Hospitality

Had an amazing night last Thursday that is worth blogging about. Earlier, I picked up Annette from the airport and drove her to the house where her little four year old princess, Gabby, had stayed while she was in New Zealand doing a job interview.

The family Gabby stayed with is a beautiful African family from Kenya. The parents are Hans and Leah and they have six children, one of whom did Bible college with me this year (23yr old Dominic shown in the piccy). Hans actually recognised me from a few years ago when I did a sole unit at Riverview Bible College. He told me I recited a Scritpure form Isaiah to him ... (no doubt my favourite Scripture from Isaiah 54:8-17). That really surprised me. What a small world.

Anyway, Leah's hospitality overwhelmed me and touched me very deeply. There were about 14 other African people at her house, including three little baby boys - one was ten months, the others were about 12 months each (two were half black, half white - so gorgeous!). While we were there, she served some dishes of food on the table and asked that I join them for dinner. I was so touched by the way they just welcomed me in and made me feel so loved and included in their family. I could see they didn't have much (from the small 3-bedroom place, odd chairs, cutlery, plates and cups they used) and yet there was just such a deep peace and love about the place. It was such a beautiful refreshing warmth. The presence of God was all in that tiny place.

The meal was simple - yellow curried rice, bean salad, some soup with what looked like ox-tail, maybe???, and some curried chicken and I don't usually eat curry, but somehow the company and the presence of God made it alright and I ate and was satisfied.

I lay awake for hours afterwards, just feeling so blessed and touched by God. It was like Leah showed me God's love through her actions, her warmth, her hospitality. In the morning I woke up and took communion. Then I just felt like the Holy Spirit was saying to bless Leah with my babysitting money and some communion. I also remembered Julz had given me a whole pile of socks, and I just felt led to give them to Leah as well. So I picked up Angelina, stopped by the shops, bought some fresh turkish bread, some apple & blackcurrent juice (cos there was no grape juice), wrote in a card and put $150 in the card for Leah. Then I drove to her house and hung it on their front door because it didn't look like anyone was awake.

Later, I texted Annette and asked her to let Leah know. Apparently, Leah had already been to the front door and when she saw the things, she thought God had left her those gifts! Hahaha, now that really cracked me up hearing that. Later she rang me and kept saying thanks so many times. What a blessing. She blessed me so much more.

Leah's son Dominic is the tallest guy at college ...