Success Story: The Body Shop: A Heart Healthy Change at Mt. Olive Baptist Church
One year ago, members of the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville, NC noticed that some members were spending more time in the hospital than they were in the pews.
The sick-and-shut-in ministry, volunteers who visit the sick and elderly, began to realize that the ailments affecting their congregation - high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke - could all be traced to a poor diet and lack of physical activity.
Along with the sick-and-shut-in ministry, Mt. Olive Baptist Church also has a health ministry composed of a radiology technician, a dentist, a physician's assistant, nurses, and other church members who specialize in finance and education. With a tough love approach, the sick ministry, health ministry, and Pastor Carl E. Brinkley Jr., sat down and decided to transform a nearby building into a health haven devoted to nutrition and wellness. This modest building, known to many as "The Body Shop," is housed about a block from the church grounds. They chose this centralized location in the community so that it would be available to all underprivileged community members, most of whom do not have access or transportation to a general doctor. In addition to offering health screenings and one-on-one nutritional counseling, "The Body Shop" aims to supply nutritious snacks (such as nutri-grain bars and vegetables) to the impoverished neighborhood. Nutritional counseling, conducted by a nutritionist, a physical fitness trainer and counselors in the community, includes instruction on how to cook and incorporate low sodium, low fat, and low cholesterol meals into daily life.
"The main challenge was overcoming the mistrust of the community. Everyone seemed to have the same question: ‘why are you doing this for me?’ Everyone is in disbelief we are here free of charge. To this day we continue to emphasize 'We are here to help, we don’t charge for our services!'"
The Road to Success
Devone Campbell, president of the health ministry, along with Pastor Brinkley (a vegetarian), began by offering water and vegetarian options at every church function. Initially, people were skeptical and uneasy about the new options. Today, vegetarian burgers, turkey dogs, and vegetables are some of the most requested items at church picnics!
While "The Body Shop" was being organized, Pastor Brinkley was very supportive in allowing rooms on church grounds to be used for health education classes, taught by members of the health ministry and community health specialists. Risk factors for chronic disease began to appear in the Sunday service bulletin in order to reach a broader audience. Occasionally, the pastor even uses his sermon to remind the congregation that their health is their responsibility and only they are accountable for the consequences of making poor lifestyle choices.
After the opening of "The Body Shop," Campbell, in conjunction with the Mount Olive food closet, began distributing healthy food boxes and information at "The Body Shop." The healthy food boxes contain granola bars, fruits, vegetables, and nutritious snacks, and are available to anyone in the community who happens to drop in. In a neighborhood where money is scarce, making healthy choices is much easier when food is provided free of charge.
The Cumberland County Health Department provided motivational posters to display in the building. Additional support from the Eat Smart Move More North Carolina African American Church Initiative has come in the form of technical support, book recommendations (such as Health by Choice, Not Chance by Aileen Ludington and Hans Diehl), travel expenses and lodging for the first "African Americans Churches Eating Smart and Moving More" conference, and opportunities for grant funding for projects like walking trails. At the first health screening offered at the church carnival, over 100 eager church members showed up to test their blood pressure and blood sugar. This health screening led to an overwhelming number of doctor's referrals to treat these chronic diseases that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. It was evident that the health ministry was making a difference because people were becoming aware their lifestyle choices needed an improvement.
As most church members do not feel comfortable outside on church grounds, plans to build an indoor walking trail and gym are underway. Plans for a baseball field are also in the works. As far as "The Body Shop" is concerned, a permanent location is being looked into as well as a way to hire full time employees. Currently, all help is voluntary and seven-day-a-week operating hours are merely a prayer.
There are many signs that these efforts are working. Senior members are delighted to have a place to socialize and to discuss medical concerns. They are especially looking forward to a pampering session coming soon at "The Body Shop" in which there will be pedicures and a discussion about diabetic foot care. Furthermore, this work is not going unnoticed. Other churches in the community are anxious to provide these services for their members and are looking to Mt. Olive Baptist as a guide. For the first time, the congregation at Mt. Olive Baptist in Fayetteville is using their church as more than a place of worship, but as a refuge to improve their overall quality of life.
Stepping Stones...
- Overwhelming support and modeling by a well-respected leader (such as the pastor) is often enough to get people motivated.
- People often just do not know how to prepare healthy meals; with a little guidance, everyone can make smarter choices.
- There are numerous indoor exercise options (indoor walking trail, aerobics classes, etc) that are inexpensive and can be done in any neighborhood.
- Individuals will be skeptical that health services will have hidden charges; it will require time and trust for people to see that one is there simply to help.
Contact Information
Name, Title: Devone Campbell, President of Health Ministry
Agency: Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church
Address: 118 Johnson St.
City, State, Zip: Fayetteville, NC 28303
Phone: (910) - 868 - 2770
Email: devonecamp@aol.com
