While most students spend their summer on vacation or getting extra sleep, James Cash along with more than 105 youth and their leaders spend their free time roofing, painting, building ramps and completing a variety of construction projects in the Indianapolis community.
“My favorite part about World Changers is serving people,” explained Cash, 17. “I came to help people who are in need and in the process share the love of Christ.”
Since 1990, World Changers has provided Christian youth and adults with opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others through practical learning experiences that teach servant-hood and personal commitment to missions.
World Changers travels from city to city for one week to help a prearranged youth group transform a local neighborhood in need of assistance. Groups are housed in local schools, churches or college amenities. Each organization has one counselor for every five participants. Counselors are a part of the youths’ church group and also labor with them.
Participants range from grades 6-12 and can be in a team as small as three. College students can also join with their church group but have the option to attend alone.
“World Changers provides the opportunity for students to gain hands on missions experience and give back some of what God has given them,” said John Bailey, student volunteer mobilization manager.
Not only were the Indianapolis World Changers team recently able to carry out home improvement and clean-up tasks, but also in the afternoon they had Bible study, worshipped and participated in team building activities.
Although free in its worship, the organization does not force their Christian beliefs on any individual, according to Brittany Smith, mission communication specialist of World Changers. She says some people within the community will come by and ask “why are you here?” and they respond “because God loves us and we want to show that God loves you too by the work that we do.”
“It has given me a whole different outlook on my ministry as a Christian,” said Smith. “A lot of people think that they have to go to the streets and say do you know Jesus, and witness in that way. But really it’s about meeting people’s needs, giving and showing them the love of Christ in a practical way.”
That love for Christ has led more than 25,000 students registered this summer to participate in over 100 projects around the world. The organization is not only out to change the world but also people’s views of the “typical” Christian as well.
“I came to show people that Christians are not always hypocritical,” said Hayley Synder, 15. “We care about people.”
Synder and the rest of the Indianapolis crew, divided into teams titled Cool Caulkers, Glueless and Hand Saws, worked on a local resident’s home.
Linda Floyd, a resident who received new windows, explained how students creating windows for her was something she needed. She wishes more churches would get involved with World Changers.
“World Changers is basically creating a miracle. I’m really blessed to have them here,” said Floyd.
In a world where thinking about yourself can become effortless, a group of youth and their leaders are sacrificing their time to a community and genuinely feel for the people they provide their services to.
“This experience of servant-hood is life changing,” said volunteer Bailey.
For more information, call 1-800-462-VOLS or visit www.world-changers.net.
