Earlier this year, I returned to work after taking a few months off for my maternity leave. I came back to the warmest welcome from our friends at Jonathan House.
They brought me gifts, shared their old baby items, sang lullabies, and prayed for us. Some of the men even offered to bring me a goat to celebrate the birth! In the end, there was no goat. Instead, they stepped into my own world, a gesture whose significance was not lost on me, and went to Target to pick out some baby clothes. They also folded up a piece of computer paper into a card, something I had done for each of them on their birthdays, and wrote me the sweetest note:
“Best wishes for you, your family, and your baby, my sister.”
That little word at the end, “sister,” stood out to me. It hit me because I know what a precious commodity money is when you have a family back home who needs your support. I know that their gift probably required a little bit of sacrifice. In their words and their gesture, I felt welcomed into their family. It is a peculiar and lovely thing to be welcomed by those we ourselves have set out to welcome.
It was a reminder to me that in this community, we all have a role to play. We all have a place. We all have capacity. We all contribute. We all belong. Our immigrant friends are so much more than people in need.
As friends who pray with us, volunteer your time, and give financially, you are also a key part of creating a thriving community. As you think of our friends at Jonathan House or other immigrant neighbors in your community, I challenge you to think of a way they have welcomed you with the same warmth they extended to me.
How might you extend a hand of welcome in return?
Here are a few ideas that come to mind for me:
- If you have a personal connection with someone who lives/lived at Jonathan House, check in to see how they’re doing.
- Get to know Jonathan House better by exploring our volunteer opportunities here!
- Join the Keychain Collective, our group of monthly financial supporters who partner to sustain our work.