Visitors
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware
They have lots of sayings about doing something different to get different results.
1. If you want to do what you have never seen, you have to do what you have never done!
2. The definition of insanity, doing the same exact ting, time after time an expecting different results.
3. If you keep on doing what you done, you’ll keep on getting what you got.
These sayings are notorious for coming out of the pulpits and missionary newsletters from all across the world. Although they make sense, these sayings do not have any legs on them until people apply flesh and bone to the words. This is kind of a repeat from a few previous messages, but I need to clarify it a little more.
I really want different results for our ministry. I think if I use the typical missionary standards, using other missionary models, on billing for teams coming down, strong arming poor children for their costs of school etc. the results will continue to be deafeningly poor.
I am sensitive to this verse because I have been a stranger. I have also been invited to places only to be treated as if i were poor ‘fifth cousin’ figuratively speaking. It has happened to me quite often. Now, when people say, ‘come over anytime’, I ask them if they really meant it. I flat out ask them, “are you serious? I just might show up at anytime, unannounced, because that is what you just said! I really don’t want to if you are just saying that or if someone else is involved will not see me or people I am with as welcome.” Most of the time, if you put them like that, they get a moment to realize that they have just lied to you and, really don’t want you to come over whenever you want.
I would rather have an embarrassing moment than to waste valuable time and emotional energy being at a place where you are not welcome. What is even more scary is to actually invite someone and not be delighted and honored that they trusted you enough to actually come over. We have lots of ‘visitors’ STRANGERS.
We have invited poor children to come to our school. Now these children coming to our school, whether they can afford it or not for example. We invite kids to our feeding centers and kdis church. Feeding centers and kids churches are not places where kids always act like good Christians. We want them with us, we want to help them, even if there aren’t results to show for it. Hopefully after time there will be, but that isn’t going to happen over night. They all are strangers at first, coming in as visitors. To develop anything from, you have to start with a STRANGER, someone you don’t know.
All nations, religious, thoughts or lifestyles are welcome at the Winner HOme *as long as they’re safe*. Anyone who comes on our property is a visitor, or better put, STRANGER.
A VISITOR IS USUALLY A STRANGER, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW THEM!
We have strangers coming through the Winner Home from other lands, continuously. I bump into them on the road, in aiports and bus terminals and bring them in. Or they just show up at the door at all hours of the day and night. I LOVE THAT. We have the reputation of being hospitable. As Christians, I believe we should. Not only expats, but any one and every one. Battered women, abandoned children, anyone. NO QUALIFIERS, except one, that they are safe with my family and our other ‘visitors’.
Some of our visitors are wealthy americans down here looking for the ultimate buzz, and get into trouble. Some are christian missionaries down here to help us, or someone else. Many poor people come by, including indigenous children running from white slavery. I even had the honor of having a sister of a young man dying of lung cancer come by every night at around 2 or 3 AM. He couldn’t breath very well in the early morning air, so I would drive him around with his head hanging out the window until the sun rose every day for about a month. What’s the results of that? Where is the benefit of doing things like that? Who knows? Who cares? A 17 year old man was able to breath for a couple of hours a day. I think that is a DEAL!
Sometimes, people want me to see how other ;missions; do things, ie billing. My question is Why? When I check it is absurd. People pay up to 25 dollars day to stay with mission agencies to help the poor people. NUTS! People charging poor families 50 dollars a month so the kids can go to school, not including food and supplies! I have actually seen poor kids kicked out of Christian Schools down here because they are poor. REALLY? ,,, REALLY???? I also have seen people who are down and out in the states to not have the financial where-with-all to visit another country to help out the down and out over there. PEOPLE that would be blown away with the honor of going.
i say this long winded thing to say, Winnie and I LOVE company, in any form. Not because we are lonely, we are not! We want to serve! Not only the people that live here in dire circumstances, but the people that are STRANGERS in a strange land. We have met more than ONE angel in this process.
AS of this year, and going forward, we have decided not to charge any visitors for room, board and transportation. If the visitors want to give us extra help financially that’s fine.
90% of the people that come down end up supporting us anyways on a permanent basis. Some can’t because of financial reasons, but the others, unless their money is their god, or they are just really full of themselves, they totally get it and want to help. They see what we do and get behind it. What visitors see and do when they get here affect them for the rest of the lives. Not only them, but those who are down here as well.
Why let a couple bucks block that whole experience?
To read about what we are doing, www.whatistheloveofgod.com
if you want to see a writing I am working on and can stand plowing through a lot of drivel go to https://docs.google.com/document/d/124pWYATsWP-YdQ5SWF9HLY8FN1Z0a_lyq_WhXMt8djc/edit?usp=sharing
Dean Peters