A story from Lisa in Seattle
“A couple weeks back, Persians celebrated their new year. They call it ‘Nowruz’ and it falls every year on the first day of Spring. I, with four copies in hand of a booklet developed by another member of the Praxeis tribe, set out optimistically to see four Afghan families living in the same complex. I hoped to be able to share the scriptures relating to the values that are celebrated on the new year with one or two of the families.
We had recently hosted a family in our home as they resettled in Seattle. Instead of going directly to that family, I first stopped at their cousin’s apartment and knocked on the door. Their five-year-old opened the door and without hesitation ushered me in to sit down and have tea. Mom, who was in the kitchen, quickly reinforced the girl’s urging, though both of them speak virtually no English.
There was no implied question as to why I was there. I was there and they were ready to make me feel completely welcome.
I didn’t make it to any other apartment that day. However, in God’s good humor, I knocked on the right door, because that night three other connected family units showed up for the Nowruz dinner. One woman that I had not met before, read a couple of the passages out loud for the circle of women.”
When Jesus sent out his disciples (Matthew 10:10-11), he told them not to hesitate in accepting hospitality and to look for a ‘worthy person’, those who are open and hungry for the gospel. As Lisa did this, the scriptures were quickly and naturally shared with the rest of the extended family.