Written by Nic Fraraccio \/\/ Photo provided by Justin Bland<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harding exercise and sports science professor Justin Bland welcomed his first missionary family at the beginning of the spring semester into the newly renovated Searcy Mission House. Harding graduate Louis Bassay has stayed at the home with Bland\u2019s family for the last three weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Cameroonian missionary has continued to work with Harding University and Cloverdale Church of Christ since graduating from the University in 2018. Bassay said his church family at Cloverdale has continued to bless the mission work he has completed at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCloverdale is the best thing that\u2019s happened to the missionary work in Cameroon,\u201d Bassay said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bassay also praised the work Bland and his wife completed when renovating the mission home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe way the Blands have dedicated themselves to the Mission House and the work they have done there is such an inspiration and a challenge to me at the same time,\u201d Bassay said. \u201cYou have to admire sacrifice, and they do it with so much love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite welcoming Bassay and his family into the mission home, Bland said he and his wife faced many obstacles that created \u201cresistance at every step.\u201d However, Bland said Cloverdale and Clairday Electric, Inc. offered a significant amount of time and resources to complete the Mission House. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The renovated mission home on North Pear Street has caught the attention of members within the Harding missionary community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harding director of Global Outreach Kenneth Graves said he believes the house will \u201cstart and strengthen connections\u201d with missionaries around the world. Graves, who served as a church planter in Brazil for 18 years, said the house will make missionary families feel at home when visiting Searcy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe biggest benefit would be the peace and privacy that they would have for their own family,\u201d Graves said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though the house will come as a benefit to missionaries around the world, Bland admitted he isn\u2019t focused on causing change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not interested in changing the world,\u201d Bland said. \u201cI\u2019m interested in being responsible with the things that God has given me to be responsible with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The house is designed to be a place of refuge for missionaries on furlough, Bland said. It will be considered for other traveling Christians in need of a temporary place to stay. Currently, guests can stay there rent free, although the house is not yet fully operational. Bland said a board will meet to determine if that policy needs to be altered in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey need a place to not be in the spotlight or under a microscope \u2014 to not have to worry about crashing on someone\u2019s futon with their kids stuffed around them, worrying about taking up someone\u2019s space or wondering what the schedule is for that family,\u201d Bland said. \u201cTypically, furlough is not a time of rest for missionaries so we want to do what we can to make it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the house continues to be used by visiting missionaries, Bland hopes the house serves as a \u201cswinging door\u201d for those who visit Searcy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how God\u2019s going to use that,\u201d Bland said. \u201cBut if every family that comes feels that they have a place of refuge, that\u2019s great. That is a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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