The pool is nice,
as is the rooftop,
but it's the front porch that holds my heart here at the House of Hope.
A long tiled slab, two wooden benches, and a handfull of plastic chairs and potted plants make up my favorite spot.
It's a place to hang out,
play jump rope or cards,
watch the dogs,
watch the kids,
talk about the weather or wrestle through a difficult conversation.
I've watched countless people walk in the gates,
gather at the porch,
and pour out their excitement over good news,
or heartbreak and frustrations over tough life situations.
Good and bad, tears and laughter, this front porch exists as a sacred zone between the public and private, an area that can be shared between the sanctity of home and the community outside. It is in this space that two worlds collide and the lines between American and Haitian blur, and we are all simply...friends.
I'm convinced that just as much ministry happens in this sacred space as in walls of a sanctioned church. Long lasting, relational, life changing ministry.
Built one conversation and one go-fish game at a time.
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