Our Story

The Water Drive

Roar Of Relief started before it was truly thought of. After Hurricane Helene hit the southeast in September of 2024, Hayden felt called to take action. That Monday, he prompted the SGA at the college he attended to organize a Water & Supply Drive for North Carolina.

One of the student senators coined the name “Roar Of Relief” symbolic to the fact that their campus mascot was a lion, and this was the name of the water drive. This drive itself was a great success, engaging members both from the campus and the community.

The First Mission Trip

Even while the Water Drive was still underway, Hayden believed that God was calling him to more. His only exposure to the tragedies of Hurricane Helene were videos he had seen on Instagram showing the devastation in places like Chimney Rock, Biltmore Village, and the River Arts District.

So, he started trying to determine what it would take for a small group of people to travel to Asheville, because his Fall Break was only two weeks away. But between finances, lack of accommodations, and the number of people saying it was unsafe, there seemed to be no green lights.

But the call didn’t go away.

In two weeks, God provided team members, lodging, funding, and transportation for the mission trip to Asheville, North Carolina, in fall of 2024.

The “Pre-Season” Mission Trips

Students With A Mission
Asheville, North Carolina

Five students, armed with little more than a call to serve, traveled to Buncombe County during their Fall Break, two weeks after Helene, to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse in the area.

Their work at a mobile home park in Swannanoah consisted primarily of working to clear out debris, cabinets, flooring, and furniture from a home that had been submerged in over 3 feet of water.

Kingdom Impact

The tasks ranged from tearing out entire strips of drywall, carrying out the bathtub and an entire row of cabinets, to sweeping the saggy subflooring and pulling nails out of the wall studs. In theory, they were meaningless, mundane, dirty tasks.

However, our team had an incredible opportunity to connect with the other volunteers working in that home. They also had the opportunity to hear that the homeowner had dedicated his life to Christ.

The Mission Continued
Valdosta, Georgia

After the trip to Asheville, Hayden initially thought that his time in disaster missions was over. However, it wasn’t long at all before he felt that God was calling him to continue pursuing it, and so an early December trip to Valdosta, Georgia, entered the realm of possibility.

The Test Of Doubt

From the start, the Valdosta Mission trip seemed daunting. But soon God provided funding and the members of the team—so it appeared.

The night before Arrival Day, three of the four team members traveling with Hayden to Valdosta cancelled, and transportation fell through.

Hayden was discouraged, and felt that God was telling him to stand down. But Gabriel, his best friend and the remaining member of the team, encouraged him, singlehandedly rearranging transportation and arrangements.

The team, now consisting only of two members—Hayden and Gabriel—spent their time in Valdosta clearing brush and fallen trees, ministering to homeowners, and connecting with fellow volunteers. Even though the outcome was disappointing to human expectations, Hayden and Gabriel did not regret moving forward with the trip. And Hayden believed that God had used the setback to test his faith and obedience, which thanks to Gabriel, he was able to hold on to.

Questions Of Purpose
Chimney Rock, North Carolina

This time, once again, the trip was just two people—Hayden and Gabriel. And this time, their place with the team they were assigned to seemed almost valueless. The work, which consisted of laying wood and tile floors in the Riverwatch Bar and Grill, seemed many times to be progressing quite well without the RoR duo.

But many late-night conversations over those three days, as well as one very memorable conversation with the project supervisor, rekindled the same calling and conviction in Hayden and Gabriel—not just to continue on the trips, but to take it a step further.

Birth Of A Mission

Gabriel and Hayden both decided that forming a long-term project or organization was something that God was calling towards. Therefore, even before they began to travel home, they were brainstorming, setting up things, and planning out what the logistics of Roar Of Relief Student Missions would look like.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

The Clockwork of RoR Missions

The Board Of Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for guiding the general and overall mission, vision, and direction of RoR Missions.

Currently, as its sole leadership, they are also responsible for planning trips.
This team also serves as the point of contact for fundraising and public relations.

Each of the Board Members is prayerfully considered as a team asset by the already existing members of the Board, and this team is the consistent groundwork of RoR Missions.

Organizational Officers

As RoR grows, its Bylaws also provide for the appointment of various officers, such as a President and Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

Mission Team Leads

Each Mission Team has at least two leaders—the Mission Team Lead and Co-Lead. These leaders, however, aren’t necessarily tasked with active guidance of the team members. Their role is to ensure that the logistics, arrangements, and plans are carried out.

The Team Lead and Co-Lead are first responders in making sure that things go smoothly, funds are handled responsibly, and unexpected occurrences are handled as efficiently and responsibly as possible.

Team Leads are the point of contact for the team during the trip. In situations where team communication may be challenging, the Team Lead and Co-Lead do their best to ensure that at least one of them can be reached around the clock as much as possible.

Additionally, the Co-Lead’s role is also one of learning and development. Many times, the goal for Co-Leads is that they will be Team Leads in the future, and they are chosen with this in mind.

God, Infinite & Perfect

We believe in the one and true Creator God, author and architect of the universe and all within, infinite, immeasurable, and perfect in His ways. God exists outside the bounds of time and without the need for a creator or sustainer.
_{Genesis 1:1, Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 40:28, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17}

The Triune God

We believe in the Triune Nature of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being three persons and one God, equal in glory and Godhead.
_{Matthew 28:19, John 1:1,14; 14:16-17, II Corinthians 13:14}

God, Creator Of Manind

We believe that God, creator of all things in perfection, created mankind perfect, for His Glory. We believe also that mankind was created in God’s perfect image, and that his life and value to God are absolute from the time of conception. And we believe that God created man to live in unity and community with one another, both in the holy unity of marriage between one man and one woman, and in the blessed bonds of friendship and brotherhood in family and with one another.
_{Genesis 1:27, Job 33:4, Psalm 139:13-16, Jeremiah 1:5}

The Fall Of Mankind

We believe that mankind, choosing his own desires and understanding above God’s, sinned against God, forfeited perfection, and brought sin into the world as an inheritance to all of creation.

As a result of this inheritance of sin, all of mankind is cursed in the flesh to be bound by sin and is unable, of his own merit or effort, to attain the standard of righteousness. Every person, from birth, is condemned in the flesh to be according to the flesh.
_{Genesis 3:6,17. Isaiah 59:2, Romans 3:23; 5:12; 7:22-24, Ephesians 2:1}

Redemption Through Christ Jesus

We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to be born of a virgin. We believe that Jesus willingly descended, remaining fully God in His Godhead, but becoming also fully man to become God With Us.

As man, Jesus lived a life free of the sin that our flesh cannot escape, and willingly accepted death, the penalty of that sin, upon His perfect self. Jesus entered a place of separation, being himself forsaken by God, to bear the weight of the sin of all mankind, for all mankind, and he willingly gave up his life as a ransom for our souls.

We believe that after three days in the grave, during which He descended into Hell, Jesus rose from the grave and returned from death to life, and so conquered death, leaving it powerless against those redeemed by His blood. We believe that He offers each of us the redemption of His blood, washing us white and presenting us as perfect and righteous before the Father.

We believe that in His great love for us, he advocates on our behalf, offering His payment of death and triumph of resurrection to life as the ransom for the sins of all who accept that gift. We believe that by acknowledging our status as sinners, surrendering our own efforts to our need for a Savior, and yielding our sinful desires to allow Him to transform us from our sinful selves, we are freely given this gift of salvation from the curse of our flesh and from the penalty of our sins.

_{John 1:14, Romans 3:23-26; 5:8; 6:9; 7:25-8:11, I Corinthians 15:3-4, Ephesians 1:7, Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 2:9, I Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 4:15, I Peter 2:24}

The Holy Scriptures

We believe that God has given us, through the divine inspiration of mankind, the living, Holy, and God-Breathed word of God in the Scriptures. We believe that the scriptures are inerrant and perfect, communicating to us the nature and person of God and His love for us.
_{Psalm 19:7-9, Matthew 5:18, II Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, II Peter 1:20-21}

The Great Commission & Coming Return Of Christ

Finally, we believe that He is returning in due time to call to an end the reign of sin over mankind and restore perfection in a new heaven and a new earth. He has commanded us with all of our beings to share His name through our lives and our ministry, calling others to accept His gift of salvation, growing ever closer to Him as he transforms us into the likeness of His righteousness for a witness to Him here on earth.
_{Matthew 24:30-31, Acts 1:11, Romans 8:16-19; I Thesssalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 21:1-4; 22:12}

Where your Money Goes

When you support Roar Of Relief through your monetary support, those funds are pooled into the RoR Mission Fund, and used to ensure that resources are utilized and allocated responsibly.

The Waves

The ocean waves represent the presence and protection of God over those in need. Our mission is to serve these people, and we believe that God can use us in His plan to be present for those who call on Him—and to share Him with those who may not know the depths of His love.

When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2

The Swords

The swords crossed behind the shield represent the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Our mission is ultimately to speak and to share the Word with those we encounter, serve, and interact with.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

The Lion

The lion represents the Lion of the tribe of Judah, a symbol of Christ as King and Conqueror, the center of the Gospel we exist to share and the one who has called us to go and make disciples.

And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered.

Revelation 5:5a

The Crown & Castle

The design of the crown on the lion’s head stands to represent the kingship of Jesus over our lives and our mission. The design of the crown as a castle on a hill represents our calling to be the light of the world, a city on a hill which cannot be hidden.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

The Cross

The cross at the top and center of the design stands to proclaim the truth and meaning of the gospel we proclaim.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:8

The Shield

The three shields, representative of the Shield of Faith, encompass the design of the logo in full. On their own, they represent the faith that guides us, and the faith that encompasses much of the history and growth of RoR.

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, witth which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:16

The unity of three represents the unity with which we are to live and to carry out the Great Commission, and the calling we have to maintain fellowship with one another, lifting each other up in the faith.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

I Thessalonians 5:11

Their placement in front of the swords, and the placement of the shields as the primary framework of the logo itself, represents the place of faith as the forefront of our witness and our testimony, which gives our words and actions their meaning.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

not a result of works, so that no one may boast

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Their culmination at the top in the cross, as well as the depth of the lion’s incorporation into their fuller design, represents Christ as the author and finisher of our faith.

… Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1b-2