Hospitality Is Service

by Olivia Lasater

Liv enjoys learning from host families as they share stories and open their homes.

Journal Prompt: What have you learned about the value of hospitality from being in people’s homes this week?

My Thoughts

I’ve learned that hospitality takes quite a bit of work on the part of the host, along with an awareness on the side of the one who is being hosted.  Our hosts were always ready to receive us, no matter what time it was.  

Feeding our large group requires a lot from the hosts.  One of the host families mentioned that they’d been up early in the morning happily preparing the meal for our group, which we ate in the late afternoon.  Each family that fed us showed us a grand amount of generosity.  Not only did they open their homes to us, but they also had willing hearts to share of themselves in conversations at the table. I felt so loved by all of the hospitality I have been blessed to receive.  

Hospitality is service.  It is being the hands and feet of Jesus, placing the interests of others before our own.  I've seen the demonstration of Christlike hospitality every single day of this trip and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to learn from it.