Losing at Monopoly, Winning at Ministry

What’s your strategy for playing Monopoly? Are you a purchaser of railroads? A hoarder of cash? A builder of houses? Generally speaking, my personal strategy is to just start giving my properties away so I can end the game and move on to other things that interest me more. After discussing the Sowers’ housing situation, I’m thinking that might be Allen and Trish’s strategy, too!

When Allen and Trish moved to their current property in 2009, they had big plans. At the time, they anticipated hosting visiting teams on the property. They had plans for building a team house with a couple of bunkrooms and big, communal bathrooms. Back when they lived on the island, there were no hotels, and they were accustomed to feeding and housing teams themselves. But Gracias happens to have some great, inexpensive hotel options, so that wasn't necessary. Still, a shell was built, and, while the bathroom was never put in, the four oldest Sowers offspring used that space as bedrooms, until they each grew up and moved out.

There were, of course, plans to build a family home. But money was available to build a warehouse, and not a house, so the warehouse was built and the family moved in, alongside the boxes and stored items. Sometimes ⅔ of the warehouse was used as personal space, and other times the boxes took up most of the space, until those donations were distributed.

As time passed, the ministry always took precedence over improved housing. Kids grew up, moved away, went to college, married, settled in the States, etc. Construction of a residence had been started, and was partly finished, but it had been designed for a family, not a pair of almost empty nesters.

A couple of years ago, Allen, Trish, and Ben were the only ones living on the property - still living in the warehouse. From a security perspective, that wasn’t good. Russell and Iris decided to remodel the team house and live in it. More people on the property was much better for security. It was also more convenient for Russell, as so much of his work was done in the warehouse or on the farm.

When Ben went to boarding school, Allen and Trish realized it didn’t make much sense for Russell’s family to live in a 900 sq ft space while they (Allen and Trish) completed an 1800 sq ft house. They made the decision that the big home would be Russell and Iris’s and that they would move into the small house. This also made sense because, with Ben away at boarding school, they made the decision to travel 3-6 months a year - and it seemed silly to have the bigger house sit empty so much of the time.

It’s now time for Allen and Trish to start paring down their personal possessions for the move to a much smaller home. This is the longest they’ve lived in any one house since they’ve been married. And, living in a warehouse meant they didn’t have to worry having space to store things . . . or about the size of their book collection!

When they moved from the island to Gracias, they took the contents of an actual lending library with them. That was not a problem in the warehouse because the bookshelves also served as walls. A few years ago, Trish donated many boxes of books to a local bilingual school. She recently sorted out and donated twenty-two more boxes of books to a different bilingual school. The joy on those kids’ faces, as they enjoy their new books, helps to compensate for the task of downsizing!

Construction on Russell and Iris’ new house has come to a temporary halt because it is currently storing the contents of two shipping containers. As soon as the backpack distribution and Gifts for Gracias are completed, the crew will get back to construction. Russell is hopeful they will all be in their new homes sometime in the fall!

And this explains why it is doubtful Allen or Trish have ever won a game of Monopoly, though you might say they’re winning at ministry.

 - posted by Christi