companion in the living room. We adults sat on the few pieces
of living room furniture while children and plates carpeted the
floor and while our hosts started talking. They talked non-stop
about their experiences in hosting international students and of
the incredible opportunities they encountered.
in the house, the master bedroom, then used my foot to open the
door of the bathroom. On my right was the expected toilet and
tub. To my left was an unexpected washing machine topped with
a tea towel and piled with clean dishes. In front of me stood a
lone laundry sink. The open door ate up the floor space.
“I was in my bedroom on my knees pleading with God to give us
an opportunity to share the Gospel when I heard my young son
take a Bible storybook over to our student. He started talking
about the stories in the book and my husband used the moment
to witness…”
I deposited my armload of dishes among the ones already nestled
deeply in the sink. I would have washed them. I wanted to wash
them. But I felt helpless in this tiny bathroom with its singular
sink loaded with dirty dishes and no counter. This woman was
incredible.
I forgot about the house. I barely noticed the ruckus the children
created when they zipped in and out and around the house with
ice cream trailing behind them.
When we left shortly thereafter, I carried with me the greatest
lesson in hospitality I have ever been given. It isn’t your home
that creates the atmosphere to draw guests to return. It isn’t
beautiful décor, tasteful paint jobs, and inspirational wall words.
Our hosts talked for hours. They told about getting invitations
to visit former students now back in home countries across the
world. The woman spoke of praying in the money needed for
tickets so she and the baby could travel alone to northern Africa
where a student was alone in her faith and begging her to come.
It is the presence of Christ and His love within you that draws the
strangers and causes them to return. |
Obviously their students loved them. They didn’t just come to
their home once and leave for good; they came again and again
and brought their friends along.
I was challenged. Inspired.
It grew late. I picked up dishes that still sat on the table-turnedbuffet. I wanted to be helpful but where do you go with dirty
pla ѕ́ݡ