Participants pay an all-inclusive fee, and the North American Mission Board handles all the planning and arrangements. The ministry fits in neatly with existing housing rehabilitation efforts of local governments and other agencies, which routinely receive federal grants for repairing substandard homes. The advantage to us is it allows us a pathway to mobilize kids to do substantial ministry. The advantage to the agencies is our volunteers make their funding go farther. The students also are free to strike up relationships with residents and neighbors, often leading to discussions about their faith in Christ.
Students also benefit from exposure to diverse cultures and environments.
We want them to have a better understanding of how other people live that hopefully will impact them for a lifetime. That was the case, at least, for Heather Brown, a high school junior in the World Changers group from First Baptist, Walterboro. She's seen the effect the program has had on others, including a profession of faith by one tribal leader on the Catawba reservation who earlier had been overtly negative about the World Changers project. She also learned the value of servanthood and humility, lessons that have strengthened her walk with God. God told me, 'Hey, you're not here for you.