A SPACE FOR A STRANGER TO REST

MY EXPERIENCE OF A STRANGER

Recently I attended a course “Hospitality” at ACTS College by Rev Dr Davina Soh. I am happy the courses helped me to understand the essence of hospitality from the biblical context. Below are some of the experiences I had with others:

CAB OFFER

I remembered many years ago when I was a teen, I was chatting with my best friend at Harbour Front bus stop formerly known as World Trade Centre till almost midnight. My best friend managed to catch a bus home and left me at the bus stop. I waited for an hour with no sign of the bus. I realised that I had missed the last bus. I was alone and frightened. I was afraid to walk home alone in the dark night. I thought I should wait till morning to catch the first bus home. It was during this time that I saw a man in his twenties walking towards me. He asked why I was sitting at the bus stop alone. I told him that I had missed my bus and I have only a bus concession card and house keys. He said he wanted to take a cab home and asked if he could give me a lift home. I asked for his contact number so that I could return the money to him. He declined with a smile and said that there is no need to pay him back. Because he worked in Batam, he would usually take a ferry back to Singapore and a cab home at this hour.

FOOD OFFER

There are times when my classmates prepared and offer their food or dessert (Cheng Teng  etc). These experiences happened during my most difficult time and I was very touched by their kindness. I can understand how it feels when one is abandoned, lonely, and sad or having some difficult time. It is not a big deal to the person who offered their help or food, but to me, it meant a lot. I am grateful for the warmth, love and comfort offered to me.

                 

THE ART GALLERY

I was at the art gallery one day and the picture of Jesus who is the Son of God eating with the sinners caught my attention. People questioned Him why He wanted to eat with the people who are of lowly status, poor, broken and sick. I saw that it was because of His love for them regardless of whether they are poor or rich. 

MY EXPERIENCES

I struggled while attending to a drunkard man who has just been newly released from the prison or a woman asking for financial assistance at my work place.  The only thing that I could do is to provide a form for them to fill in and direct them to another centre to seek help. This caused me to reflect on the way I looked at them.

I felt awkward talking to unfamiliar people. God is humorous. When I say NO, God will make a way. I felt that this is the course I really need as  I am an introvert.  Though I look so cool on the outside but not within. People may think that eating a meal with people is no big deal. Eating with our fellow Christian brothers and sisters is more than just about eating a meal; it’s about fellowshipping and sharing our lives with one another. As a human being, we should treat everyone equally. As a community in the body of Christ we ought to show hospitality to each other.

We are given an assignment to have a meal with my classmates. I had lunch with my classmates within an hour and got to know them better. We shared our ministry, hobby and our life stories. It is a bonus to me. I treasured these precious moments with my classmates. As I thought of the sinners having a meal with Jesus,  I believed they must be very excited and felt it an honour to eat with Him.  

I learned to listen, respect and care for our older members. Last week, my mother had a fall at home and she accidentally spoiled the table fan which we bought for less than a year. I did not get upset; instead I asked her if she had injured herself. I applied what I have learnt in the class to care for her.  My mother is in her old age and she cannot see clearly. Therefore I have to ensure her safety at home. Praise the Lord, my mother responded well to my concern. I can see from her face the comfort she felt and  she is now more careful. I try to make an effort to accompany my parents to watch TV and have meals with them, whenever possible. We communicated with each other too. Every day I woke up earlier to go the market to buy food for my father and give injection for his diabetes.  Though it can be very tiring at times, and especially when I am not well, I am glad to make a difference in their lives.

There are times when I forgot to switch off our home broadband and left it overnight and my mother will usually nagged at me. I thank God that lately my mother did not nag at me but she gently reminded me to switch off the home broadband when I am not using it. She was so patience with me.  

I saw a Bangladeshi worker sweep and washed the floor in my neighbourhood. When I see them I will greet them. During Chinese New Year, I included them in the celebration of CNY and show them appreciation by giving them Mandarin oranges.

Few weeks ago, I saw a woman walking in the rain; her hands are full of things. I quickly ran to shelter her. She was surprised and she shared with me that her son took away her umbrella.  

I learned a valuable lesson that hospitality is not so much of benefitting myself, or gaining profit or making me happy when I do a good deed. When I was a stranger I received help from people and I am now paying forward by helping others. Christine D.Pohl said “ Hospitality becomes for the Christians community a way of being sacrament of God’s love in the world, a role which certainly fits the image in Romans 12 of hospitality as an expression of our lives offered up as “living sacrifice.”¹ It not easy for me to open myself, it requires courage and risk. Hospitality is a way of life; it must be cultivated over a life time. ”Hospitality is one of those things that has to be constantly practiced or it won’t be there for the rare occasion.” ²                  

1.      Christine D.Pohl,”Making Room (Wm.B.EERDMANS PUBLISHING CO), 34.

2.      Christine D.Pohl,”Making Room (Wm.B.EERDMANS PUBLISHING CO), 176.