BE OUR GUEST

I have the privilege of serving at a ministry in our church called Be Our Guest. Every third Tuesday, many church members gather to serve dinner to folks in our community. Some cook....made from scratch cooking, some set the tables....with real table cloths and fine dishes, some serve....bring the food and drinks to the table, some host.....sit, eat, and fellowship with the guests, some stay and wash dishes and put tables and chairs away. Live entertainment is also provided, and all of this is FREE! It's open to anyone in the entire community, and we usually serve about 150-200. I am always a host....great job....get to sit, eat, and fellowship; and I'm pretty successful at all of those. I always bring Addi....my 14 year old....who is my table server, and Drew....my 10 year old....who is my table's drink and dessert server. Tonight was the first time, I brought Bryna....my 8 year old. I told her she could start coming when she turned 8. I've been apprehensive about bringing her, because she is a little bit of a "bull in a china shop" type of child. But when I asked the volunteer coordinator, she assured me Bryna would be fine; and this was an opportunity for families to volunteer together; so I brought her. She has been excited about it for a month, since her 8th birthday. Tonight I sat with 4 regular guests and 1 new guest. I sat down at my table to wait for Pastor Cindy to invite the guests in, and I realized I had forgotten my name tag. I then got up to get it; and when I was walking back to the table a sweet looking older woman was there. At first I thought she was a host who didn't realize I had agreed to host that table, but I quickly realized she was a guest. When I went back to sit down, she greeted me with a big smile. I sat and attempted a conversation but was quickly met with these words: "Poquito Ingles"! I smiled at her and replied: "Poquito Espanol"! She giggled and so did I. I handed her a name tag, and she wrote her name....Elisa....on the name tag. Then she told me she was a student at our church, or at least that's what I think she told me. We managed to chat enough for me to figure out that she lives in the government housing next door. As other guests approached our table and sat down, some introduced themselves; and I would tell them that Elisa spoke "poquito Ingles". She would smile. One guest said what I had....that he spoke "poquito Espanol"! She giggled again. As we ate, she didn't say much, but she would clap after one of Josh's songs...he was providing entertainment. She especially liked the Elvis song Josh sang....maybe because he is sort of universal in all languages. When dessert came, she was still eating her dinner. So most of our guests had eaten and were getting ready to leave when Elisa was just about to start her dessert. She ate about half of her dessert, and she looked at me and said...."Beautiful!".....as she pointed to her pie. I told her she could take an orange that was part of the centerpiece on our table (I was very proud that I remembered the spanish word for orange was naranja), and she was thrilled to take one with her. She motioned for another dessert which she was served, and she sat and enjoyed every single bite. When she got up to leave, she thanked me in Spanish; and we hugged. Then she looked me square in the eye, took my hand in hers, and again said with so much emotion...."Beautiful!" I realized that what she was saying was that the whole experience was "beautiful" for her. I don't know if she knows many other English words, but I couldn't help but think if there was only one descriptive English word to know...."Beautiful" was certainly a good word to know. I felt the Holy Spirit so full in that place tonight, and I am so honored to be able to serve others. It's "BEAUTIFUL". As I said....tonight was my daughter, Bryna's, first time to serve; and as I said she is sort of the "bull in the china shop" type of child. But everytime I saw her skipping, prancing, or running by, with a pitcher full of water or a tray full of desserts, and that big bright proud smile on her face.....I never once thought....I hope she doesn't drop something or break something, or I hope she doesn't spill something. Instead what I thought was...."BEAUTIFUL!"