It is an added joy on Home Assignment to be the recipients of so many people extending to us the blessing of caring for us. On our Home Assignment of 3 ½ months, we will have stayed in 25 different homes that have all been great places to rest, sleep, recuperate, and be rejuvenated as we have moved from place to place. We would imagine that all itinerating missionaries can tell interesting stories regarding the challenges of being in so many places, beds, locations and accommodations, but, this Home Assignment has been one great experience after another in regards to accommodations. And besides being hosted by so many people in so many places, we have also been a part of special gatherings in different homes more than 50 times. This is just counting those gatherings that included food and were not in our host home or in our host Church fellowship hall. Each of those meals has been edible, good food, more than enough, etc.
One of the themes that we have addressed on this Home Assignment is “Being and Doing One as we Journey Together.” We have found that many people are separated and unknown to another simply because they have never had the chance, or have never taken the chance, to be together with someone else. Being on Home Assignment itineration opens up the possibility to “be together and close the separation between us. So, when you take these statistics mentioned above into consideration, who wouldn’t want to be a part of a Home Assignment itineration where you get to enjoy, and we literally mean, “ENJOY”, being received, fed, asked to partake in scintillating and thought provoking conversation, see how other people live and enjoy life, experience the variety of regional nuances, accommodate ourselves to the rhythms and movements of others, and be accepted and respected for who we are? Who wouldn’t want to be welcomed by another and have the opportunity to close the distance created by not being together.
Hebrews 13:1,2 talks about the art of hospitality and encourages us to be hospitable to strangers as we might “welcome angels” in doing so. We also believe that the opposite is true. By being willing to be welcomed by others into their homes we have found ourselves “welcomed by angels”. We are absolutely sure that we have been blessed and welcomed by angles in our stay and travel in the U.S. during these past months. Thank you and love to you all.
