Dishes

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::: Some of the most rewarding ministry experiences occur in unexpected places. For us, it's the kitchen sink filled with dirty dishes. The more the better. Washing lots of them means thinking happily of the people who came over to eat and spend time with us in our home. Dishwashing prayer is a good thing.
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Last night we invited a trio of students for the college trifecta: pizza, popcorn and a movie (okay, so we're learning that our Japanese friends do not care much for microwave popcorn). Claire connected with M -- both have lost their birth mothers. I related well to the guys' interest in sports. Of course, there were a lot of moments when the words -- either Japanese or English -- were not there. But that's okay.
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That's because we don't need to have fluency to share the love of Christ. Our food, our place, the timing of details, they need not be impressive, says Vonette Bright and Barbara Ball in The Joy of Hospitality. Impressions flow out of being together as lives are shared. And if we treat our lives as an open book, we're pleased to let them read about God's ongoing story of renewal in our minds and hearts through Christ.
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God is showing us that Christian hospitality is a big part of our vision for college students in this academic town.
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One dirty dish at a time.
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