HPU Students Explore Faith in Fall Pilgrimage, Deliver Donations After Hurricane Helene

High Point University students from differing majors recently took part in the Fall Pilgrimage, a five-day journey to help deepen their faith and explore how faith communities can make an impact. Pictured from left are Bradley Taylor, senior director for campus engagement, and Rev. Andria Williamson, associate chaplain and director of Chapel Programs, with students Benjamin Carver, Cassidy Brake, Emily Higgins and Haley Hedrick.

HIGH POINT, N.C., Nov. 25, 2024 – Seven High Point University students from differing majors recently took part in the Fall Pilgrimage, a five-day journey to help deepen their faith and explore how faith communities can make an impact.

Because of damage from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, the pilgrimage took students in another direction than originally planned. They visited five distinctly different worship services in the Piedmont Triad near the HPU campus and traveled to the mountains to distribute donated supplies of food, toiletries and clothes to Harvest House Church in Boone, North Carolina. The donations directly supported a local community affected by the hurricane. This was part of HPU’s overall effort to support western North Carolina and help with Hurricane Helene relief. The university has raised more than $33,000 for communities in western North Carolina that were impacted by Hurricane Helene in addition to donating thousands of bottles of water and hundreds of boxes of food, diapers, supplies and warm winter clothing.

“In our journey to Boone, I was able to see how God was strategically putting people and resources in the paths of others right on time,” said Haley Hedrick, a junior from Trinity, North Carolina, who is majoring in psychology and music. “I saw people showing the love of Christ through donating, building, cleaning and simply just being willing to be there through service and in prayer. I felt the love of those I was traveling with and felt so much joy and peace being in community with fellow believers the way God has called us to be. There is so much of God’s beauty to be seen and so much gratitude to be given when we simply take the time to notice God in the marvelous and in the mundane.”

Emma Higgins initially was worried she would be the only senior in the group and was skeptical whether the experience would fulfill its promise as a journey of service and faith. Her concerns faded as the first day focused on devotionals, communion and a hike at Pilot Mountain. The students had formed unexpected bonds by the third day of their journey when they provided hurricane relief in Boone.

“Seeing the resilience of those affected by the storm, coupled with the unwavering support of the local church community, was both heartbreaking and uplifting,” said Higgins, an electrical engineering major from Yonkers, New York, and HPU’s senior class president. “I was struck by how, even in their suffering, these individuals exhibited a spirit of generosity that was incredibly inspiring. It made me reflect on my own life and the ways I could give back, reinforcing the idea that true love and community shine brightest in the face of adversity. After witnessing the stark contrast of destruction amidst the breathtaking orange and gold hues of the fall trees in the mountains, it became profoundly evident that God was with us every step of the way on this trip, inviting us to meet and serve specific individuals. We learned that adversity in our world is simply temporary for just look at the beauty surrounding us. There is so much more yet to come.”

HPU Chapel Pilgrimages create space for students to be contemplative and active to increase their awareness of God’s presence and be sensitive to the movements and communication of God, said Rev. Andria Williamson, associate chaplain and director of Chapel Programs.

“This is important because it is often fertile ground for exploring and nurturing seeds of God’s calling in our lives,” Williamson said. “Throughout the pilgrimage experience, students are encouraged to be present to the needs of the community and consider ways their efforts make immediate and long-term impact. They are also encouraged to consider the ways their interests and passions speak to the needs they observe and ways they feel called to respond. It is a blessing to witness our students experience it all, and especially to become vessels for God to move, work, grow, heal and restore.”

The Fall Pilgrimage experience provided an opportunity for Benjamin Carver, a freshman religious studies major from Greensboro, North Carolina, to feel more connected to God, enriched by new relationships formed on the trip. He said he is grateful to have been part of this journey and excited about the possibility of furthering his education at one of the divinity schools he visited. It truly made a lasting impact on his life.

“Collaborating with a local church, we also assisted a lady in salvaging her cherished belongings after her house was damaged,” Carver said. “One particularly touching moment happened in her home when I had the honor to lead a prayer for peace, healing, comfort and encouragement for those affected by Hurricane Helene. Being part of the pilgrimage allowed me to make a tangible impact on the community in Boone and deepen my faith through service.”

Through traveling to different church services, Hedrick saw how people love God and choose to worship in different but equally meaningful ways.

“I did not expect to see the joy and beauty of the Lord in the way that I did,” Hedrick said. “I was able to see the ways that God is using His people. In our day-to-day lives filled with habits, routines and seeing mostly the same people and places, we often become numb to how the Lord is working, and we forget to see His hand in every aspect of our personal journeys.”