May 19, 2026 by

From Hurricane Damage to a Calling To Serve 

Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in October of 2024, and residents are making repairs to this day. My friend, Emma Biehn, heard this news and gathered two minivans of people to travel down there and help with the repairs for a weekend. Since then, CU Relief has sprouted into so much more. 

 I have been going on GO Trips since I came to Cedarville, specifically CU Relief, with no prior mission trip experience. I gave the initial trip a yes and trusted God through the rest of the uncertainty. I was asked to return for the spring break GO trip to Asheville, North Carolina, where most of the damage occurred, to lead a team of servant-hearted students in constructing a community center.  

I accepted the role and its responsibilities and started communicating with Anna, the main correspondent for her community and our point of contact for the CU Relief trip. She wanted a place for the neighborhood to “come spend time together without having to spend money.”

After a few proposals, the final design included a fully enclosed market stall where she could sell the vegetables that her family grew on their farm. With the plans sent and finalized, it was now up to our team leaders to organize the pre-trip process of meeting one another and reviewing the trip.  

This group was full of new faces; many members I served with in the past were on different trips. The meeting was great for hearing people’s stories and seeing their willingness to share. Before we knew it, packing lists were complete, the forms were filled out, and we were loading into the vans to drive down to North Carolina.  

The stories of the drive down vary from van to van, but the things that united us — Buc-ee’s, the license plate game, great music, and beautiful views along the way — were apparent.

  

Getting to Work: Building and Serving Together 

We arrived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, back to Cragmont Assembly, a Christian camp and retreat center where we have been hosted for several trips now. That first night, we unloaded and quickly got some rest before the week ahead.  

When we woke up, we headed to the service at a local church, after which we were divided into teams and went to our respective job sites. I took a total of eight team members to Anna’s to begin laying out baseplates, while the other 16 did work for members of the church who were still affected by Helene. 

 I went over the basics of construction to my team members and had them measure to prepare for the next day. By the time the marks were secured to the ground, it was already dark. We loaded up and headed back for dinner to debrief. We talked about what each respective team did and what we’re hoping to accomplish by the next day, then headed to bed.  

The morning came earlier than anyone wanted during spring break, but everyone got up and came to a breakfast the team at Cragmont had prepared for us. We sat, ate, read a planned devotional, and discussed how it can apply to our day. 

 I picked another eight people interested in construction and drove them to the jobsite in Barnardsville. We arrived, I went over safety procedures with nail guns and saws, and we got to work. The team worked together like they’d been acquainted with each other for years, and it took me by surprise.  

On our second day, the team had already put up all the walls and sheeted them with plywood. We were also able to hang the center beam so we could put the roof on the next day. I asked who was willing to come back the next day, and to my surprise, more than half raised their hands. After work, we all played games to get to know each other better.  

Finishing Strong: Community, Hard Work, and Growth 

The third day followed suit; my team came to the jobsite after breakfast and devotionals and went above and beyond, surpassing my expectations. Hanging the roof rafters and putting plywood on the roof, all while Anna prepared lunch for us, was an amazing experience. After work, we had a testimony night hosted by the church that allowed us to use their kitchen.  

The fourth day was the last we were able to work for Anna. I had already picked out my team from yesterday to complete the job. They worked throughout the day, getting the roof on, installing the door, and finishing all the siding. They made the unanimous decision to work through the sunset and into the dark to complete the job.  

We drove back and could finally relax. We tended to sunburns and minor injuries, then headed back after a job well done. The whole team was waiting for us to return with hot meals and to hear our testimonies of the week. 

 We then held “I See Christ in You,” a time where members can come up to you and tell you how they saw Christ in you this week, a time of encouragement mirroring Romans 12:10. God showed me what He can do through so many different people, both the impact a leader can have on a team and the willingness of so many people to serve. I shared how amazed I was by how much work everyone got done in a short time.

 

A Sunrise Ending and Lasting Impact 

 After that, everyone decided to end the trip with a sunrise hike the next morning at 5 a.m. We all climbed Black Mountain to watch the sun rise together. After we had our coffee, we headed back to pack and get back on the road to conclude our spring break trip. 

 I learned so much on this trip about myself as a leader, others, and the impact community can have on someone. If I had to encourage someone to go on a missions trip, my one piece of advice would be to go and go willingly. I met so many new people around campus and found a new community that started in North Carolina. 

Posted in: , , ,