How much hospitality...

Looking outside my window, I see rows and rows of apartments, all similar in height and size. I turn around and I see a little boy, watching cartoons on the TV, wrapped up in a warm blanket, I hear the sound of water running and I smell breakfast cooking. At first glance, my life hasn't changed all that much.


And then, I take a closer look.

The signs around the buildings are all in Spanish, the little boy is watching TV that is all in Spanish, the water running is the sound of my host family preparing for the day, and breakfast will be served most likely at 11:00 AM. In the wonderful words of Dorothy - "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore..." And what a wonderful realization that is!!

If I am correct, the date is Wednesday, December 10 and I have officially been in Spain for 1 week. And in that one week, I have experienced more cultural changes than my mind can quite comprehend.

But, I think the one thing I have experienced the most has been hospitality. Upon arriving I was given a home - complete with "brothers and sisters". I have a bunkbed that I get to share with one of my closest friends, and I have a "family" that is caring for my needs. Granted, I have to assist in this process by paying for things, but ultimately, I am being cared for. Each new person that I have met has done everything they can to communicate with me, and most have attempted to speak in English! Not one person that I have met has been rude or disappointed at my lack of ability to communicate to them proficiently in Spanish...and they enjoy helping me learn. They are willing to work with me in my weakness, and assist me to become strong. And the desire goes both ways - I have this desire within me that I didn't know was there, to learn the language so that I can communicate with them SOLELY in their language.

In some ways, this paralells my relationship with Christ. I can see my weaknesses at times - and in my rough days, those weakened spots are the ones that stick out to me the worst. But Christ has this desire to work WITH me, to walk WITH me, and to love me unconditionally. He wants to communicate with me. He wants me to listen, as He speaks His words of love and life into my life - and even though sometimes I might not understand the message - He is thankful that I am there with Him and listening. He is grateful for my attempts...He is thankful that I am trying.

And so, I will sit down next to the little boy, who speaks next to none of my language, and I so little of his. I will watch cartoons with him, because cartoons are a universal language all their own. I will enjoy my "late" breakfast, and I will wander the streets of this beautiful country - accepting the gracious hospitality offered me.

And I will continue to pray for the wisdom to know how to offer just a little bit of my own to them...because Christ did it for me.





-Beth

Some of our newest friends in Spain, from Amor Viviente Church