Hospitality With a Purpose

I'm really hoping the weather holds out for today - it's calling for thundershowers.....so far so good, but it's only 6 am!  Around 10 am a small group of ladies and their toddlers will be descending upon our farm.  I don't know a single one of their names and I've barely had a conversation with any of them.  So why have them over?  I blame my parents!  Let me explain.....

I come from a line of missionaries, both my parents and my mom's parents were missionaries in Africa. My mom's parents were "lifers" in that they spent most of their married life overseas.  After my grandfather died, my grandmother went back on her own, though her youngest son was with her as a missionary pilot.  He remained overseas with his family until his children were grown.  My parents were there for a 3 year stint in Zambia which was where I was born.  Upon their return to Canada my dad, who was a pharmacist by profession, quit his job and wanted to join an organization which at the time was called Campus Crusade for Christ.  He and my mom were passionate about sharing their faith and I've heard him describe his decision this way,  "We wanted to reach maximum people in the shortest amount of time."  Crusade fit the bill.  It was an extremely strong organization that did reach who knows how many for Christ - very strong evangelism focus.

This was the type of home I was raised in.  My parents carried tracts with them wherever we went and regularly handed them out.  I remember being on holidays once in the Okanagan in B.C. one summer picking up peaches or something like that and we were about to go, but mom wasn't getting in the car.  I looked out the window and there she was standing with the farmer's wife (or whoever she was), sharing "The Four Laws" with her, a tract that walked through the gospel message.  That book title has since then been changed to something else and, not unlike all tracts, has been criticized for painting a rosy picture of Christianity (God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life - Law One), but I actually think as long as the presenter explains what that means, it can still be a very effective tool for sharing our faith as so often we don't know what to say!

Every year we attended a summer training week.  When I was small, I was in "child care", but as I grew they put us in what was called "Junior Staff Training".  It was really neat.  We did everything from sailboat trips up the coast of British Columbia where we lived at the time to canoe trips down the Yukon.   That whole time it was no simple vacation.  They were intentionally training us to share our faith.  Just like the adults, we were expected to memorize The Four Laws tract as well as have a 2 minute testimony on how we came to faith. Then when we went on these trips, we brought the Jesus film which is an incredible film put out by Crusade depicting the life of Jesus almost directly from Luke.  That film has been made into so many languages I've lost count.  Many have received Christ directly related to seeing the film.  So we would make stops on our trips, pull out the film and set it up wherever we could and hope people would come.

It was a natural transition for me, once I had decided to make Christ a priority in my own life at the age of 18, to follow in my parent's footsteps.  I went to school in London, ON and quickly looked to see if they had a Crusade group on campus.  They did.  I walked up and told them who I was, using my parent's names as some leverage as by this point my parents were fairly high up in the Crusade hierarchy!  They were so excited!  I guess they knew who my parents were!  I was immediately embraced and that became my spiritual family while I attended school.  I was immediately put into a Bible Study and it wasn't long after that I was leading studies and mentoring other young girls in the early years of university.  I was often taken out to share my faith, sent out two by two and met with several people each year that would say after we sat down with them, "Did I have a sign over my head?  How did you know I was just thinking about these things???" So I actually found that kind of evangelism oddly effective, though the other groups on campus would say, "We do relationship or friendship evangelism."  They thought Crusade's tactics were too aggressive.  I found that to be an excuse for not sharing their faith. Crusade people actually saw people accepting Christ on a regular basis and always had a way to disciple the new believers.  So there was a funny tension between the 3 Christian groups on Campus, though Crusade was by far the largest of the 3 and in fact was the largest group or club on campus.  Interesting fact?

Crusade also always held evangelical meetings drawing people in by holding debates against an evolutionist or even holding events that drew crowds and then sharing what Christianity was all about.  Again, to some it was a bait and switch, but I don't think it was.  The campus is rife with people searching and Crusade merely wanted to make sure all students were aware that Christianity made the most sense.  The leaders of Campus Crusade had a burden for the lost students.  I was a part of every single event that went on and even went on March Break events to the beach in Florida where again, the whole point was to share our faith with the thousands of lost students.  I did end up having a conversation with several people on the beach and they were always so open to talking about where they were at.  This atmosphere of evangelism had me start to carry tracts with me wherever I went and sure enough I started to use them, too!  I would find myself on a train traveling home and not unlike my parents, I would pray, "Lord, who do you want me to sit by on the train on the way home."  Sure enough, I would find myself beside some hurting young girl who needed to hear the gospel message.  I would give her the tract, share my story and pray for the best as we parted.

I have seen people come to Christ in my life as a result of conversations I've had with them.  It is an amazing thing to see a life transformed.  I witnessed this in my home many times as I grew up.  My parents never had any one over just for fun.  They were always very intentional with their hospitiality.  One thing they hosted was called and EWAP (Entertainment With A Purpose).  They would bring in a high profile businessman, athlete or someone others knew that had accepted Christ.  They would then provide an awesome dinner and then have the man or woman or even sometimes a couple share their faith story.  It was never a surprise to the guests.  They had been told exactly what would happen and many accepted Christ at these events, too!

By now you are getting the picture.  When we moved to this area and I didn't know anyone, I immediately wanted to connect, but how?  So I did what I have always done, I went to the library and signed up for their baby programs.  It is an awesome way to meet new moms in the area as so many go and so many have no friends and are looking for friendships, too.  After I went to the first one, I really didn't meet too many people as yes, they want friends, but it seems the art of making friends is lost!  No one knows how to start a conversation any more.  At the last program, I had an idea.  I was going to invite them back to my farm for a "field trip".  They could meet the animals and hang out by the playground with the kids.  I would provide coffee and tea and we could have a nice time of fellowship.  I invited both groups of women as I went to two programs last spring.  It was funny to see their reactions both this year and last year - the ladies looked at me like I had two heads!  Who would do that?  Who would invite people to their home not knowing any of them?  Well, like I said, I blame my parents.  I long for these women to know the hope I have.  I'm willing to stick my neck out and look a little strange I suppose in the name of ultimately sharing my story of faith and hopefully getting a chance to bring some of these moms into the Kingdom one day.

Back to the thundershowers.....it's on rain or shine, but they are less likely to come if it rains, but if they don't come, I have another group hopefully coming tomorrow, too.  There's always another program to go to, too! I'm already praying, "What will I say?  How will I bring Christ into the conversation?  Will it be appropriate to even bring it up?"  I know friendship evangelism can work, so I don't want to dismiss that as a true way to share my faith, but what if this is the only chance I get?  Last year, it came up so naturally as a few ladies came from church, too, and I was able to say, "This is my friend from church...." which led into a whole long conversation about church, why I go, where I go, etc.  So I must leave my fears or concerns with the Lord and trust Him for the results.  I'm only expected to be faithful and do what He's placed on my heart to do. My kids are sweet and behind this whole event.  My second son is our landscaper.  He mowed and trimmed the whole property and even set up little kid chairs with Mom chairs interspersed in a sweet little circle.  My oldest daughter (though her intentions aren't completely innocent as she LOVES to bake) will be making scones for the ladies.  My husband will be quickly fixing up the playground and may even get me a bit of fresh sand for the sandbox.  The house will be quickly tidied in case it becomes an indoor event....So we're all in on this.  Use us, Lord!  Use our family!  May we be a testimony to these women and may you get the glory as you draw them to yourself........Amen.