Honored Guests

We visited the Clark ECD school today as guests of Stanley Gitari for their class one graduation ceremony. It was a very humbling experience for our team. We started off playing simple games with the children such as duck, duck, goose and giving high fives, and taking pictures. The children love to have their picture taken so they can see their faces. I was impressed by how many of them simply wanted to know our names.

We had tea time with Stanley and some of the staff there before the graduation. Once the graduation started our team walked in with the graduates as honored guests of the school and community. We set on the stage and watched as the graduates were honored by their older classmates who sang, read poems, and danced to honor them. Throughout the celebration each person who spoke thanked us for being there are supporting the school. I will be honest that it felt weird at first since I thought the focus should be on the children graduating and not on us as guests. When I began to think about it I realized that it is their way to honor guests. I have never been shown such hospitality anywhere. Yes it took more time and more effort but it made a difference. I believe that is what God was trying to say to me today.

I wonder what would happen if we in the western world honored guests and visitors in the same way? Asking their name, greeting them with a smile and handshake when they arrive, thanking them for being there, and making hospitality such a priority. I know we can and have to do better as a church in welcoming people. Part of the problem is that a majority of churches believe they are welcoming and hospitable churches, which is true in the fact they are church members and regular attendees are welcoming to people they know. More of the focus should be on welcoming guests before they even enter church. That means welcoming out in public and on websites. I think small towns can teach us something. Someone once told me that in a small town when you enter a restaurant everyone turns and looks up when someone enters. In a bigger town when someone enters a restaurant that no one looks up because no one cares. I hope that's not true. My hope is that people will begin to look up and welcome others no matter where they are.

Grace & Peace
Kevin