HOLMES COUNTY–No one on the crew had ever built anything; yet, here they were, faced with the task of building a wheelchair ramp at someone’s home. “I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so hard for something so specific in my life,” said Tiffany Nichols, Called2Serve crew chief. “I prayed for help,” she added.
The first morning on the job, she received a call from Nate Castaneda, Called2Serve organizer for Holmes County. He wanted to know if Nichols had been praying, because a church member with the skills needed was asking where he could help.
One thing the leaders and youth of Called2Serve can count on is God always coming through to take care of any need. “You can feel His presence in every part of it,” said Nichols.
Called2Serve began ten years ago when members of Altha First Baptist Church arrived home from a World Changers mission trip. They wanted to provide the same type of ministry to members in and around their small, rural community. Calhoun, Liberty and Holmes counties are made up of mostly elderly men and women and poverty-stricken families, so much so that the entire school district receives free lunch at school.
I always tell my crew that you can’t just verbally share God’s message. We have to be a representation of God’s love for us by caring for and loving others, showing them it’s not about church, but about a relationship with Christ.
For one week each summer, youth leaders from three local churches–Altha First Baptist Church, West Pittman Baptist Church in Westville and Poplar Head Baptist Church in Clarksville– gather 15-20 middle and high school students for a time of encouraging and equipping. The students are divided into crews with two adult leaders who act as crew chief and encourager. The crews spend the week tackling projects throughout the community.
The students do the majority of the service work, including pressure washing, painting, minor repairs, yard work and even replacing roofs. Each project is overseen with adult supervision and a licensed contractor for major repairs.
Volunteer Torey Blackmon, a member at Altha First Baptist Church, said, “It was an amazing experience helping the group of teenage boys with some tough projects. We rebuilt a porch and did some major yard clean up among other tasks. The boys made a huge impact on me; watching them work hard and serve the Lord by serving the community was inspirational.”
Another volunteer enthused that the week was “physically exhausting and spiritually fulfilling.”
The crews spend time getting to know the homeowners while working at their homes and have opportunities to pray with them and learn of other needs and ways to help.
“I always tell my crew that you can’t just verbally share God’s message. We have to be a representation of God’s love for us by caring for and loving others, showing them it’s not about church, but about a relationship with Christ,” said Nichols, whose own home was on the list of service projects this year.
Nichols’ home was damaged during Hurricane Michael beyond what insurance and personal savings could repair. A Called2Serve crew stepped in to help by placing a shiplap ceiling in the main part of her home. Her parents were also helped with yard clean up after medical issues impacted their lives, leaving little time or ability to keep up.
“During such a difficult time, it did so much to restore my dad’s hope,” Nichols said.
Through the years, numerous students have dedicated their lives to Christ, and many have returned as adults to volunteer and lead a crew.