Global Missions

Heritage members take seriously Jesus’ call to “go into all the world and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19). Many of our members have served or plan to serve as short-term volunteers through mission trips offered by the church. Throughout the year, our whole church family supports global mission endeavors through several international partnerships. During the month of October of each year, we focus our giving to support these partners and their specific ministries.

Global Missions Partnerships

Holguin, Cuba 
For several years, HBC has provided support to Iglesia Bautista Monte de los Olivos (Mount of Olives Baptist Church) in Holguin, Cuba. Pastor Rene Rodriguez and his wife, Olga, lead this vibrant congregation that reaches a large number of young people in their community. Heritage members have made two visits to Mt. of Olives. We also provide annual financial support and have sent gifts and medicines via other groups traveling to Cuba.

Balama, Liberia 
In 2006, Jessy Togbadoya returned to his native Liberia to begin a new ministry in his home village of Balama. Since then, the Balama Project (www.balamaproject.org) flourished in the war-torn country of West Africa.

Before coming to Heritage, HBC pastor Michael Tutterow worked with Jessy to develop the Balama Project ministry that now provides education to more than 350 students, economic development through micro-credit loans and a local brick-making industry, and spiritual care to several thousand residents in a cluster of villages around Balama.

By providing scholarships to adults, several residents have now graduated from a nearby college and have become key leaders in sustaining the work. This has allowed Jessy to begin to duplicate the ministries in another cluster of villages in the region.

A handful of Heritage members shared in a 2007 missions trip to Balama. While there, a former HBC member developed a passion for a local orphanage in the community. He has returned to Cartersville and founded Orphan Aid Liberia (www.orphanaidliberia.org), which now provides food, shelter, education and medical care to more than 100 children orphaned during Liberia’s 14-year civil war.

Heritage members helped to construct a new orphanage building in 2010, and in 2012 developed a solar-powered system that now provides electricity for the orphanage.

Chiapas, Mexico 
Each year, Heritage sends two medical mission teams to the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico. The trips grew out the passion of Richard Young, a church member and pediatrician in the community, who first participated in a mission trip 11 years ago. That life-changing trip led Richard to found Medical Missions Unlimited, a non-profit medical ministry.

Each year, church members travel to the remote mountain villages of Chiapas to hold medical clinics. Working alongside missionaries Chuck and Ramona Shawver, the teams provide the only medical services most of the mountain residents ever receive.