If you followed this blog back in April when I started writing about my surgery, you may recall that one of the things I wrote about was how a friend had asked us to host a family from China for six weeks over this summer. Initially my reaction was "no way can I handle anything else right now" but as I began to think and pray about it, I realized that God was giving me the reassurance that by then, I would be perfectly fine and able to welcome this family into my home. Now here's the rest of the story...
This family (a father, a mother, and their 7 year old daughter) arrived on July 17th and moved in to the bedroom and bathroom downstairs. I must admit that I had more than a little trepidation about how they would/could fit into our life but we made a connection almost immediately when the daughter, not being sure what to call us, heard someone say "Nana Sharon" and "Papa John." This stuck, not only for Hilary but for Will and Maria also. Will had to go back to China on July 31st but Maria and Hilary stayed until just last week.
I can say with all sincerity that it was a wonderful experience. Was it hard having extra people in the house? Sure. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Being able to share our lives, share our faith, and introduce them to all things American was well worth the disruption of our usually quiet but busy lives. The memories we made, for them and for us, will stay with us forever. And knowing that we have people across the world who now consider us family is a feeling that isn't easily put in to words.
Technology being what it is, being able to stay in contact is a relatively easy thing. We can hear each other's voices, see each other's faces, and continue to share our thoughts and feelings even when we are on two different continents. And I feel pretty certain that we will see each other again.
So, what is my takeaway from this? I can tell you that every time we have hosted people in our home, whether it was for a night, a few days or a few weeks, I can feel my world expanding. I am richer for it and the opportunities I have to be an influence on someone who may not know my God, blesses me as much as it does them. It also makes me very aware of whether my walk matches my talk. Are they seeing Jesus and not just hearing about Him?
I would encourage all of you to step out of your comfort zone. Say "yes" to opportunities that might seem more than you can handle. You just might be surprised at what God can do with a willing heart and an open door.
