Center Grove Baptist Church and The Winston- Salem Rescue Mission - Following in Their Master's Footsteps

From early Biblical times, the act of foot washing was seen as an act of hospitality, humility and servanthood. In John 13:1-17, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples demonstrating the fellowship Jesus shared with the disciples. He demonstrated the perfect  example of being a servant by washing the feet of His followers. With this example, a group from Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons chose to wash the feet of the homeless andfollow in their Master’s footsteps and example.

A Heart’s Burden

For Karen Caffey, Physician Assistant and member of Center Grove Baptist Church (CGBC), the chance reading of an article in the local newspaper led her to organize a foot clinic for the residents of the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission (WSRM).

“After I read the article about a church in Atlanta volunteering to wash and care for the feet of the residents of a homeless shelter, the Lord laid it upon my heart to do the same thing here at the Rescue Mission. In just a few weeks, I had approached my church with the idea and had a group ready to serve the men here,” said Caffey. The five women and one man group offered foot care from foot soaks, to nail trimming, to callus filing.

A Place of Refuge

The Winston-Salem Rescue Mission has been meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of hurting people in the Triad area for 42 years. “We are a non-denominational Christian service ministry serving 135 men between our downtown and Yadkinville facility. With the support from local organizations like Center Grove Baptist Church we are able to offer clothing, housing and care to a population in our community that many times goes unnoticed,” stated Mike Foster, Development Director of WSRM. Over the years, CGBC has not only supported WSRM with monetary donations, but through unique opportunities such as the foot clinic. “CGBC also coordinates a Christmas event with a meal, including entertainment and a care package for the area’s homeless. The church picks up our residents and transports them to the church, feeds them and has them as guests for their Christmas program presentation. The men are provided with a care package of clothing and hygiene products and then are returned to the Mission,” commented Foster.

Addressing the Medical Needs of the Homeless

With a life that is spent on the move, the residents of the Rescue Mission can have many problems with their feet. “With the men here at the foot clinic, there may be complaints of poor circulation, skin rashes, blisters, ingrown nails and calluses. They have the same issues that we may have with our feet, but they do not have the means to address those concerns; that is why this outreach is so important to our residents,” stated Dan Parsons, Executive Director of WSRM.

The Homeless and Their Health

Beyond foot care, the homeless have additional health problems which, in many instances, go undiagnosed and untreated. “Forsyth Hospital proposed a new program, Live Smart Program (LSP), to provide basic screenings, education and information about their daily health issues. The LSP addresses anything from weight gain, nutrition, stress, exercise and lifestyle choices. The folks with the LSP liked the idea of our Transformer’s Program, a 1 year recovery program designed to prepare the serious minded men who complete our initial programs for life after the Mission. We approach addictions and life skills with a holistic view and the LSP was a perfect fit for our men in the Transformer’s  Program, because it complemented the daily curriculum and daily class work with an overall approach to wellness,” said Foster.

The WSRM is located at 718 N. Trade St., in Winston-Salem. For more information call 723-1848 or visit  ww.wsrescue.org.