Posted: 10/01/04
| Allen Branam stops to reflect on the messages of thanks left for him and his crew of volunteers from 121 Community Church who remodeled the house of a family in need. |
'Aiding spaces' at 121 Community Church
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
GRAPEVINE–If healthy families begin with healthy homes, 121 Community Church recently gave several families a huge shot in the arm.
To celebrate the congregation's fifth anniversary, members remodeled the homes of several families who live between Dallas and Fort Worth. The families are not members of the church but were selected through an interview process.
The project, dubbed “Aiding Spaces” after the cable television show “Trading Spaces,” included repairing homes in many cases, as well as painting, carpeting, insulating and redecorating–all in 48 hours.
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| Josh Phillips throws trash into a large dumpster in front of a home 121 Community Church members remodeled. |
Allen Branam, who directed the effort at one of the homes, said the stories of each family touched the congregation in a unique way. The house where he was working provided shelter for a single mother of four children, three with special needs. Hearing her testify about how God is working in their lives led him to want to help them.
“It just grabbed me,” Branam said. “I can't tell you how or why.”
While the family rested in a hotel paid for by the church, volunteers put in hardwood floors, added air conditioning to a room, replaced furniture, erected a wall and gave the family new pots and pans, as well as its first set of matching dishes.
The family's gratitude was clear even before construction started. Each member wrote notes on the walls for volunteers to read. Many praised God's goodness. Others were expressions of thanks to the workers. Long poems were written in several parts of the house. The family marked “God is good” on many of the windows.
The project took hold of the community as well. Neighborhood residents were drawn to the project and the number of volunteers surged from 30 per house to 75. Other individuals bought toys for the children. Hardware stores donated materials.
“I've not yet called anyone who has said, 'No, I will not donate,” Beth Brockert said before the construction started.
Workers gathered at the end of construction to present the homes to the residents and celebrate the work. The congregation viewed a video of the project that was shot in a reality-show style.
“I think this is where I'm supposed to be,” Brockert said. “This is where the Lord want me to be.”
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