For three hours on a Saturday in November, the loading docks of the Atlanta Convention Center filled with students from across the country holding hammers and sharpies. Learning to drive in a nail and writing prayers and scriptures on panelized walls, the Student International Conference on Missions (SICOM) turned learning into action by hosting a Help Build Hope event at the 2025 convention.
Help Build Hope has a history of building events at conventions like the International Conference on Missions and the Tennessee Christian Teen Convention. Partnering with organizations like these allows churches who otherwise wouldn’t know about Help Build Hope or be able to host an event themselves to actively participate in a wall build alongside churches from across the country.
For the 2025 SICOM, Help Build Hope was asked to be part of the “Kingdom Experiences” rotation. This section of the conference challenges students to apply what they have been learning in sessions and workshops to practical service and conversational opportunities. From meal packing to conversations with current missionaries, this rotation gives students personal experiences of missionary life in a variety of settings.
Each hour a new group of students came though the build site, meaning everyone got a chance to build part of a new home. “It was fantastic to see so many students be willing to swing hammers, carry wood, and get sweaty for Jesus and for families in need of homes,” shared Cory Popp, Help Build Hope Project Manager.
Andy Cole, Director of Help Build Hope, saw an immediate transformation in the kids over just an hour of service, “It’s neat to see the kids come out and start out very hesitant and nervous, but by the end of the wall they are super excited and having fun with it.” And the fun is not just for the kids, adult chaperones and sponsors were laughing and learning alongside their students.
Also present at the build was the receiving organization for the walls, Appalachia Service Project (ASP). This organization has been working in the Appalachian region for decades, and recently partnered with Help Build Hope to build homes for Hurricane Helene survivors. The organization’s representative was present for the majority of the build, and constantly expressed her gratitude and amazement at receiving the walls being built before her eyes.
Read more about our partnership with ASP…
Another important addition to this build was the local volunteers that made the whole day possible. Galilee Christian Church not only sponsored the build, but offered their facilities and congregation for the needed lumber preparation and on-site supervision. While their students participated in the conference, the adults helped make their Kingdom Experience possible!
Help Build Hope’s goal is to bring the mission trip to you – whether that is a convention like SICOM, or the parking lot of your church, business, or school. All ages and skill levels can participate right in your own backyard, making a build event one of the most accessible missions moments you can participate in.
Building partnerships, building community, building relationships, and building affordable homes, that’s what we are about at Help Build Hope. Our events provide a excellent opportunity for teaching the importance of worship, service, and discipleship within the body of Christ.
Interested in hosting a build event or partnering with Help Build Hope for your organization? Find out more and contact us at helpbuildhope.com
Stay connected to our continuing mission by following us on social media: linktr.ee/helpbuildhopecrm
