A large white building surrounded by orange construction equipment overlooks a major city street in this, the largest city in St. Bernard Parish.
CHALMETTE – A large white building surrounded by orange construction equipment overlooks a major city street in this, the largest city in St. Bernard Parish.
A large number of volunteer workers are seen walking in, out and around the building. None of them have on hard hats, and none of them have the “construction worker demeanor” often present at construction sites.
The workers are totally involved volunteers who eagerly accepted the task of helping rebuild this hurricane-devastated property. Not only are the workers volunteers, they actually pay money to take part in the World Changers program.
World Changers provides a hands-on mission experience for high school and college students. Established in 1990 by what today is the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, the program was designed to involve students in construction projects in needy parts of cities, according to the World Changers website – www.world-changers.net.
When World Changers began, the goal was to change the way Southern Baptists approach mission education, to get students out of the classroom and into a hands-on mission experience, according to NAMB’s website –www.namb.net.
“The focus was to change the life of the participants by giving them an opportunity to change someone else’s world,” the website continues. “That focus is still true today. Even though World Changers has become a strategic plan to eliminate substandard housing for many communities, the focus is still changing the world of the participants by giving them a hands-on mission experience.”
During the week of June 8-12, three groups of World Changers teams lent their assistance through various landscaping projects around the outside of First Chalmette as well as sandpapering scaffolding inside the church, clearing the area outside of debris, and even hanging Sheetrock, in addition to various other odd jobs around the site.
They were the first of four weeks of World Changers teams set to help this summer at the church, which is nearing completion of its massive rebuilding project.
“We are shooting to be in the first floor of the sanctuary in August,” said Gary Morrow, Louisiana Baptist Builders project coordinator for the First Chalmette site. “We couldn’t have done it without volunteers. We have built the whole facility almost 100 percent complete with volunteers.”
The World Changers teams this summer are being a big help, Morrow said during the second week teams were working.
“They have youth, agility, strong backs and a great attitude,” Morrow said. “We’re glad to have their help.”
Several World Changers said they were glad to be part of the First Chalmette reconstruction project.
“This is a great way to show God’s love for others,” said Youth Pastor Brandon Hays of Central Baptist Church in Itasca, Texas, who brought six World Changers with him.
“The most difficult part of the entire experience is figuring out how to get tasks completed,” said Austin Thompson, who came to work at First Chalmette with a group of 21 World Changers from Damascus Baptist Church in Appling, Ga. “Once you get those completed, however, there is no greater reward.”
They were joined by a group of about 30 World Changers from East Texas, who did various landscaping projects as well sandpapering scaffolding in the inside of the church.
“I really appreciate all the help we’ve had reconstructing the building,” Morrow said. “However, we are still in need of as many volunteers as we can get.”
The volunteers section of the church’s website – www.fbcchalmette.org – tells the tale:
“Hurricane Katrina devastated St. Bernard Parish on August 29, 2005. The effects are still felt today in the New Orleans area, and specifically here in this parish, which is east of the city,” according to the website. “People’s families, possessions, memories, and hope were washed away with this natural disaster. The body at First Baptist Church of Chalmette is trying to bring hope through the despair. Our desire is not to bring restoration alone, but renewal into our community, families, and the lives of people in St. Bernard Parish. FBC Chalmette wants to accomplish this goal with the help of volunteers.”
The First Chalmette reconstruction project suffered from a lack of volunteers last summer, said Pastor John Dee Jeffries.
“This can probably be attributed to Katrina fatigue, but with prayer and the support of Louisiana Baptist Builders, we’re back on track,” Jeffries said. “First Baptist Church of Chalmette is actually the last church affected by Katrina to still not be in our facilities.”
To this day, First Chalmette and St. Bernard Baptist meet together in the cafeteria of the Chalmette High School for Sunday morning worship. St. Bernard Baptist’s building has been completed and is awaiting occupancy approval by the fire marshall, said Jeff Woodrich, LBC Mission Builder Strategist for Louisiana Baptist Builders.
“This has been a God-thing from day one and continues to be,” Jeffries said. “We have had evidence of God and his miraculous intervention throughout this process. God has been our hope and His people have been our help.”