Staying with Strangers

A stranger is a person that you see on the street, on the bus or in a coffee shop. Unfortunately you don’t get the chance to really get to know them, and its easy to just overlook a person and judge them for who and what you think they might be. Though these strangers look foreign to you, they are familiar to other people and like any other person they are impacting other people’s lives.

The really cool thing about being on the road is that instead of staying in ritzy hotels, we get billeted out and stay in people’s homes. At first it may be a bit awkward but slowly and surely you find common ground. It’s amazing the things that you learn about these people, and it’s funny because they start off as complete strangers.

Just recently our team had the privilege of staying with a family in Rosenort, MB. Right off the bat we were greeted with big hugs and showered with warm smiles. They were a part of the Hero Holiday trip that went to Mexico this past Christmas. By just talking to the family they really show a bit of insight into how they truly care about helping others.  Constantly showing us videos of their experience from Mexico, they would talk about their vision of bringing their entire community to a developing country, to get the experience of seeing poverty and realizing the power we have to cause change.

Now, this is only one experience. Can you imagine moving from house to house and getting the privilege of meeting people just as amazing as this family? I am still shocked that I get to experience getting to know families just like this one. All the billets we have stayed with have been so unique and amazing and have offered us with the utmost hospitality. The fact that people are willing to take us in without even knowing us and providing us with shelter and food is incredible. All the people we have been privileged to stay with have shown me the true meaning of loving others (strangers) as your own.

-Laura, SOL Student

p.s. This is an amazing shirt that the mom from Rosenort bought for JP. They have incredible fashion sense down in Rosenort…wow!