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Please pray for us!

Here are some specific needs:

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As A.T. Servants grows, there is a greater need for Craig to be full-time in ministry (he is currently working at Regions Bank).  Please pray that God provides our full-time financial support.

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Begin praying that God will raise up volunteers for next season.  Last season we had volunteers in Georgia and Virginia.  Next season, we hope to have consistent Trail Angels in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia!  

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************* Pray that the deeds of Trail Angels will be seen by thru-hikers as the good deeds of the church and Christians and not the individual Trail Angel.

************* Pray for partnership contacts to open in North Carolina.

************* Pray for Trail Angel leaders to: be developed in each state.

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Since Craig and Suzy will be traveling to the 14 states that host the A.T. (to train volunteers), please pray that God will receive a R.V. for them to live in.  

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  Pray for the following hikers:

Jack

Joshua

Mother Nature

Shout Out

Kaya

Meg

Flyin' Brian--hiked 7,000 miles in one year

Scraggley

John

Helga--husband recently deceased.  Now off of the trail.

Scraggs

Gordo

Quest

Silvergirl

Martin

Becky

Meg

Zach

Emory

Mary

Chigger

Casey

Regular Bryan

Julie

Doc Boston

Jason

Swiss Miss

Adam

Adam2

Blaine

Pheonix

Kansas

Brain

Jason

D-Bone

Nicole

Wanderlost--77 years old, Mormon, wife deceased 5 years ago, lost his pack twice in 50 miles.

Kelly

Smokestack

Hoke

Craig--non-Christian that receive a Bible from Trail Angels

Meanderthal

Camera 1

Camera 2

Bumpo

Coyote

Opelika

Ichabod

Casey

Syracuse

Bramble--hiking for cancer research

Santa

Victory Light

Even though we are not passing out food to thru-hikers or hiking alongside them, during these last two months we have made great strides in preparing A.T. Servants for long-term ministry.  

In early June, Craig was ordained.  We were amazed at how many of our family and friends came to show him their support and offer prayers for him.  Officiated by our pastor, Ford Ash, the ceremony was beautiful and the charge to Craig was serious.  During the ceremony, Craig gave his testimony of how God led him into ministry and the ordained men prayed over him.  After the ceremony, Craig was honored by a wonderful reception prepared for him by the women of our church.  

In early July, A.T. Servants officially became incorporated as Appalachian Trail Servants, Inc..  This important step in A.T. Servants' history lays the ground work for us to grow, to spread out across the 14 states that host the Appalachian Trail, and to keep our original vision.  Soon, A.T. Servants will apply for tax exemption status.  

Trail angeling is a great experience.  It means a lot to me. It might be one of those things that mean different things to different people, but what I have understood is that we are not out there to ask people a lot of personal questions about their walk with God. We are out there to make them feel comfortable, and let them know that God and the church really does care about them.  If we put them on the spot and start asking them a bunch of questions, or hand out tracts, then they could get really uncomfortable and it might even push them farther from God.  So the main thing we want to do while we’re out there is to show the hikers love and compassion, show them that someone does love them. When we’re out there serving hikers we just show them the way to the food and drinks, and make small chit chat with them.  We always want to make sure we show them we truly love them. Even though we don’t know them, we love them with all our heart through the love of Jesus Christ.  

When picking a spot to trail angel, we don’t just go find a good place to sit around and hope we’ll catch a couple hikers. We actually calculate where a good flow of hikers would be. For example, imagine a good bit of hikers stayed at Gooch Mountain Shelter (Georgia) last night, and the majority of hikers pack up and hit the trail around 10:00 am.  They travel at about two miles per hour which would put them at Woody Gap around 1:00 pm. So we would get there at about 12:00 pm and usually pack up at about 2:00 pm, depending on the flow of hikers.    During those few hours we help the hikers, I’ve had some great experiences trail angeling with Suzy and Craig.  It really is great time for fellowship with the people in your group and with the hikers--a perfect time for a few laughs.

Linda and her husband, Jeff, have a unique ability to serve hikers because of their location on the Appalachian Trail.  They live in what is known as the friendliest hiker town on the A.T.--Damascus, Virginia.  Damascus is the home of the huge hiker festival called "Trail Days".  Through their church, Damascus First Baptist, Linda and Jeff helped to coordinate several events during the hiking season in order to reach out to hikers.  This past year they helped to feed 300 hikers a home-cooked meal at their church and they showed a movie to over 100 hikers (complete with with drinks and popcorn).  Hikers usually spend a number of days in Damascus in order to rest.  Because of the festival, Linda has a chance to spend more time with hikers than typical Trail Angels.  Unlike other places on the A.T., Linda and First Baptist Damascus are able to get to know hikers, encourage them, and show them Christ's love in a deeper way.  Because of her radiance, hikers gave her the trail name "Sonshine".  She is a true servant, and she continues to keep in touch with several of the hikers that she came in contact with during Trail Days.  Below is an article, written by Sonshine, in which she describes her favorite hiker that she met this year named "Santa".  Young in age and young in his faith, Santa began hiking the Appalachian Trail with a garbage bag, a spoon, and a blanket because he believed that God wanted him to.      

THE NIGHT SANTA CAME TO TOWN

 By "Sonshine" in Damascus, Virginia

“Thanks for the movie and the food.  I really appreciate this; this was really nice.”  Those were the first words from Santa’s lips to my ears and thus a brother and a sister discovered each other.  Me from the mountains of Virginia and my little brother from the far away land of New York, yet in spite of the miles between us, we had been family for years without knowing the other’s name.  I turned to focus on a young, soft-spoken man with dark features and a smile that could only come from God Himself.  The bond was instant.  We were family.

Aptly named by the other hikers because of the garbage bag scarcely filled with his supplies thrown across his back, Santa was 18 and on the AT by himself.  The Lord had told him to do a faith walk, starting with less than the necessities, but with his eyes on Him and he was obedient.  To hear him speak of God’s goodness and His provisions for him was a joy.  I was so moved by his faith and courage.  God had caused his path to cross with so many like-minded saints; he had been strengthened, blessed and encouraged.  He had, spiritually, become a giant, without even knowing it.

We shared the Word, hours of conversation, lots of good food and many prayers. My life had been forever changed by this faithful one from a distant place.  By the time he left us Santa had decided that this hike was God’s gift to him, but I say it was God’s gift to me, and to all of us who got a visit from Santa.

 Are you interested in serving with us next year?  Check out our Trail Angel page for more details.