Hospitality in DC?
We're here. Been here since January 8. Four miles directly north of the White House. In a house called the International Guest House. We're learning the nature of hospitality (and it isn't what is taught in a college course). We're visiting the institutions and museums that tell the history of this country. We're navigating public transit and walking lots of blocks nearby to get a feel for the neighborhoods. We're eating and working together with the host couple, Jonathan and Betty Schrag, and the other five-month term volunteer couple, Frank and Jane Yoder. We're practicing how to live in community and then attempting to extend that community to the guests who make this home for a few days or more.
Hospitality is more than clean sheets, hot muffins at breakfast, evening tea. Those are the nuts and bolts of what we have begun to learn how to do. However, this house sits in the heart of a culture that appears to have lost its way as being a place that accepts and loves on the "tired and poor", the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." A book on hospitality that we have been encouraged to read says that until we get to know someone who (you fill in the blank), "our differences will divide us. "The walls only come down when the labels are changed into human faces." pg. 66 Radical Hospitality. The author, Lonnie Collins Pratt, goes on to say, "The real question is not how dangerous that stranger is. The real question is how dangerous will I become if I don't learn to be more open?" pg 74. This is the essence of what we are trying to learn as a couple and hope this nation will learn, as well. It grieves and angers us that so little regard is extended to anyone who isn't a carbon-copy of myself.
We are somewhat disappointed that the "international" part of the name isn't more evident on the guest register. But people do come from all walks of life throughout the U.S. and stay here for various reasons: to vacation, lobby, join in civil protests, seek government aid for their issues, etc. There are a few who stay here from other countries although they are not the main clientele now. The house sits on a residential street. It has three floors with a full usable basement. The top floor houses the guests in five rooms that can hold up to 15 total. The staff have bedrooms on the second floor. The women's bath is on second and the men's on third. Staff and guests all eat breakfast together that we prepare. Tea and cookies are also offered in the evening. Both times are at least hour-long events of animated conversation. After breakfast, one shift cleans up and prepares lunch for the staff. Another shift cleans the rooms and does laundry. The afternoon/evening shift takes care of the office and welcomes new guests. The house (which is run by Allegheny Conference of the Mennonite Church) has been around for 50 years, so the system is well spelled out and seems to work efficiently.
This is a snapshot of what we've observed and been part of as we enter our second week here. Keep us in your prayers as we navigate community living in a house that is quite different than the Baltimore experience...one not better or worse than the other...just different. We enjoy hearing from each of you, as well.
Just one more thing to add since I didn't get this posted Monday, Jan. 15. Jim and I had that day off so we decided to see some of the museums on the Mall. As we were walking across the mall to the Air and Space Museum, I tripped on an uneven section of the concrete walkway and fell face forward, hitting my chin and mouth hard. No broken bones, but some bleeding and bruising and also chipped off part of my upper front tooth. Ugh! But I'm grateful that Jim was with me, that we found a good Urgent Care, and that I can walk and that there isn't too much pain and that the tooth should be fixed but it's not an emergency.
We visited The Mall where the Martin Luther King memorial encourages us not to give up the cause of equality even when it feels like we need to move mountains to see it take shape.
The large Rock Creek Park is just across the street from IGH. It's been a cold January as is evident by the ice on the creek behind us. Thus, the number of guests at IGH has been more like 6-8 a night, but it picks up already this week and will stay full through October.
The flags on the mantle in the dining room represent some of the 100 or more countries of guests who were here in the past.
On the left is the volunteer couple from Iowa: Frank and Jane Yoder. The host couple here for 15 months are on the right: Betty and Jonathan Schrag. They're from Indiana. Both couples have been wonderful to work with and be in community with.
Hospitality is more than clean sheets, hot muffins at breakfast, evening tea. Those are the nuts and bolts of what we have begun to learn how to do. However, this house sits in the heart of a culture that appears to have lost its way as being a place that accepts and loves on the "tired and poor", the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free." A book on hospitality that we have been encouraged to read says that until we get to know someone who (you fill in the blank), "our differences will divide us. "The walls only come down when the labels are changed into human faces." pg. 66 Radical Hospitality. The author, Lonnie Collins Pratt, goes on to say, "The real question is not how dangerous that stranger is. The real question is how dangerous will I become if I don't learn to be more open?" pg 74. This is the essence of what we are trying to learn as a couple and hope this nation will learn, as well. It grieves and angers us that so little regard is extended to anyone who isn't a carbon-copy of myself.
We are somewhat disappointed that the "international" part of the name isn't more evident on the guest register. But people do come from all walks of life throughout the U.S. and stay here for various reasons: to vacation, lobby, join in civil protests, seek government aid for their issues, etc. There are a few who stay here from other countries although they are not the main clientele now. The house sits on a residential street. It has three floors with a full usable basement. The top floor houses the guests in five rooms that can hold up to 15 total. The staff have bedrooms on the second floor. The women's bath is on second and the men's on third. Staff and guests all eat breakfast together that we prepare. Tea and cookies are also offered in the evening. Both times are at least hour-long events of animated conversation. After breakfast, one shift cleans up and prepares lunch for the staff. Another shift cleans the rooms and does laundry. The afternoon/evening shift takes care of the office and welcomes new guests. The house (which is run by Allegheny Conference of the Mennonite Church) has been around for 50 years, so the system is well spelled out and seems to work efficiently.
This is a snapshot of what we've observed and been part of as we enter our second week here. Keep us in your prayers as we navigate community living in a house that is quite different than the Baltimore experience...one not better or worse than the other...just different. We enjoy hearing from each of you, as well.
Just one more thing to add since I didn't get this posted Monday, Jan. 15. Jim and I had that day off so we decided to see some of the museums on the Mall. As we were walking across the mall to the Air and Space Museum, I tripped on an uneven section of the concrete walkway and fell face forward, hitting my chin and mouth hard. No broken bones, but some bleeding and bruising and also chipped off part of my upper front tooth. Ugh! But I'm grateful that Jim was with me, that we found a good Urgent Care, and that I can walk and that there isn't too much pain and that the tooth should be fixed but it's not an emergency.
We visited The Mall where the Martin Luther King memorial encourages us not to give up the cause of equality even when it feels like we need to move mountains to see it take shape.
The large Rock Creek Park is just across the street from IGH. It's been a cold January as is evident by the ice on the creek behind us. Thus, the number of guests at IGH has been more like 6-8 a night, but it picks up already this week and will stay full through October.
The flags on the mantle in the dining room represent some of the 100 or more countries of guests who were here in the past.
On the left is the volunteer couple from Iowa: Frank and Jane Yoder. The host couple here for 15 months are on the right: Betty and Jonathan Schrag. They're from Indiana. Both couples have been wonderful to work with and be in community with.
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