Helping others

WPC operates a food pantry and assists residents of Valdese and Drexel with a gift of groceries once a month. Volunteers are regularly needed to stock shelves, interview clients, and do the grocery shopping. Call the church office if you'd like to learn how to help!  If you are in need of our outreach and would like to receive assistance with your household meals visit us on a Thursday between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. at the lower entrance of the church, near the playground. We require a valid I.D. as proof you live in our 'service district.' You may receive this assistance once a month, every 31 days.  In the event your family has experienced a crisis, we may offer financial assistance. This ministry is a case by case service and requires an appointment. Please call the church office on Thursday between 2 and 4 p.m. for a pre-phone interview and to schedule a follow-up appointment, if eligible.   WPC can ONLY provide assistance on Thursday's between 2 and 4 p.m. - no exceptions.

 Nkhoma, Malawi, Africa: 

Our church and Presbytery have supported the Mission Hospital of Nkhoma and the Ebenezer Institute of learning in Nkhoma, Malawi for many years. Various members of our congregation have traveled to Nkhoma which is a small rural village in the mountains of Malawi about an hour and a half drive from the capital city, Lilongwe.

Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa”. The people of Malawi are friendly and welcoming despite their limited resources. Poverty is rampant in Malawi. On mission trips, our Presbytery groups have constructed new buildings, and rehabilitated many old buildings on the Nkhoma hospital property. We have also volunteered at Ebenezer Institute of Learning and we have enjoyed many happy meals and get togethers with the people of Nkhoma.

The hospital serves the town of Nkhoma as well as the many surrounding small villages in the mountains. While the hospital has a few ambulances, most villagers travel to the facility via bicycles, carts or by walking. Over the years, outreach clinics have been built to provide better access to health care and inoculation clinics to outlying villages. These clinics are invaluable because they provide health care to villagers who are simply unable to travel to Nkhoma. Malaria is a devastating disease, which if not treated quickly and properly, can be deadly. The clinics provide much needed diagnosis and treatment for malaria patients. Most of the patients are women and children and the clinics also provide prenatal and postnatal care for the mothers and babies.

Ebenezer school is a private school in Nkhoma that was stated when hospital administrators realized they needed to provide quality education for the children of Nkhoma doctors, nurses and other vital employees. The public schools in and around Nkhoma average 70-100 students per classroom while Ebenezer generally has 15-20 per class. The hospital employees pay for their children to attend Ebenezer but there are scholarships available for families who cannot afford the fees. Initially Ebenezer taught grades Kindergarten through 4th or 5th grade. Since that time additional classroom buildings have been constructed and the school now provides education for 3 year olds through 7th grade.

While mission trips to Nkhoma were suspended during the COVID pandemic we have continued to support the hospital and school. Eventually, trips to Nkhoma, Malawi will be reinstituted and we can once again get to know the wonderful, warm-hearted people of Nkhoma, Malawi.

Guatemala:  

“Hand in Hand”  Our connection in ministry with our sister church in Guatemala is more of a partnership mission. Through the Presbytery of Western North Carolina Guatemala Partnership Committee we are engaged in delegation trips, supporting micro-loans, providing scholarships, encouraging health & hygiene, and most importantly engaging in a meaningful Christ driven relationship of mutual prayer. Between Nueva Jerusalem & Waldensian Presbyterian Church we globally empower one another to serve God’s people. Juntos en Christo

Afghan Resettlement Program: 

The process began for our Church on 12/6/2021 with an email that Willie Pascal received from Samaritans Purse.  There are six categories of resettlement which include:  housing/transportation, education, public services, professional services, cultural adaptation, and employment.  Over the past several months we have assembled a core group of volunteers who head up each of these categories. We have also included a category for Processing (to fill out the paperwork required). We would welcome any volunteers to assist in all categories.  We have completed training through ARP online modules as well as weekly webinars and have also had Background checks. Once these things were completed, we were then interviewed for a readiness check and were required to submit a Resettlement Welcome Plan.  On 3/18/2022 The Resettlement Welcome Plan was sent up to the State Department and we now await our approval to proceed.  Once approved, the International Organization for Migration will organize the travel for the family that is chosen for us. We expect to meet our family in approximately 30 days!  Then the real work begins. Our guidance and leadership as the family navigates life in the US is going to be the key to their acceptance in our communities and invaluable to their becoming contributing citizens.  Any help you can give will be accepted and appreciated including your prayers.  If you wish to make donations, please send your check to:  Waldensian Presbyterian Church  109 Main St E Valdese NC 28690 *please be sure to note Afghan Program in the memo section!   WPC is a non-profit organization.