STEWARDSHIP PROJECT #1

Aaron Anderson 5/23/06

What I did with the money:

Two summers ago, my family took a trip to Yokosuka, Japan to take a month-long shift running a hospitality house for Cadence International. Ever since that trip, I have had a heart for the American military and a love for Cadence’s ministry. While this was my first experience with Cadence, my mother was connected to the ministry when she visited a hospitality house in Germany on a trip she took several years ago. The family running the house in Germany now supports, administrates, and runs a house in Tacoma, WA. I had a chance to visit them (Ron and Susan Hand) while I’ve lived here and was just as touched by their ministry my second encounter with the ministry as my first. Therefore, not only because of my love for what’s happening up there but also because of our church’s involvement with this particular home, I decided to give my money to Ron and Susan to use for the Lord as they see fit in their ministry.

What I hope to accomplish for the master with the money:

Cadence International targets people my age who have enlisted in military service and have been poster both here in the US as well as overseas. Because of the depraved nature of military life and because of the hardships that come with military enlistment, the gospel as well as ministry training are well received by the servicemen. Ron and Susan are currently trying to raise up their home so that it will be fully functioning in the next few years. They are currently running at about 30% capacity (an estimation by Ron Hand) and I would have this money go toward bringing them to full working capacity. I have seen a Cadence ministry in full functioning order and were saw 50-60 men and women for bible study and fellowship twice a week and saw 4 men give their lives to the Lord and follow Him in obedience through baptism (my father was able to baptize the men he led to the Lord). This is what I would love to see for the servicemen in Tacoma as well.

How this project has helped/challenged/encouraged me:

The most helpful thing of this entire project was something Pastor Scott said right before he gave us the money. He said: “This $50 is no different than any other $50.” It is not very often we have to actually give account for money we spent and this helped me see that, just as I am the church’s steward of this money, so am I God’s steward of all the money that comes into my life. I feel very strongly that our culture has a wrong view of how money works and that, as a consequence, the heart of our nation is in the wrong place. I was greatly encouraged to see this project that forces people to recognize where their heart is based off of where this money goes. I’m sure all of the money went to good places but I know I have a greater sense of just how much Cadence International means to me because of where I sent my money. I also feel more equipped to teach others to change their hearts by changing the location of their treasure. This is an experience I, and I think most of our church, will never forget. I will keep this project in mind and may even use this experience for my kids or close friends some day. All in all, this was a very beneficial experience.