MALVERN, Ark. (BP) — There’s a truck stop along I-30 just north of Malvern, Ark., known as JJ’s. It’s been there for years, and some might notice a small, white building on the edge of the property at the end of the parking lot.
For more than 20 years, that building, known as the Traveler’s Chapel, has been a refuge for truckers who work long hours and may be away from their families for extended periods of time. Central Baptist Association sponsors the chapel, which is run by Chaplain Vince Perkins and a group of dedicated volunteers.
With the ongoing pandemic, the chapel has had to suspend services, but that hasn’t stopped Perkins and the volunteers from ministering to those who are crucial to keeping the country running.
Ernest DeSoto, associational missionary for Central Baptist Association, said he and Perkins started searching for solutions to keep reaching truck drivers during this time of uncertainty. He noticed that some churches were turning to FM transmitters for drive-in services to minister to their people, so he ordered one, thinking the airwaves would be a place to minister to truckers even while unable to meet face to face.
He collaborated with Perkins to create a message of hope and appreciation on an iPhone to run on a continuous loop 24 hours a day. The message would be broadcast within range of the truck stop parking lot. They talked to the truck stop owner, with whom they’ve had a close relationship over the years, to ask if they could post signs and distribute flyers with take-out meals to advertise the station.
Source: Baptist Press
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