Forgotten at the Fair

For 11 days each October, the NC State Fair bursts with food, lights, laughter, and crowds. But behind the scenes—tucked between the rides and the vendors—are stories too often unseen. This year, on the Baptists on Mission Health Screening Bus, more than 446 people stepped through our doors for free medical screenings, conversation, prayer, and care. Many were fairgoers, but a significant number were the workers who spend long days serving others while carrying silent burdens of their own.

The Health Screening Bus was faithfully staffed by volunteers from churches across North Carolina—both medical and non-medical—along with our leadership team: Sheila Prevatte RN, and Ken & Rhonda Brown. Their steady presence ensured that operations ran smoothly and lovingly throughout all 11 days of the fair. They helped to make sure every person seen was offered a Gospel tract. To our knowledge only one person declined to accept the offer.

But for Sheila Prevatte—BOM Board member, registered nurse, and dedicated servant from First Baptist Salisbury—this year brought a moment she will never forget. It came in the form of a young fair worker named Sam.

A Young Man, a Hard Road

“Sheila, there’s someone here for screening.”

That’s how their conversation began.

Sam’s young face showed the wear of a life lived under strain. While machines processed his cholesterol and diabetes tests, he opened up about why he’d come to Raleigh. He had traveled from another state, hoping to earn some money working in a booth where workers guess people’s weight, age, or birth month. He spoke quietly, sharing that when the fair ended, he’d return home—not to something exciting, but to a bartender job he dreaded.

His depression screening confirmed he was struggling. Sheila gently continued the conversation.

“I asked him if he knew the Lord,” she recalls. “With moist eyes, he said yes, but that he hadn’t been following his faith for a long time.”

Right there in the middle of the bustling fairgrounds, Sheila reminded him that God had been with him the whole time—through every hardship, every burden, and every lonely night. With Sam’s permission, she prayed with and for him. Tears streamed down his face.

Before he left, he made a small promise:

“One day, I’ll bring you a teddy bear from my stand.” A few days passed. The bus bustled with volunteers and nursing students. Then, Sheila spotted a small bag of stuffed animals near the front.

“I assumed some of our student volunteers had won them,” Sheila said. But the students quickly told her a fair worker had dropped them off and said they were for “the lady on the bus.” Sheila smiled softly. “I asked if he happened to say his name. Yes, He did.” It was Sam. She had prayed for him every day since they first met. And he had not forgotten.

The next morning, before the fair opened, Sheila was outside setting up when she heard a voice behind her: “Did you get your animals?” It was Sam—smiling big, brighter than before. “You turned this fair around for me,” he said. “You really helped me. I know I’m going to be alright now.” Then he wrapped his arms around her in a grateful hug.

Among thousands of fairgoers each day, Sam had been invisible. A young man living quietly in pain, hoping someone—anyone—might see him. That day, God allowed Sheila to be in the right place, at the right time. To listen. To pray. To remind Sam of his worth and God’s love.

“He gives each of us those opportunities,” Sheila says. “We just have to be ready to recognize them—and act on them—to show God’s love to others.”

No One Should Be Forgotten—At the Fair or Anywhere

Baptists on Mission’s dental and health screening buses exist for moments just like this. They are available for churches, ministries, and community organizations across North Carolina to use as tools of outreach—offering free care, compassion, and the hope of Christ.

No one should be forgotten at the fair.

No one should be forgotten in your community, either.

Mobile Dental Ministry | Health Screening Ministry