Every October, members of the Lexington and Columbia Metro Baptist Associations partner for a strategic ministry to fair workers who are setting up rides, games, and food trucks for the South Carolina State Fair.

Church members from across the Midlands gather in the shadow of the famous Rocket for the pre-fair ministry that includes preparing bagged lunches, a hot dog supper, and handing out health kits with basic hygiene items. Over the years, these volunteers have built relationships as they serve and share the hope of the Gospel.

The lifestyle of fair workers can be challenging – many are employed year-round and often work extremely long hours. Some are natives of other countries, something fair ministry volunteers have recognized as an opportunity to impact international missions right here at home. These behind-the-scenes workers are the main focus of this ministry that shows them they are loved and cared for during their time in South Carolina.

Kittiwake Baptist Church member Dwayne West has been serving with the state fair ministry for 12 years. He is recognized with hand waves and smiles as he drives a golf cart stocked with lunches and coolers of ice-cold lemonade and water around the fairgrounds. Every so often, he stops and calls out, “Need a sandwich?” Groups of workers immediately appear.

“It’s a relationship thing. We know a lot of them by name, and they know us. In the last 12 years, we have baptized some workers, officiated marriages – we are here for whatever they need,” West says, adding South Carolina is “the only stop on their fair circuit that feeds them, and these workers look forward to coming here.”

On the Monday morning before this year’s fair opening day, volunteers from Gilbert First, Kittiwake, and Riverland Hills Baptist Churches assembled the first of two sets of 600 bagged lunches. Individually wrapped homemade desserts for all meals were donated by members of Belmont, Blaney, Crooked Run, Harmony, Temple, and Winnsboro First.

While the ministry requires partnership effort, it is headed up by Lexington Baptist Association’s Missions Strategist Lee Butler, who has served as the coordinator for several years. He says he is “thankful for these State Fair relationships,” including with staff who allow the ministry to utilize the building space and provide golf carts. Lee appreciates the collective efforts and that so many churches “give to make this possible, not just through food donations and helping to serve, they also come for the direct ministry contacts.”

Butler also trains and coordinates a team of state fair chaplains who provide another aspect to this dynamic ministry. These men and women are scheduled to serve at least one day, circulating among the workers or with the public during the 10-day fair. Chaplains are trained to engage in friendly conversations and relationship building and are open to prayer and Gospel conversations if that opportunity arises.

“One year, as chaplains were walking around the grounds, they shared the Gospel with a worker,” West recalls. “The young man found the chaplains the next day and said he was ready to accept Jesus. They baptized him on the fairgrounds, and the next year, the man returned saying his life was changed and that he had been sharing the Gospel in his home country.”

For her part, Kittiwake volunteer Kathy West shares that fair workers are amazed that people they don’t know or may never see again have shown them this kind of love. Last year, one of the workers asked if he could have a Bible, and she returned with one for him the very next day. She says these conversations and small gestures of kindness really do make an impact.

“It shows people you care about them. Many of these people have been away from home and their families for months. It’s nice to show they are not alone and people care about them,” West says. “We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and we should be helping our neighbors.”

Julia Bell serves as communications coordinator at Columbia Metro Baptist Association.