A children ministry is reaching out to people who are in need of housing. The organization is known as “World Changers,” which is sponsored by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was established in 1990 with the purpose of seeking to change the lives of its participants by giving them the opportunity to change someone else's world.
Last summer, more than 250 people traveled to Cheyenne, Wyo., from all over the United States to participate in the week-long World Changers project last summer. Divided into teams, they were sent across the city to repair homes and share the love of Christ with those in need.
Twenty of those 250 World Changers in Cheyenne came from South Texas Children's Home -- a childcare facility affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas with campuses in Beeville, Goliad and Corpus Christi.
For these 20 young disciples, this mission trip to Cheyenne was especially meaningful in many ways. For many of them, it was their first time ever leaving their home state Texas.
Eighteen-year-old Reyes, the translator from South Texas Children’s Home, described the trip as a chance to show the love of Christ that has been shown to him at the children's home -- to change someone else's world just as his was changed.
"On this trip, God made me bolder to confront people about His Word," Reyes said. "God was able to use me as an interpreter for a woman who didn't speak English. She really enjoyed us all and was very hospitable."
Also there were several staff members who joined this trip from the children’s trip. Caseworker Becky Moore, who was personally touched by the experience, commented, "God showed me that life is full of world-changing moments. If I am willing and humble, He will use me."
Moore was extremely pleased with the program seeing how it provided an opportunity for the children of South Texas Children's Home to grow and experience things they don't normally get to experience.
"Seeing our students willing to serve and get dirty to help others was a blessing," Moore said. "God, in turn blessed them with the opportunity to see His beauty in the Rocky Mountains and in making many new friends."
South Texas Children's Home Boothe Campus administrator Greg Huskey, who led the children's home group in Cheyenne, underscored the importance of an opportunity for the children to serve others.
"We want our kids to be able to come full circle and give back what has been given to them," he said. "It's just an amazing thing when these kids get the chance to do that. When they have been shown God's love, they will go out and give that love freely to others and that's what it's all about."
Alabama native Kendra Morris, a World Changers summer staff member for the past six years, was on staff at the Cheyenne project this summer. Morris was amazed to have a group from a children's home working on a World Changers project.
"I thought it was so neat that kids from South Texas Children's Home were in Cheyenne helping out," Morris said. "In my years of working with World Changers, I've never been to a project where we had a children's home participating. Generally, kids come from affluent families, so it was incredible for me to see kids who had been impacted by people who reached out to them in Christian love turn around and reach out to others in need of that same love."
Maria, who received help from World Changers was thankful for the group of 12 individuals repairing her home that week. She was thankful for their hard work and sacrifice and the unconditional love they were showing her.
The cost of this trip, including the registration feels, room and board and travel expenses, was sponsored by the South Texas Children's Home group, many churches, organizations and a donor through the North American Mission Board.
