Life in a Host Home
“Lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.” - Luke 6:35
When I was first interviewing with the Greensboro Fellows about this time last year, I remember JD and Stahr telling me that Fellows would spend the program living with a host family. They explained that this was core to the program and an opportunity to connect to the community. More importantly, they said it helped Fellows learn and grow in the biblical generosity taught by Jesus by being on the receiving end of it. After all of this, they asked me, “Are you comfortable with that?” Ever the extrovert and excited at the prospect of living with a new group of people, I responded, “Yes!”
As the months rolled by and the start of my Fellows year grew closer, I began to wonder more about my host family: who were they? What were they like? To my surprise, when Stahr first connected us over the summer, I realized that I had met one of them before at the summer camp I worked at during college! As I got to know them both through phone calls over the next couple of weeks, I became excited to meet them in person.
However, I also began to become a bit nervous: what would it be like to integrate my life into the already-established rhythms and patterns of a household largely unknown to me? How would I respond to such generosity? Could I truly learn to just receive with open hands? I pulled into the driveway of two near-strangers on my first day in Greensboro with a mix of joyful anticipation and a touch of nerves.
Justin and Anna’s warm welcome immediately put me at ease. Before I knew it, they had helped me unpack my car, move my stuff inside, and given me a full tour of the house. My introduction to Fern, their sweet black lab mix, added an extra layer of comfort to this house that already felt a little more like home (I’m a huge dog person). In the first few weeks, Justin and Anna took time to carefully explain the rhythms and systems of their house, which I greatly appreciated. The openness and honesty with which they communicated with me showed me that they trusted me and were inviting me to make myself a part of their home.
I think back on my day one nerves with a bit of a smile now: my host family’s grace and hospitality has not only led to a harmonious integration of our life patterns, but even the development of new shared household rhythms: family dinners, making music together, having deep conversations and mutually-shared leftovers, and, of course, our evening sessions of monkey in the middle with Fern. It has been a joy to share these new rituals together, making our house an ever-increasing place of comfort and life to me.
I am so thankful for Justin and Anna opening their lives to me and inviting me to jump right in. They have truly taught me so much about generosity. My host family has been a support to me, a place where I can always return to at the end of a long day of work or a weekend away, and a spot to make memories (game nights, firepits, and movies rank highly here). They have demonstrated a commitment to making me a part of the household–even amidst the ups and downs of life–and have shared so much with me: not only a house, but wisdom, joy, and a life together. I’m not ashamed to admit I’m their biggest fan!
JD and Stahr were right: host homes are the backbone of this program and give a loving, radical witness to Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
– Michael