World Changers

July 19-24, World Changers came to Franklin. With those of you unfamiliar with World Changers and what it is, allow me to explain. WC is a program of the North American Mission Board. It allows youth groups to select from a list the location they would like to do a project. Nationwide, there are 80 different locations. The groups travel to the project on the specific week, sleep on the floor of a school or church, are divided up with people they do not know to create "crews", sweat during the day, and to beat all, they pay to do it!

I have been a part of WC since 1998. From '98 to 2002, I was a participant of WC. 2003, I went to Penang, Malaysia for International World Changers. In '04 & '05, I worked for WC Summer Staff, meaning I traveled for the entire summer with a team of three other people and did 4 to 5 projects each summer. In '06, I went back to Malaysia. I didn't do anything in 2007 as we were planning a wedding for the fall, in retrospect, I totally could have done something. In 2008, I traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand with IWC. In 2009 and 2010, I served as a Project Coordinator for the Franklin, NC project.

July 19-24 of this summer was the week that WC came into town. The summer staff came in a few days earlier than the project starting so that we could do set up and have everything ready to go as the groups arrived on Monday.

The project went really well. We had groups from Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. Total, we had 240 participants, 26 crews, and 19 homes worked on. We were thankful and praised Jesus for having very few injuries and nothing serious. For sure, it was a great week and I am thankful to have been a part of it.

Groups arrive on Monday, work Tuesday - Friday, and go home on Saturday. Each night, we had worship. It was great and definitely the highlight of each evening for me. It was also a major help that the speaker was super good looking.... his name was Brandon.

Brandon Breedlove. :) Really though, he did a great job, even though he was nervous speaking to students. I feel as though the week was an encouragement to the both of us and I am grateful that we had this experience together.

I want to point out that World Changers is not only to change the world of the homeowner, but it is to change the world of the participant. The hope is that the participants that travel to a project location will return home prepared to share the gospel and meet the needs of those in their own community.

Enjoy a few pictures from the week:

This is the Summer Staff: Rachel, Neal, Meredith, Cameron

A radio interview with Charlie at WPFJ, The Dove.

This is two participants and Rachel from Summer Staff.

This is Allie. She was my right arm, left arm, and brain throughout the week. She is a trooper and does ANYTHING that needs to be done.

A special girl and I am so glad she was with us for the week, it wouldn't have been the same without her.