World Changers 2013

This summer, Franklin hosted two weeks of World Changers.  For those of you that may not know, World Changers is a one week hands-on mission experience made available to youth groups across the nation.  World Changers is a program of LifeWay Christian Ministries.

Though World Changers is for middle school - college age students, LifeWay employs some college students to travel throughout the summer on specific teams, in order to help lead World Changers projects.  Each year, a team of 4 college students travel to Franklin to help our project. 
This year, because Franklin was hosting two project weeks, the college students, "summer staff", stayed in Franklin for a total of three weeks. 
Brandon & I truly bonded with these students and they quickly became, "our children".  :) 

*Background Information*
I served on Summer Staff in 2004 and 2005.  I learned so much about who God was, how to serve Him, how to serve those around me, and much about myself.  I met people during those summers that still make my heart smile when I think of them.  It was an amazing experience and opportunity.   During those two summers, there were people that took us in.  They knew we were away from home, they knew that in order to have clean clothes, we had to go to the laundry mat, they knew that we had not had a home cooked meal in weeks, if not longer.
There were some people that volunteered to do our laundry, there were people that invited us into their homes so we could shower somewhere other than a school locker room, folks extended an invitation to join them at their family cookouts.  It was those people that enhanced my experience.  I learned from those people. 

*2013*
The Summer Staff, all from cities, were in Franklin, NC for three weeks and then, would go on to Cherokee, NC for another two.  Therefore, when we were not in a Franklin project and if they had a break from their Cherokee project, we spent our time together. 
We did laundry together.
Went White-Water Rafting (my first time!)
Watched movies
Took naps
Ate dinner
Went to the King's house for a cookout and corn hole
Saw Cinderella the Musical at a local theatre
Tried to watch fireworks on the 4th of July (it rained)

Brandon was able to spend time with us as we were hosting the project in Franklin.  He, too, served as coordinator, along with myself and my dad.  Rarely, is Brandon willing to be silly and allow me to catch it on camera, so I had to take advantage of this photo op.

Labor Provided By: World Changers

Throughout the entire first project in Franklin, the girls and I were so looking forward to the musical!  Paul, however, made sure Brandon was going before he committed to it. :) What troopers!

At the Breedlove home hanging out and watching movies.  If pictures had sound, I'm sure we could hear the washer and dryer running.

I have never gone white water rafting!  We decided this was just the thing to do on the 4th of July.  I was a bit nervous at first, because it had RAINED. ALL. WEEK., but I was assured that it would be ok and they were right!  We had a blast.  I'm looking forward to going again.

The Kings invited us over for a cookout.  It was fun just getting to hangout and play corn hole, which was something else I had never done before. "The boys" stuck together most of the time.

As I mentioned, my dad was a coordinator for the World Changers projects too.  It was an honor and joy to serve along side of the one that had taught me to serve to begin with.