Shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 11, a silence fell over the halls at the North County Middle School in Desloge, Missouri. After a week of mid-summer activity, during which the building was animated by the presence of 296 World Changers participants, the project was over, and the last two groups, Ratcliffe Cove Baptist Church of Waynesville, North Carolina, and First Baptist Church of Marshall, Texas, departed.
As far as World Changers weeks go, and the standards by which they are often measured, it was a success. All of the work scheduled at the beginning of the week was completed, and about 90% of a job that didn’t get started until Friday was also completed. That involved one of the local supply companies donating vinyl siding in order to improve the appearance of a resident’s home that had also received a new roof. A crew that had gotten a taste of the siding frenzy at a home in Leadwood earlier in the week came over and attached the new material, making the homeowner very, very happy. Once the materials became available, the crew rose to the occasion, even working in some rain to finish as much as they could before the end of the day.
As always, there were a few glitches. Some were anticipated in advance, such as the slow line winding its way down the stairs through the single serving line in the cafeteria. When the decision was made to move the project to the middle school as a result of a schedule conflict, the size of the cafeteria raised concerns, not only with the coordinating team but also with the chef. Limited cold storage and cooking facilities made adjustments difficult, but as always, participants rose to the occasion.
Showers, too were a concern, with 170 male participants, and fewer than 130 females, 30 showers seemed not to be enough. What!? Are you kidding me? What World Changers project would not love to have 20 showers, much less 30. Keeping the ladies happy always makes for a good week, and the guys were good sports about it. There were times when they had to wait in line, and most of the time the water was barely tepid, but there was very little grumbling or griping about it. Rather, there were many stories of situations at other World Changers projects when only a small number of showers were available to both genders, and how enduring such discomfort is a mark of missions-trip maturity. So it is. If that is the case, then most of this year’s 296 participants exhibited a lot of maturity.
At rural projects, depending on the funding sources, it is more difficult to choose work sites with an equal amount of work that will keep a crew busy for the full five days of the project. Smaller communities do not receive community block grant development funds. At our project, we depend on funding from East Missouri Action Agency, a provider of services for low income families in several counties, and they are trying to meet a wide variety of needs for their clients. Other funding comes from local churches, businesses and individuals and in some cases, from homeowners who qualify for low-interest loans from the USDA. The idea is to do as much as possible with the resources on hand. As a result, it is difficult to balance all of the work so that each crew has an approximately equal amount. Homeowners qualify for different kinds of assistance. But as always, World Changers rise to the occasion.
This year, one of the suppliers provided some additional vinyl siding. One of our crews which had become experienced at installing it earlier in the week was called on to put as much of it on a home as quickly as possible beginning on Friday morning and, much to the delight of the homeowner and the construction coordinators, put as much of it as they could on the house beginning on Friday morning. Their original house was done, and they could have complained about having to start a new job on the last day of the project, but instead, while the original crew at the house finished the roof, they worked fast, at times in a drizzle, to get as much of the siding on as they could. By quitting time, 90% of it was done. That’s a great example of the World Changers spirit. All of the rest of the work, by the way, was completed.
Though completing the construction work is a high priority, there is other work that takes place at a World Changers project that is left unfinished. The local churches have some follow up to do in the wake of something like 180 presentations of the gospel, and four salvations. World Changers is an evangelistic ministry that primarily plants seeds. The harvest comes down the road, and the participants who came to St. Francois County this week will likely not be involved in the continuing spiritual work except, perhaps, for praying for it to continue. Lives were touched, the Holy Spirit came in the presence of those participants in whom he indwells, and worlds were changed. Keep praying.
There was also work to be done in the lives of participants who came from each of the church groups involved in the project. God had something planned for you, too. Sometimes we wonder, when we see participants who put more energy into avoiding work, or who resist becoming part of their crew, or who exhibit an uncooperative attitude, why they chose to participate. But for those of us who have been involved in this ministry for any length of time, we know that there is an appointed purpose for their presence. Some of the greatest work I have witnessed is not the completion of a roof, or the miraculous transformation of a house, but the miraculous transformation of a life. Sometimes we can see it taking place, at other times, it is there but it isn’t visible. But I believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, and in the intensity of a World Changers week, with all kinds of things happening around each participant, the Spirit is definitely at work. God moves and individual lives are changed.
For memories of the week, you can go to http://wcbonneterre.com and find the blog and a picture album. Also, there is a facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=244701925296&ref=mf
There are several things, or combination of things, you can do on Wednesday afternoon with your group.
Columbia Park Cookout, Pool and Concert, Park Hills
Beginning around 5:30 p.m., the city pool in Park Hills, located in Columbia Park, will be available to World Changers exclusively. The local Christian motorcycle club will provide hamburgers and hot dogs, and Parallax View, a local Christian band, will provide a concert. All of this is free of charge, and is a good time to get to know your fellow World Changers in a friendly sort of way. Local church youth groups also participate. You can stay as long as the food holds out, the music will end about 9:00. For further information, you can email our associational coordinator, Aaron Radford, at aradford@fbcbismarck.com .
Bonne Terre Mine, Bonne Terre
Bonne Terre was once a lead mining community, and the Bonne Terre mine is an underground labyrinth with a large lake. Tours are limited, so if you want to take your group to the mine, you will need to call them and make arrangements in advance. Their website is http://www.2dive.com/btm.htm .
Bonne Terre Family Fun Center, Bonne Terre
Mini golf, bowling, batting cages, go carts and other fun stuff. Web site http://bonneterrefamilyfuncenter.com/
Movie Theater, Farmington
Website: http://www.kerasotes.com/Home.aspx
Float Trips, Bonne Terre Area
http://www.cherokeelanding.com/
Several groups have asked about float trips. There are several well known landings about 40 minutes from the area, but they are not recommended, due to the crowds there in the summer, and the fact that the atmosphere of floating the river is probably not conducive to a youth group outing. The website above is for a local landing in Bonne Terre which does float trips on the Big River. You would need to make advance reservations, and inquire about their group rates, and whether or not they could accomodate your group during an afternoon, since they request that trips be concluded by dusk.
St. Louis Area Attractions
Website: http://www.stlouisattractions.com/
St. Louis is an hour’s drive. The closest indoor shopping mall to St. Francois County is South County Mall, on I-55 at Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Louis.
The Zoo is great, and closes at 7:00 p.m., which would give you three or four hours to be there, and then go to dinner somewhere. http://www.stlzoo.org/yourvisit/hourspricesdirections.htm
You would probably not be able to get tickets to the train that goes up inside the Gateway Arch in time to get in line that evening, but there are a lot of good eating places next door in Laclede’s Landing, including the Old Spaghetti Factory at 727 N. First Street.
Riverboat Cruises are available, including dinner cruises aboard the Tom Saywer and the Becky Thatcher. Here’s a website http://www.mytravelguide.com/attractions/profile-78224705-United_States_Missouri_St_Louis_Gateway_Riverboat_Cruises.html. If you do a cruise, please note the time of departure and arrival.
State Parks in the Area
Several nearby state parks offer swimming on river beaches, and some interesting attractions. Many of them are within an hours drive of the area.
Lots to do!
Three weeks until the project begins. Here are some things you need to know.
Additions and Drops. A few groups will have some participants added or dropped at the last minute. Please call the Project Coordinator, Lee Saunders, on either Friday or Saturday after you have gathered your group and you know exactly who is and isn’t coming, and let him know if you have any drops or additions. Then get in the van and head out!
Lodging Facility. Remember, even though this is officially the “Bonne Terre” World Changers project, the lodging facility is in Desloge, Missouri, four miles from Bonne Terre, at North County Middle School, on east Chestnut Street. You’ll get a map.
Fourth of July Stuff. Please advise your students that both World Changers policy and Missouri state law forbids the possession or use of fireworks on school premises. In addition, fireworks are prohibited at work sites, and in the vehicles transporting students to and from worksites. This is a safety and liability issue.
We will worship at Sonrise Baptist Church in Bonne Terre on Saturday, July 4th, and after worship, go out on their back parking lot to watch the fireworks display from the city of Bonne Terre.
Wednesday Afternoon Off. If you are planning on taking a tour of the Bonne Terre mine, you need to call and make advance reservations. Space on the tours is limited.
The pool in Park Hills will be open to our group exclusively beginning at 5:30 p.m., and there will be food and drink available in the park ramada nearby. Parallax View, a local Christian band, will also perform. World Changers groups are welcome to participate in this activity.
There is a family fun center in Bonne Terre. You can check out their website here http://bonneterrefamilyfuncenter.com .
St. Louis is an hour’s drive north. There are activities at the riverfront, and in Forest Park, including a world class zoo. If you go to St. Louis, let us know, and make sure you plan to arrive back at the lodging facility by 11:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, email the project coordinator at lsaunders@gobc.org.
The coordinating team of the World Changers project in Bonne Terre, Missouri has been praying for each church coming to the project since we first learned of your registration. We have been planning and preparing for your arrival literally since the last project was winding down in July of 2008, through the registration process, the coordinator retreat in Spartanburg, SC in January, the pre-project visit in April, and now we are at the final deadline for all of the paperwork to be turned in and the final balances paid.
We are expecting the Lord to do great and awesome things among us when we come together as a group on July 4th, and get ready to be servants in Jesus’ name.
Here’s a chance for you and the members of your group to share your prayers and notes of encouragement in advance of the project. Please give this web address to each of your participants, and ask them to leave a comment here as their “online encouragram” to the other participants in their group, and in other groups. You can also share this with your church members, and have them post comments here to encourage those from your group who are participating in the project.
Thank you for coming. We are looking forward to meeting you, and working with you and your group in Bonne Terre next month!
The following items are due by JUNE 1, 2009 for the Bonne Terre World Changers project:
1. Final balance payment to the World Changers office at NAMB in Alpharetta, along with a copy of your roster.
2. Copy of your roster, showing school grade completed, date of birth, gender, etc. of your participants is due to the Project Coordinator Lee Saunders. You can fax this to him at 713-864-5243 or email it (word or PDF preferred) to lsaunders@gobc.org. Please send us the correct spelling of names, since this is the list we will use to make crew assignments and print encouragram envelope labels.
3. Crew Encourager applications are due to the project coordinator Lee Saunders. Please see fax and email addresses above. You can also send them by snail mail at 13935 Oakwood Lane, Sugar Land, TX 77498 or to Garden Oaks Baptist Church, ATTN: Lee Saunders, Associate Pastor, 3206 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, TX 77018.
We are still in need of both Crew Encouragers and Crew Chiefs.
4. Transportation forms, showing vehicles, capacity and individuals from your group who are eligible to drive them. Please indicate the preferred driver of the vehicle, i.e. if one of your crew chiefs needs to drive your church van because he is carrying his tools with him.
5. Special requests for crew assignments are also due June 1. This would include separating those you think do not need to be on the same crew, youth with special ministry needs who need to be on a crew with a specific adult from your church, husbands and wives you want together (or separate as the case may be).
It is extremely important that you return all of these things to where they belong by June 1 so that we can get everything ready for you at the project when you come through the front door.
If you have not already completed your pre-project training sessions, and your local mission project with your group, please do so soon. Also, please spend some quality time with your participants, adults and youth, in evangelism training prior to coming to the project. As you know, we can’t do extensive evangelism training on Sunday afternoon and we expect your participants to come with adequate training in this area. Some of the worksites in this particular project are funded by the homeowners themselves who are able to buy materials but not able to afford the labor that would be required to work on their home. Many of these individuals are elderly. Some of the worksites have been chosen because the homes are in neighborhoods where there will be lots of ministry opportunities to the neighbors, and in which there are other potential worksites for future projects. So it will be important for your students to come prepared to share their faith.
We are looking forward to working together. Just six weeks from now, you’ll be arriving in Bonne Terre/Desloge.
June 1, 2009
FINAL BALANCE due to the World Changers office. When you send your final balance, you are also to send a roster of your participants. There is a form for doing so. Please make separate lists of boys and girls, include their school grade completed, for adults, date of birth, and send one copy with your final balance. Send a second copy to Lee Saunders, Project Coordinator. You can fax it or mail it, but he needs to receive it within the week. Please make sure it is legible (if you are like me, that means typing it) and that all of your names are spelled correctly, because this is the list we use to make crew assignments.
June 1, 2009
Crew Encourager Applications are due to Lee Saunders, Project Coordinator. I’ve heard from every group that you have adults who are desiring to volunteer in this capacity, but I’ve only received a few applications. It is very important for us to have this paperwork on file, along with the consent for a background check. You can mail them or fax them to me.
Special Requests regarding crew assignments should be received by the project coordinator prior to June 19th. This would include husbands/wives serving together, splitting up particular students such as boyfriend/girlfriend combinations, putting students with special ministry needs on a crew with you or one of your other adults, or other similar requests. We cannot accomodate requests to place specific students together on a crew.
Transportation Forms are due to the project coordinator by June 1. The signature forms to be signed by drivers can be brought with you to the project.
CREW CHIEF APPLICATIONS
If you would like for your church’s crew chiefs to be considered for this year’s project in Bonne Terre, you need to get their applications to Craig Pope, our construction coordinator, this week if possible. Craig is in the process of choosing houses and needs to know what kind of construction skills he has on the way. You can fax your applications to Craig at Sonrise Baptist Church in Bonne Terre, at (573) 358-4302 or mail them c/o Craig Pope, Sonrise Baptist Church, 454 Berry Rd., Bonne Terre, MO 63628.
CREW ENCOURAGER APPLICATIONS
In order for adults from your church to be considered as crew encouragers, the applications must be submitted by June 4. After that date, crew encouragers will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fax these to Lee Saunders at (713) 864-5243 or send them to him at 13935 Oakwood Lane, Sugar Land, TX 77498.
We have a full project, and we are anticipating at least 26-27 crews, so we need all the adult help we can get. Also, please note that it is extremely important for the adults who volunteer to serve to complete the paperwork, including references.
PRE-PROJECT VISIT
The Pre-project visit is set for April 24-25. We will tour the lodging facility, look at options for Wednesday afternoon off, look at some of the worksites and answer any and all questions about the project. We are planning to meet at 2:30 p.m. on the 24th at the Super 8 Motel lobby in Bonne Terre, and from there, we will tour the lodging facility at North County Middle School in Desloge. We will have a general meeting at dinner that evening. Saturday morning, we will meet in the hotel lobby at 8:30 for a tour of some of the worksites around the area. We will adjourn and you can head home around noon. If you have not already done so, you need to contact the Super 8 in Bonne Terre to make arrangements for a room in the World Changers/Lee Saunders block of rooms at our negotiated rate.
TRANSPORTATION
We need your vans and busses! You will receive a transportation form in the mail from me soon. I need to know the vehicles you are planning to bring (including those belonging to Crew Chiefs who are coming) and who is either on the insurance, or has a license to drive them. We will use the vehicles to transport crews from the lodging facility to the worksite. Please return the form as soon as possible after you receive it. It is important to make sure that the crew assignments are done prior to your arrival at the project.
Thank you for your help!
Our project is full. With a capacity of 300, we were flirting with 290 participants until the past week, when someone among our group changed their registration number, added two or three people, and filled the project. Here’s how that figures into our planning.
1. Crew Chief needs.
With a full project, we are planning on 27-28 crews, which means we will need 27-28 crew chiefs. Our construction coordinator Craig Pope needs to match each crew chief with the skills that will be required on each job site and in order to do that, he needs to have your crew chiefs submit their applications as soon as possible. We need everyone you will bring with you, painters, electricians, expert general home repair guys (or gals if you’ve got those, too), roofers, everyone. You can fax or mail their applications to Craig Pope.
2. Registration updates.
With a full registration, there may be others waiting for extra places at the project. If you get to a point where you realize you are not going to use all of the spaces you have reserved, contact Ruth Burkhead, the registration specialist at World Changers (rburkhead@namb.net) and have her make adjustments in your number.
3. Crew Encouragers.
With 27-28 crews, we will also need 27-28 crew encouragers. Please ask the adults who are coming with you if they would like to serve in this capacity. Have them complete a non-construction volunteer application and return that to me, Lee Saunders, at FAX 713-864-5243.
Thank you for the work you do in organizing and bringing your group to World Changers. You are going to be a real blessing to the Parkland/Iron Belt.
Craig Pope, our construction coordinator, has asked that groups coming to World Changers return their Crew Chief Applications to him as soon as possible.
We are antitipating at least 27 crews, perhaps more with a registration that now sits at capacity for the project, at 300 participants. That means we will need at least 27 crew chiefs, and 5 supervisors. If you are planning to bring crew chiefs with you, please forward their applications to Craig as soon as you can get them filled out. It takes a while to sort through those applications and match the skills of each crew chief to the job at the work site and work sites are currently being approved for the project.
You can send your application to Craig at c/o Sonrise Baptist Church, 454 Berry Rd., Bonne Terre, MO 63628 or fax to him at
573-358-5921
The Pre-Project visit for the Bonne Terre, MO World Changers project will be April 24-25, 2009. This is a Friday and Saturday. We will gather on Friday afternoon, beginning at 2:30, tour the lodging facility at North County Middle School, enjoy a time of fellowship together over dinner, review possibilities for Wednesday afternoon off, adjourn for the evening and on Saturday morning around 9:00 a.m. we will go on a tour of work sites for the project. If you want to join us for lunch you can, or we can turn you loose to head back home.
We have made arrangements for a special room rate at the Super 8 Motel in Bonne Terre. This is a very nice Super 8, and happens to be Bonne Terre’s finest hotel. You can get a room rate of $48.35 by calling the hotel at 573-358-5888 and telling them you are with World Changers/Lee Saunders. That’s the rate for a standard room. If you want something fancier, such as a microwave and refrigerator, or a hot tub room, you’ll have to pay extra. Remember that either you or your church is responsible for your expenses for the pre-project visit.
Please email or call Lee Saunders, lsaunders@gobc.org or 281-702-1647 and RSVP your attendance at the pre-project visit. We hope to see you there!
