Our Stories
Eight Weeks From Today
By Aaron Soderlund | posted 05/20/2010
"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostle’s feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:34-35)
My days consist of me looking for houses for people. I take their needs and their wants in a home and I go out and find it for them. And if I’m not doing that, I’m telling all the other people out there why they will want the house that I’m selling because of all it has to offer. I love doing what I do.
Today, I spent my day comparing a 2400 square foot house with comparable houses that each have four or five bedrooms, two or three bathrooms, kitchens with granite counters, living rooms, family rooms, guest rooms, etc. Carpeted and hardwood floors throughout the home and private grassy backyards just for them.
In eight weeks, a group of us from Creekside will be heading to the Dominican Republic to help Children of the Nations give Haitian refugees and Dominican families better living conditions.
In eight weeks, I’ll be in a different country going into other people’s homes again. However this time I’ll be there to help turn their dirt floors into concrete floors which won’t turn into mud each time it rains. Many of which will be one or two room homes, I assume, with people that are grateful to have that one extra room.
It’s enlightening to me to see such a difference between the homes I look at every day and the homes that I will be working on in the Dominican Republic.
As we’ve heard Reggie McNeal say many times, "Don’t hear what I’m not saying." I’m not saying that having a 2400 square foot home with lots of bedrooms and bathrooms and private yards are bad. It is the culture that we live in. However, personally, I find myself looking at what I "don’t have" that I feel I could have. What I "don’t have" is a large yard right off my kitchen and I really wish we did. What these people "don’t have" is hot water all the time. Or the ability to flush their used toilet paper down the toilet because it can clog their pipes and sewers. What I "don’t have" is a TV in the bathroom by the bathtub. (Come on! Wouldn’t that be awesome?). What they don’t have are floors that don’t turn to mud when it rains.
It’s been five years since I was last in the Dominican Republic. I’ve kind of forgotten what it’s like in many countries outside of the United States. I’m excited to be going back. I’m excited to have my perspective renewed. I’m excited to help give people more sanitary living conditions. And I’m thrilled to be going with such a great group of people from Creekside in July.
Once a month at Creekside there is a special benevolence offering. This Sunday, May 23, that offering will be going toward fundraising for our team’s trip to the DR in July with Brandon Bleek and Children of the Nations. If you want to support our team in our mission, we would all be extremely grateful for your support.
It’s not that what we have or want is bad. But it is important to remember just how blessed we are with what we do have. As I look around my house, it really is amazing what our family has. I look forward to having my perspective changed again in July. Please be praying for us on our trip!
Aaron can be reached via email here.
