What began in the fall of 2003 on the campus of Bluefield College as a simple improvement project, but eventually developed into a large-scale renovation effort involving churches and BC friends across the region will culminate, Sat., Nov. 4, at 2 p.m. in a dedication ceremony on campus.
After three years of cooperative efforts by dozens of BC friends, Bluefield College will dedicate its newest facility, a missionary-in-residence house, created through the restoration of the school's former president's home.
“We are thrilled to finally see this day come, when we can dedicate this new missionary-in-residence house,” said BC campus minister David Taylor. “A lot of people have contributed to this project, and we want to recognize them and celebrate this accomplishment.”
Originated by former vice president of institutional advancement Tom Carr, the restoration of the former president's home began in the fall of 2003 when the college decided to improve its facilities for missionaries on furlough. Missionaries serving in foreign countries are often offered a one-year sabbatical from their duties every seven years. In many cases in the past, Baptist missionaries would spend their time on furlough on the BC campus, despite the fact that the college's missionary house could accommodate only the smallest of families.
Determined to improve its missionary housing, Carr led the college in a project to restore the school's former president's home, a structure built in the 1930s, which served for many years as the president's home and then later as student housing and a Baptist Student Union. Renovating this structure, which during the past decade had been unused and unoccupied, is something Virginia Baptists wanted to be a part of.
“We received a letter from Bluefield College concerning this project, and we were burdened about it,” said Harold Mitchell, one of several men from Green Valley Baptist Church in Lebanon, who volunteered to work on the missionary house. “We became determined, with the Lord's help, to support this renovation. Our church has been very enthusiastic about helping.”
And, so have many others. In fact, dozens of Virginia Baptist churches, along with local Baptist associations and a score of other BC friends contributed to the restoration effort with their time, labor, materials and/or money. Together, they installed all new windows and a completely new roof, rebuilt porches and replaced gutters, installed new plumbing and restored bathrooms and a kitchen, and refinished floors and set up new heating.
Now, fully renovated, the new missionary house will provide a larger, more accommodating rest haven for missionaries, intact with five bedrooms, two and a half baths, a missionary office, living room, dining room, kitchen and den.
“This is a beautiful home,” said Taylor, who took over as project coordinator after the departure of Carr. “Missionaries who come to stay with us on campus will be well served by this facility. I expect there will be a waiting list for its use once word gets out about how accommodating the home is.”
Affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Bluefield College has long shared with Virginia Baptists a commitment to international missions. Through BC's missionary-in-residence program, missionaries on furlough are offered a place and a time to rest, visit family, friends and supporters, and participate in college Christian studies courses or other continuing education. The college benefits, too, as students are exposed to an actual missionary teaching Christian studies courses and sharing the realities of mission work, and the campus minister enjoys assistance with counseling students and speaking engagements.
And the college will celebrate the rejuvenation of its missionary-in-residence program with the dedication of the newly restored missionary house. All supporters of the project, along with local churches and other members of the community are invited to join the BC family for the ceremony.