Lee University’s Mission Week Serves the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home
Lee University’s annual “Dee Lavender Mission Week” took place Oct. 1-5 to raise funds for the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home (SMCH) in Sevierville, Tennessee. In honor of Lee’s Centennial year, the university observed its roots and early connection with Sevierville and SMCH with the theme of “Going Home.” In light of this, the children’s home provided a unique opportunity to reflect upon Lee’s legacy as well as further support their mission.
“We want to show students that missions is not about going to other countries to serve, but that it is about loving our neighbors- the poor, the orphans, and the widows- in our own community too,” said Fijoy Johnson, assistant director of community ministries at Lee. “We do not have to travel to another nation to participate in the mission of God. We can start right where we are.”
During Missions Week, Lee hosted special chapel services. Tuesday’s chapel was a Missions Week Celebration, with Professor of Music Dr. Brad Moffett speaking in the Conn Center. Also on Tuesday, Dr. Mava Wilson, professor of computer information systems at Lee, spoke in Dixon Center on growing up on the mission field and her journey to Lee. On Thursday, Dr. Walt Mauldin spoke in Conn Center chapel.
A special offering was taken for SMCH in each chapel service, working towards Lee’s goal of raising $40,000 for the home. Beyond sending financial support to the Children’s Home for the renovation of their Alpha Educational Learning Center, Lee will continue to send groups of students to work on building projects, student events, and present musical performances for the children and staff.
Exhibitors from over 24 local, national, and international missions organizations set up booths on campus in the Paul Conn Student Union (PCSU) and School of Religion, meeting with students and speaking in classes across campus throughout the week.
Since 1991, Missions Week has been carried out in honor of Lee University student Dee Lavender, who died on a summer mission trip to Panama just before her 21st birthday. Missions Week projects have been in place for more than 20 years, and a week devoted to missions has been part of Lee programming since the ‘40s.
SMCH is a private, faith-based, not-for-profit agency that has been serving children for over 90 years. It exists to provide care, love, and healing to children and youth who have no one else to advocate or care for them. The money raised during Missions Week 2018 will go directly toward remodeling the Alpha Educational Learning Center at the home for children.
According to Mauldin, director of SMCH and a former vice president at Lee, many young people come to SMCH with academic deficiencies and need tutoring. SMCH is required by the State of Tennessee to offer a school for youth who need to recover high school credits and graduate on time. There are approximately 40 high school students attending the Alpha school, which fulfills this requirement. The school serves as a catalyst for many of its youth to experience their dreams of attending college.
Missions Week T-shirts are still available in Lee’s Campus Ministries Office for a $15 donation to the project and donations are still being accepted.
To purchase a T-shirt, email Fijoy Johnson at [email protected].
For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.leeuniversity.edu/missions-week/
(Source: Lee University)
