Campers on Mission share food, faith with state fair employees

Every morning at 7, Marsha Powell starts prepping to cook hearty soups for fair workers on her pint-sized RV stove top.

Powell is a member of Campers on Mission, a ministry that for 20 years has been serving N.C. State Fair workers behind a historical, 153-year-old church on the grounds.

“It all started with two small crock-pots and has grown into thousands of meals,” said Mary Reagan, one of the original state fair missionaries. Last fall, Campers on Mission served more than 9,000 meals to fair workers.

Campers on Mission is a national fellowship of Christians who travel across the country to administer service and religion as they go. Most missionaries travel the majority of the year to serve others.

“The primary thing is to meet the needs of the fair workers, whether it be physical needs, emotional needs or spiritual needs,” said Betty Wilson, co-chairwoman of Campers on Mission.

The ministry provides meals for fair workers as well as hygiene packages, donated clothing, blankets, basic first aid and haircuts.

The N.C. State Fair assists vendors in hiring 100-300 temporary employees who usually make $8-12 per hour, said Larry Parker, the fair’s spokesman. He was unsure how many temporary positions are filled by the homeless.

Most fair workers do not get paid until the end of the 10-day event, and because some are homeless, the ministry’s food and services help them make it through the fair.

“There are all kinds of difficulties in their lives, so we provide encouragement by just listening and just caring,” Wilson said.

Thuy Ksor, a Vietnamese immigrant whose job is to collect trash at the fair, has visited Campers on Mission every fair day for three years at noon for lunch.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from, if you’re happy every day, good things come to you,” Ksor said.

Wilson nicknamed Ksor “Smiley” because of his perpetual smile despite all his difficulties.

“The fair workers know us as ‘Grandma’s House,’” Powell said.

In the morning, Campers on Mission serves a continental prayer breakfast to fair workers. Then soup is served all day long with bread, crackers and dessert. The ministry is primarily for fair workers, who are welcome to come as many times as they want during the day to get soup and drinks.

“It really humbles me because they tell me they love my soup,” Powell said.

On both Sundays during the fair, they offer two worship services to both fair workers and fairgoers.

Campers on Mission also provides fairgoers with games and 40 different Christian entertainment groups, Wilson said. New Direction, a bluegrass gospel band, has played for Campers on Mission at the state fair for at least three years, said Charity Gales, bassist for the band.

Everything Campers on Mission uses is donated from churches and businesses. They also receive monetary donations from fairgoers.

“God has given me a passion for people,” said Wilson. “I love people and I love to help people and this is a way to do that, an outlet to minister to other people and just encourage them.”

Campers on Mission doesn’t advertise. But by word-of-mouth, fair workers know where to go for food, faith and encouragement.

“It’s just so the fair workers can get something to eat, and get some love, too,” said Lynn Crisp, a Campers on Mission volunteer.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.