Extending an invitation

How many times have you given your house key to a stranger? In the last 2 weeks, we have been invited into the homes of 2 strangers (and been given keys to their house).

We try our best to live in the moment. We don´t plan very far in advance, and we look for opportunities to experience what the God has in store for us that day. We are always willing to change, always flexible. Several weeks back we were given bus tickets that had us sitting in separated seats. We were told that the bus was full, but there were plenty of seats open when we left the terminal. I sat next to a young man named Gabriel who quickly began conversing. We shared terere while we talked, he told me he was from Buenos Aires and he was also on vacation. The next day we happened to set up our tent next to his, and went on quite the nature hike with him and about 40 other people. By the end of our time camping, he had invited us to come stay at his house in Buenos Aires. He lived 40 minutes from the center of town with his cat Toffee. We graciously accepted his offer and several days later he met us at the bus station to take us to his house. From there, we were completely overwhelmed with kindness; kindness that doesn´t expect anything in return.


Gabriel baked us a truly delicious Argentinian Torta

Buenos Aires is a big city, and we experienced a lot of it thanks to Gabriel. We ate every kind of pastry available, sampled dulce de leche, navigated the complicated bus system, walked a ton, and had to limit our ice cream consumption to once a day (the day beginning at midnight). On one night we saw an incredible jazz show, the next we went to the Tango dance club to observe people dance for hours. What made Buenos Aires a wonderful experience was having a ¨Porteño¨ take the time to host and get to know us.


Pedestrian-only streets of Buenos Aires are a hub of activity


The giant flower in Buenos Aires

From there we took a boat across the river to Uruguay, where we met an old friend that lived as a missionary in Paraguay at the same time that my family lived there. I hadn´t seen her for 16 years, but thanks to the all-knowing Facebook, we arranged to come visit. She greeted us with a young heart, eager to bless us. Insisting that we stay for longer than we anticipated, Susana showed us around Montevideo, took us to the local farmers market, and finished by taking us to the incredible beaches of Cuchilla Alta, a small town on the Atlantic Ocean (with warm water and sun!). We camped there for 3 nights and felt as if we were on vacation from traveling.


At the beach with Susana


Eating alfajores with Susana in Montevideo

What we can all learn from Gabriel and Susana: There is great risk involved when you allow someone you don´t know into your house. Equally, there is risk entering someone´s house you don´t know. BUT, with great risks come EVEN GREATER possibilities for new and wonderful experiences. Why trust a stranger? Because there is great potential! Why can´t we be a people that don´t live in fear, but put faith in the goodness of those we don´t know! Let´s start reaching across boundaries and live in a way that respond to the experiences that come across your path! (hint hint: pick up a hitchhiker, invite someone into your home, talk to a stranger).

Love (INSERT NAME HERE). Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will be truly acting as children of the Most High. (Luke 6:35)


Still on our honeymoon, i think