Changing the world
Despite challenges, World Changers return to Gallup

Ally Callahan of Colorado Springs, Colo. paints a railing at a house in Gamerco on Monday afternoon. Callahan and several other youth from across the country are in town this week helping repair the home as part of the World Changers organization. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Brian Leddy

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Leslie Wood
For The Independent

GALLUP — Colorado Springs pastor and construction supervisor Terry Sims could not contain his pride as he watched a group of teenagers brush a coat of cream paint on a weathered Gamerco house.

“It makes you feel really good about this generation,” Sims said of the young volunteers for the World Changers program.

The teenagers and young adults paid an average fee of about $300 to travel to Gallup, sleep on cots and renovate local property free of charge for a week’s time.

Sims described the effort as a practical way to exhibit Christ’s love to local residents. World Changers is an initiative from the North American Mission Board that disperses volunteers to communities nationwide to complete renovations for people who are in need. Two hundred and twenty seven volunteers, from Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois and Tennessee, will work at 17 preselected sites throughout the week.

“We just want to demonstrate that Jesus loves them,” Sims said.

Vonda Nutt, communications specialist for World Changers, said a crew will also work on a unique project in the Gallup area. Volunteers will pull weeds at a local cemetery and spruce up neglected plots.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a project like this,” Nutt said.
Crews painted the exterior of the historical house on the 300 Block of South Chino Loop Thursday morning and built a wheel chair ramp for its owner Joe Crouch.

Joshua Stransberry, Crouch’s nephew, traveled from Arizona six months ago to help Crouch to and from the property. He said the wheel chair ramp provides Crouch with much needed accessibility.

“It’s been nice to know he’s not going to recognize the place when he gets back,” Stransberry said.

Sims said the project has sentimental value following the sudden death of his son, Matt, last year. Sims said his son loved to renovate and was also involved in the World Changer’s program.

Sims wore a baseball hat with is son’s name written on the front to honor his child who also loved to volunteer his time for World Changers.

“He was a really great kid,” Sims said.

Ally Callahan, a high school junior from Colorado Springs, said this is the third year she has participated in World Changers. In previous years, she worked in Alaska and Indiana. Her favorite part of the program is to see home owners’ faces when the renovations are revealed for the first time.

“It definitely gives you a really good feeling inside to know you’re helping someone,” Callahan said.

Local World Changers organizers said the process was complicated this year when the city of Gallup was unable to contribute monetarily to the project as it did in previous years. The city previously contributed to the program through a federal grant that has since been depleted. The project costs about $35,000 each year.

Robert Tavaras, the youth pastor at Gallup’s First Baptist Church, said the city did agree to provide free trash service to sites located within the city’s limits. He said local churches, businesses and a pair of Baptist conventions donated enough money to make up for the void left by the depleted grant.

“They’re (the city) working on writing some grants for next year,” Tavaras said of World Changers future in Gallup.

Because of the complication with the grant, Tavaras said World Changers organizers sought more involvement from local businesses and churches.

“It really turned out OK because that many more people have become involved,” he said.