World Changers Roanoke, VA: Day 4-5

uesday is one of my favorite days at World Changers because the participants are excited about their second day of work and evening worship is normally a concert of prayer.

A student puts down shingles on a worksite at World Changers Roanoke, VA.

Here are some highlights from these two days:

Highlights from Tuesday:

1.) Concert of Prayer: The students were brought into the dimly lit auditorium blindfolded by one of their adult leaders. Whoever escorted them to their seats prayed over them. This alone was a beautiful sight. Yet, what happened next I will not soon forget. As we played “Amazing Grace-My Chains are Gone” softly over the sound system as more people came in, students and adults began to stand and sing, blindfolded and all, and the presence of God fell in the room. It was a humbling moment.

2.) Visiting crews: I love watching the students at each worksite. Some crews work harder than others. Some play harder than others. Some are more excited, while others are more entertaining. You never know what to expect when you drive up… except that the students are pumped to be “on camera”.

3.) Dart Game: A ridiculous game where you call someone’s name and when they look at you… you shoot a “blow dart” at them. They have to fall to the ground until someone removes the “dart” out of their neck. This was started by a group at my project last year, but I never played. This year I decided to introduce the game. The kids picked it up quick (of course) and it was hilarious to watch people laid out during dinner time.

Highlights from Wednesday:

1.) Off Night: Regardless of what anyone says, the off night is a welcomed thing on a World Changers project. Crews work til lunch time and then head back to the lodging facility and have the whole night off as a youth group to do whatever they want. Some groups went to the “natural bridge” site, while another went to the local minor league baseball team’s game. One group rented out a swimming pool and others went to dinner and a movie. As a staff, we went out to eat at Olive Garden and really just hung out together.

2.) Injuries/Sicknesses: I’m not sure if this is a highlight, but I have never been a part of a project with so many injuries and people getting sick at one time. Granted, we had 337 people… so things happen. But it seemed like it never stopped. We had one kid fall off the bleachers in the gym (broken arm), one volunteer  with really bad “allergies” (pink eye), one girl who slipped after a horrible rain storm (bruised hip-she went home) and several others who either had scrapes, scratches, bruises, cuts, stomach bug (both kinds)… etc. Our poor nurse and first aid guy stayed busy… constantly.

A student puts the final touches on the frame for a back porch.

~ by crosseyedministries on July 27, 2009.