Builders for Christ, also known as the “Master’s Builders,” returned to the 7th Mile Farm to get some cabin frames up before their popular summary camps began. They were tasked with doing all of this in one week.
"Leadership Bulloch chose Fostering Bulloch to be the beneficiary of their annual fundraising project [this year]. They decided to focus their efforts on raising money to help build the next cabin at 7th Mile. They ended up raising well over $100,000, which coupled with donated materials and labor and along with a lot of our own labor, we believe will be enough finish construction on two cabinets," said Chris Yaughn, Director and Founder of Fostering Families.
When the Builders for Christ's original project fell through, 7th Mile became the lucky recipient of their labor of love.
"The Builders For Christ was originally slated to work on another project in the area. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, that project not able to move forward. Our relationship with them over the years allowed us to step into the role as a last-minute fill-in venue for them to help serve with their building mission efforts," said Yaughn.
Who are the Builders for Christ?
They travel to churches around the country, and help build/repair them, along with Sunday schools and occasionally Christian camps. The Builders do not charge a thing to do these projects for facilities. The only thing they ask for is the materials to do the job, a place to sleep (they’ve slept in tents before), and a place to make their food. They bring their own food and just need a place to cook it.
All of the members in Builders for Christ are volunteers. Kids can join at the age of 12, as Bobby Lunceford, believes that kids should “get involved in the community around that age because has a positive impact on them as they get older, and it shows.”
After they are done with a project, they ask the churchgoers to help them on their next project. Sometimes those people fall in love with the cause, and that’s how the Builders for Christ community grows. Builders come from all over to volunteer. Each volunteer pays a fee that covers meals and insurance and helps with tools/materials.
“We are a Christian organization that believes that Jesus is the son of God. We believe that he was a carpenter,” Bobby Lunceford said.
How do they get it done?
In order to start a job, The Builders consist of 3 building teams: framing, mechanical and ruff end, and sheet rock. Every mission varies with the number of members needed, but on this go-round, there were around 70 members on the framing team, around 40 on the mechanical/ruff end team, and around 60 on the sheet rock team.
The framing team goes the first week, two weeks later the electrical team will come in, then the sheetrock team will follow.
They start at 6am every morning to have their breakfast, then work from 7am til lunch time. From then, they’ll eat and have a devotional, then it’s back to work til 7pm, which is when they have fellowship and dinner. Sometimes they try to come to the facilities on Saturday, so everyone can join the church service on Sunday, and do a check on the tools to make sure everything is working properly.
This is not the first time the Builders for Christ have been down to Bulloch County, or the 7th Mile Farm. Click below to see previous stories on them here in Statesboro.