Monday, November 30, 2020
And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 10:19
My family and I traveled to Italy several years ago and stayed in a small inn in Diecimo. Our host, Franco, also ran the local market down the street. Every morning he’d make our breakfast and kept the cappuccino flowing. We’d fumble with the language barrier while making plans for the day, and he would laugh at our attempts to speak Italian. At the end of the trip, Franco drove us to the airport, hugged us, leaving us with the feeling that we had made a new friend. We even hoped we would have the opportunity to meet again and return his hospitality.
CARITAS is in the process of moving into the new center in South Richmond which will allow them to assist more of our neighbors who are struggling with homelessness and addiction. Circles One and Ten participated in the House Warming Shower Initiative by providing household items to outfit one apartment in the new facility. God is asking us to love those who are foreigners or strangers because we know what it is like to be in a foreign place. A stable home environment and freedom from the effects of substance abuse should not be a foreign concept for anyone.
Let us celebrate this Advent season giving love as Jesus taught us and sharing our blessings with those who are seeking a home and a life with dignity.
Stacy Campbell