I used to live in a house with a bunch of fellow Christian guys. We would take in ANYONE who needed a place to stay. We had an open door policy as our front door was never locked. Our home was a place of refuge for anyone who needed it. I lived there for two years, and loved every minute of it.

While just about everyone I lived with (eight roommates) was all for being hospitable to anyone - travelers, homeless, etc. - some did not have the librality as I did on who could come in and when.

The way I think about it, everyone is going to error in some way in this. Either they are going to be a little too restrictive on strangers (or whoever) staying the night, or they are going to be way too free on letting anyone in (this is me here). I did have some belongings stolen, and we were taken advantage of by some people at times; but, I would rather risk something as little as that than to leave someone who really does need a place to stay for the night. Being that vulnerable changed me as a person in more ways than I could ever describe. I want to live in another place where my roommates are open to that. And while I'm not one who likes having a little shopping list of qualities in a future wife, this has got to be something she loves doing.

So many of us here can't preach a sermon, lead an elder board meeting, or write a dissertation to save our lives, but we can be used as a blessing to the sick, poor, hungry, and those without a home.

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Dan Pemberton
Vacaville, CA

Member, First Baptist Church San Luis Obispo
Formerly ABUSA (We left, so I guess that makes us American Baptists Unleashed!)