Kentucky, for Spring Break mission trip

By Jackson Carlstrom, Editor-In-Chief

On Sunday March 12, Ages Baptist Church, a small church with just 3 members located in the town of Ages, Kentucky, opened its doors for a Sunday service for the first time since closing at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Assisting the church with its grand return was GSW’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

From March 10-15, 8 students affiliated with BCM drove down to Ages for BCM’s first Spring Break Mission Trip outside of Americus since 2019. The church opened its doors for the students to stay during the trip. The trip plan originated when BCM Campus Minister Adam Shutters was made aware of the need for help in Ages by Bill Wallace, the associational Missionary of the Upper Cumberland Association of Baptists.

Ages is a small coal town in Harlan County, Kentucky. The town is one of many towns in the Appalachian Coal Belt. Many of the towns in this region are struggling with high rates of poverty due to the automation of the coal industry, as well as government regulations on coal. Harlan County has the 18th lowest median household income of all counties in the U.S. at $31,116, placing it in the bottom 1%.

BCM students take group photo inside Ages Baptist Church.

Photo submitted by Adam Shutters.

On their first day in Ages, the BCM students participated in door-to-door mission work among the many houses near the church. The students knocked on doors, greeting the community and letting them know about the Sunday church service the next day, as well as a community cook-out that they would be hosting that evening. The cook-out did not go exactly as planned, with no turnout, but the students were still able to enjoy a time of fellowship together that evening.

On Sunday morning, the BCM students welcomed the 3 church members and their families at the Sunday morning service, as well as the new people in attendance as a result of the previous day’s door-to-door outreach. Students Joseph Park, Trent Mays, and Heidi Anderson led the worship portion of the service with a selection of old hymns, and BCM Campus Minister Adam Shutters preached during the service. After the service, the students were able to enjoy a free day, traveling to visit some of Harlan County’s coal mines, Kingdom Come State Park, and the first Kentucky Fried Chicken opened by Colonel Sanders in Corbin, Kentucky.

Heidi Anderson, Trent Mays, and Joseph Park lead worship on Sunday.

Photo submitted by Adam Shutters.

“I was so glad to see the people who came to the church for the first time in years that Sunday,” Park said. “Also, I enjoyed worshiping with hymns. They didn’t have a great sound system like many other larger churches have. But we can still worship God with our voices.”

Monday morning saw the students go on a prayer walk across town, praying over the church and for the community. The students intended to continue with more doorto-door outreach in the afternoon, but they were cut short due to a shower of sleet that continued throughout the rest of the day. With their plans cut short, the students enjoyed the rest of the day inside the warm church with music, card games, and for supper, authentic South Korean ramen prepared by Joseph Park.

Coal Mine.

Photo by Jackson Carlstrom.

The BCM students woke up on Tuesday morning, their final full day in Ages, to a surprise flurry of snow. After taking some time to enjoy the snow, the students went on another prayer walk; this time inside the church’s warm van. Later in the noon, when the weather was suitable enough, the students went through the community for a final door-to-door outreach session, where they prayed over the people they visited and continued to promote the church’s reopening. They ended their final day with a pizza dinner provided for them by Ages Baptist Church.

Ages Baptist Church.

Photo by Jackson Carlstrom.

“My favorite part of the mission trip was knocking on people’s doors and getting to meet the different people in the community, and being able to tell them about the church, and praying with them,” Eliza Hill said.

Despite the many challenges they faced, the BCM students persevered, and their efforts were rewarded with a successful Sunday service, and the opportunity to experience the unique culture and history of Harlan County, all while getting to spend time in fellowship together.