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Southeastern Carolina Crossroads is opening/operating a wonderful new facility designed to help those who want to help themselves, do just that, through spiritual fellowship, soul searching, and an environment of nature’s harmonious brotherly love. BladenOnline interviewed Bladen Baptist Association’s Director of Missions, Bruce Cannon, and was then introduced to Rev. David Chestnutt, Executive Director of Southeastern Carolina Crossroads, who provided a tour of the grounds and facilities, and an overview of the project.
“Southeastern Carolina Crossroads is a Christian renewal center developed to help those who really want to change their current lifestyle and break the bondage of addictions,” said Chestnutt, “We believe there is victory through Jesus Christ and the truths of the Bible. We are missionaries to addicted men and their families. If someone is looking for good soil to sow in, this is good soil.”
Southeastern Carolina Crossroads is a Christian Renewal Center. Hmmm, renewal, you ask? Meaning to ‘renew’ a Christian? Yes, this center was developed to help those who really want to change, but need to get out of their present environment and break the cycles of behavior that have supported their life-altering addictions. “In my experience, it takes 6 weeks to break a habit”, said Chestnutt, “We offer a 42 day program to enable a man to make the changes he needs to make, changes in himself.”
How do they do this? It started about 10 years ago when it was demonstrated that this area needed such a facility. (According to the NC Department of Social Services, 5% of the population is afflicted daily with seemingly unconquerable addictions.) In 2005, SECC received its 501(c)(3) status, leasing the property from the state, (with maintenance stipulations) after Eckerd Youth Alternatives vacated the campus in 2011. “The property stood empty for 4 years before we got it,” Chestnutt commented to Cannon. “That’s right,” Cannon said to me. “You should have seen it when we first got here. There were pine trees growing in the gutters of the residences, plumbing was falling through the ceiling in one building, and the walk-in freezers are not working still.”
The photos above show how far they have come in restoring the rustic beauty of the campus from the overgrowth of the past few years. Tucked nicely back into the woods, SECC does not hire laborers, as the restoration is done by those men in residence, who bring their life skills with them and learn how to put their talents to new uses for the Glory of God, for the betterment of their lives, and for the restoration of their dignity.
SECC provides room and board, personal care, and habilitation services in a group environment, for men who want to break addictions to drugs or alcohol. They are able to offer this valuable experience that changes lives through the benevolent contributions of concerned citizens, businesses, churches, and civic organizations, which go the extra mile to help the fellow man. SECC is an Open Door, Non-Denominational, Christian charity. “You talk about a shoestring budget; we operate here on a broken shoestring tied together budget,” joked Cannon. “We lease the property from the state but we have expenses to pay, like electricity, and we are looking for investors, because we do not receive any state or federal funding.” Director Chestnutt said, “Well, I don’t want anyone to think we don’t have enough to eat, cause we do, but nothing is wasted here. We don’t spend anything wastefully.”
SECC receives some of its food needs from the local Food Pantry Ministry, Food Loin Food Stores, and others. Non-perishable foods are donated in bulk from several sources, but there is always a need for items that can only be consumed fresh like: milk, bread, eggs, etc. Southeastern Carolina Crossroads gratefully accepts thoughtful donations like these daily. Please call (910) 549-8487. They are also looking for a solution to the problem of refrigeration. Currently they are making use of a few small kitchen refrigerators because the walk-in freezers that are built in to the facility are non-operational. Any assistance the community can offer to solve this problem and repair the equipment would be most appreciated, and tax deductible. Please send donations to: Southeastern Carolina Crossroads, P. O. Box 2023, Elizabethtown, NC, 28337
As the SECC residents repair the roofs and gutters of the buildings on the campus, they also repair their relationships with God. Southeastern Carolina Crossroads is a faith-based ministry, believing that with God, all things are possible. These men repair their relationships with themselves, their families and their communities. They practice a regimented schedule for their 42 days of residency and make new healthy habits that instill discipline, responsibility, and pride in a job well done. The motto of SECC is Help for Today; Hope for Tomorrow.
The residents rise early for breakfast and Memory Verses, and work 6 days per week. Some of their time is spent in classes and watching self-help DVD’s or listening to CD’s. They have Sunday morning Worship Service, daily devotions, and 3 weekly evening services, and fellowship. There are no cell phones, radios, or secular movies/music allowed.
The campus covers 400 acres at 1086 Susie Sand Hill Road, Elizabethtown. Phase 1 of the project is starting with 4 houses currently in use for a capacity of 24. (This phase was scheduled to open on July 1st, but there has been such a need that SECC began accepting residents a couple of weeks ago.) Each of these houses is named for one of the gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and each house has 4-6 residents, and a counselor. Director Chestnutt and his (missionaries) staff members, Darrell Worley and Roby Jones, have coordinated a whale of an operation and see to it that the day-to-day operation runs smoothly.
Several ideas are floating around about how best to continue this mission. Some churches have given SECC an old-fashioned pounding. (A pound of this and a pound of that.) Some groups might even sponsor a bed in the SECC facility, as an ongoing local ministry, covering the costs of providing one bed for one man. If you would like to become a part of this ministry, please contact David Chestnutt at SECC by phone at: (910) 549-8487; or by email at: secarolinacrossroads@gmail.com. Donations can be sent to Southeastern Carolina Crossroads, P. O. Box 2023, Elizabethtown, NC 28337.
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