A family with school aged children wished to serve the Lord in Asia, but complications arose and instead they found themselves in a city in North America. On one side of their house were immigrants from Asia; and on the other side were immigrants from different Asian country. These were just the people they were hoping to minister to overseas! Strong Muslim backgrounds of all their neighbors meant they were living in the global village, the world arrived at their door.
Then began an incredible journey of hospitality, of opening doors. Food, laughter, tears, celebrations, food, parties, conversations, more food, meeting new people, coffee, trips to the doctor, more coffee, opening the Bible, meeting more families, welcoming a new baby, praying for a sick family member, learning about Jesus Christ. Lots happened when this family opened their door. And those hinges on the door are getting very good use.
Everything that immigrants need when coming to live in that city provided them with opportunities: to listen when people feel lonely; to take them to government offices; to tutor children in the neighborhood, all the way from First Grade through to graduating students going to university; to sharing conversations about health and finding a family physician.
Hospitality given means hospitality being offered. Summer picnics, soccer games, fruit picking at a local farm in the fall, celebrations at the end of each school year, Christmas parties, New Year parties, and endless phone calls. Explaining why Easter is important. Explaining that Christmas is about God's ancient promises being fulfilled.
For most of us, we don't have to go far to experience what God is doing in His great big world. Just opening the front door and showing hospitality will offer the one thing that immigrants long for above all else:
"Someone to listen to me and to really understand what is going on inside of me and my family. We are very lonely in this new country."
Then began an incredible journey of hospitality, of opening doors. Food, laughter, tears, celebrations, food, parties, conversations, more food, meeting new people, coffee, trips to the doctor, more coffee, opening the Bible, meeting more families, welcoming a new baby, praying for a sick family member, learning about Jesus Christ. Lots happened when this family opened their door. And those hinges on the door are getting very good use.
Everything that immigrants need when coming to live in that city provided them with opportunities: to listen when people feel lonely; to take them to government offices; to tutor children in the neighborhood, all the way from First Grade through to graduating students going to university; to sharing conversations about health and finding a family physician.
Hospitality given means hospitality being offered. Summer picnics, soccer games, fruit picking at a local farm in the fall, celebrations at the end of each school year, Christmas parties, New Year parties, and endless phone calls. Explaining why Easter is important. Explaining that Christmas is about God's ancient promises being fulfilled.
For most of us, we don't have to go far to experience what God is doing in His great big world. Just opening the front door and showing hospitality will offer the one thing that immigrants long for above all else:
"Someone to listen to me and to really understand what is going on inside of me and my family. We are very lonely in this new country."
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