“For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”
And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:35–40
At the foundation of our faith is a core of hospitality, welcome, and inclusion. We recognize that the borders drawn on a map are not God’s lines, and that situations like war, climate change, and corruption can lead people to flee their homeland. We remember Jesus’ parents fleeing on a donkey, seeking shelter in a stable.
Almost every parent in the world would do whatever they had to do to make sure their children are safe from harm. For me, that meant car seats and childproof locks on the cabinets. For the parents I meet through Welcoming the Stranger, that means fleeing their homes with little more than they can carry to embark on a hazardous journey with few guarantees of a happy ending. When they open their doors to me, I first greet the parents who often smile with weary eyes. Then the children eagerly rush to the door. Their smiles are joyful. Their eyes are hopeful. These parents have done whatever they had to do and their efforts humble me.
~ JJ Gardiner
In 2019, members of Rock Spring traveled to the US/Mexico border for an immersive trip in understanding immigration and life on both sides of the border. The church is engaged in ministries of action, advocacy and relationship alongside partners in this work.
