By Rita Howell
An all-day Christian outreach offering free lunch, groceries, health screenings, job and career services and more will be held at the Batesville Civic Center Saturday when the Convoy of Hope brings its national ministry here.
A team of local volunteer leaders has worked for months organizing and raising funds for the event, which will also provide children’s shoes, haircuts, family portraits, activities for children, music, and prayer and spiritual counsel.
Hours of the Convoy of Hope are 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. (or until grocery supplies run out).
“We want to be sure those who need this helping hand are invited to come,” John Howell Jr., local volunteer, said.
The invitation is extended to Panola Countians, and to those in Marks, Charleston, Water Valley, and other communities in the trade area.
In conjunction with the Convoy of Hope visit, Dr. Robert Smith Jr. of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School will be leading spiritual rallies Saturday and Sunday evening.
He is the Charles T. Carter Baptist Professor of Divinity at Beeson where he teaches Christian preaching. Previously he served as the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
Everyone from the region is invited to the rallies at 7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday at the Civic Center.
When the Convoy of Hope visited Batesville in 2011, more than 3,000 people were served by 750 volunteers.
Anyone who wants to volunteer to help on Saturday should attend a volunteer rally Friday night at 7 at the Civic Center to receive instructions and find out where best to assist.
The cost to bring the Convoy of Hope is $25,000, according to Howell.
“It’s because there’s so much food involved,” he explained.
Donations are being accepted this week to finish meeting the financial commitment, he said. Anyone may bring donations Friday night to the rally, or drop off contributions this week to Mary Pearl Robertson at Batesville Clinic or Randy Boren at Shelter Insurance.
“We still need about $8,000 to meet our commitment,” Boren said.