Same, Yet Different

When we consider the fact that we are building 20 identical homes over 3 and a half days, there could be a concern of the work becoming monotonous and our days becoming mundane. 

And, if that was all we were doing here, all we came to do, it’s quite possible that this would be the case. But in fact, no build is like another. Even homes that are right next to eachother are different.

The ground is different. Some houses have rocky soil. Some have just hard packed dirt. Some holes that were dug this week contained small boulders.  Some holes filled with ground water despite neighbouring houses (literally, 5 on the same property) not having any water issues. Those on our team who have been here over 15 times have also never seen water in holes before.  Digging became heavy work. 

The work crew is different. Shelter arranges for a build team of construction workers to be assigned to each build. Each recipient family contributes to helping with the build. The members of each Sarnia team assigned to a home build remain the same, but even who completes which tasks change for each home. 

The tasks are different. Digging holes. Cutting metal. Pre-drilling holes, and screwing pieces together. Assembling the walls on the ground. Raising the walls and carrying them to the correct holes. Lifting roof trusses. Carrying wall sheeting. Climbing ladders. Digging more holes for the porch legs. Measuring to ensure the house is square. Adding roof pieces (ah, some shade!!!). Screwing together all the sheeting. Putting hinges on doors and windows. Adding the doors and windows. Adding trim pieces. Applying the house number.

The number is different.  Each family gets to stick a house number over the front door of their home.  This number represents the number of houses Shelter has built to date. Over 6,170 homes so far!

Each family interaction is different. Some house builds are on the same property and may belong to members of the same extended family, but no two stories are the same. No family connection time (interviews with us and the families to hear more of their personal story) is the same. Some families are large (9 people in one home), others are small (2). Some express their emotions with tears as they share their story. Others can’t stop smiling. One family even taught us some dance moves! 

How the house will impact each families is different. Some are looking forward to having a concrete floor. Others are looking forward to shelter from the rain, no more flooding in their home, a lock that provides security, a place to call their own, or not having to constantly move. One family, before their new house was built, was sleeping literally behind their mother’s house: on a mattress, in the open air with just one wall for protection.

It’s these interactions that make the each build unique, and cause us to get up in the morning, excited about each new day. Each new build. It’s the families that cause people to want to continue to return to El Salvador to build more homes through Shelter.

But despite all of these differences, God remains the same. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the same, regardless of our differences of country, race, culture or language; family unit, build site, or construction crew. Regardless of our living situation, or housing structure. God’s free gift of grace and salvation remains the same, and is offered to all. 

““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Jesus. He who believes in Jesus is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:16-18

Nicole