Chris Yaughn doesn’t get surprised any more when things fall into place in a miracle sort of way at the 7th Mile Farm property where he plans to hold outdoor camps for foster kids and children with special needs.

Humbled, grateful and in awe of what God is doing, yes — but no longer surprised.

“It’s happened so many times,” Yaughn said. “Surreal left the building a long time ago. I think if you’re willing to show up and do the work, God honors that, and he’ll send what you need.”

What Yaughn needed was help building out the four cabins for future campers that were in various stages of completion on the property that belongs to Fostering Bulloch, the non-profit Yaughn founded to support local fostering families.

With the fostering T.R.A.C. camp set to take place in June on the property, before the pandemic canceled those plans, Yaughn worked tirelessly with only a few sporadic volunteers to complete the cabins.

Enter Maria Proctor, a devoted member of the Fostering Bulloch team and T.R.A.C. Camp director. Proctor was aware of an organization called Builders for Christ and she’d been in communication with a group based in Texas for several years.

Builders for Christ is a volunteer organization that takes on faith-based construction projects during the summers, and several of the organizations exist throughout the country.

When the Texas-based group pointed Proctor toward an Acworth, Georgia, Builders for Christ team, the Master Builders, she reached out to the leadership of that group — Becky and Bobby Lunceford.

Proctor sent emails to the Luncefords three years in a row, asking for Fostering Bulloch to be considered for the summer project.

“They receive hundreds of applications every year,” Proctor said.

Picking a project

She didn’t hear back each time, and this year, Proctor saw on their Facebook page that an Alabama church project was chosen by the Georgia Builders for Christ team.

“We typically build a church each summer,” said Bobby Lunceford.

“Or an addition to a church, like a multi-purpose room,” added Becky Lunceford.

Bobby Lunceford said that by April of each year, a project is chosen and volunteer team members are lined up.

“When the church in Alabama had an insurmountable obstacle, they had to cancel,” Bobby said.  “That was on a Tuesday, and Maria called us on Wednesday.”

Proctor felt compelled to reach out to the group on that very day.

“Mr. Bobby said they usually do churches, but we talked them into coming down to take a look,” Proctor said.

By the weekend, the Luncefords were touring the 7th Mile Farm and hearing Yaughn’s vision for the camp.

Again, the Luncefords stressed that this wasn’t a typical project.

“Mr. Bobby told us they’d have to pray about the project and before the weekend was over, he told us, ‘You have a lot of work to do.’”

Proctor said she looked at Yaughn for explanation, but Bobby continued with, “You have a lot of work to do in three weeks to get ready for our team to get started.”

Preparing for the project

Proctor was elated, and Yaughn began making plans mentally on what to do next. Not only did the Luncefords plan on their teams finishing the four cabins, they quickly made arrangements to build a much-needed dining hall for the camp.

Builders for Christ teams supply the labor, but the receiving organization must have the plans, supplies and permits ready when the first team arrives.

“I didn’t have a drawing or any money,” Yaughn said. “Jeanne Anne Marsh was instrumental in helping secure a large anonymous donation for supplies. I got all my plumbing work donated, and we’ve had a tremendous partnership with the county to get permits and what we needed.

“All these pieces came together in a short amount of time.”

The first team, the framing team arrived in late May. Volunteers for Builders for Christ pay their own expenses and often travel as families, sleeping in campers. Men, women and children serve in varying capacities to get the job done. Each day starts with a devotion and prayer time, then the carpentry work begins.

As the team gathers for lunch, another devotion is shared, and the work day ends with the evening meal and another devotion.

Wednesday nights, Builders for Christ holds a worship service, usually in the very building they’ve been working on all week.

“Everyone gets a gold-painted, eight-penny nail to drive into the foundation,” Bobby Lunceford said. “And they write a favorite verse next to the nail. That way, they’ll always have a part of that building.”

Bobby and Becky put their nails in the same place every year, under the area of the building that will hold the lectern.

This is the 26th year of being the co-directors of the Acworth Builders for Christ organization for the Luncefords. Bobby said he was somewhat coerced into taking over when he and his wife joined a new church and the former leader of the team was ready to retire.

“I kept saying ‘no’ to taking over, but there is no doubt that this is what God intended for me to do,” he said.

First volunteer project

Bobby and Becky’s first volunteer project with Builders for Christ was the completion of the very church building for the church they’d just joined.

“God was training me all along,” said Bobby, owner of a construction company at that time. “After all, Jesus was a carpenter, and that’s how I got into the business. I started out as a carpenter.”

Twenty-six years and that many church-related buildings later, the Luncefords are still giving their summers to the mission work.

“It’s not about me,” Bobby was quick to point out. “It’s not about my skills. God always brings the right people with the skills and background to lead the tasks to get the job done.

“He created us. We’re his, and he loves to see us succeed when we’re working for him and his kingdom.”

Speaking of the Fostering Bulloch founder, Bobby Lunceford said, “Chris has a gift to get things done. People are drawn to him. He has a passion that’s contagious.”

The framing team completed their tasks in the first week, and Yaughn used some of his own volunteers for the next couple of weeks. The Builders for Christ mechanical team steps in next for a week, then a sheetrock team comes for one week.

The sheetrock team consists mostly of middle school and high school volunteers, and local students are encouraged to volunteer and join in on the project.

“We want local kids to have ownership in the camp,” Proctor said, “and come out and work with other students.”

Church youth groups and other students are encouraged to contact Proctor at (404) 451-6721, or visit tracstatesboro.com to sign up to volunteer.

The last team, the finishing team comes in for a week to wrap up the projects. Team members are volunteers from all over the country, but mostly from the Southeast.  

By late July, 7th Mile Farm will have four completed cabins for campers and a dining hall. A dream that had been several years away in the making will be a reality — just in time for T.R.A.C. camps that were postponed until October because of COVID-19.

“This has been nothing but God,” Proctor said. “I know this is a God thing. I just really believe this is the good that can come out of the pandemic, out of postponing the camp.”