My husband's parents in Mexico have always taken people in. They once took in a man who had escaped from a mental institution and believed he was from outer space. The only things they've ever had stolen from these people were a basketball and a radio. {edit: I got this wrong: the radio was stolen, and a basketball left in exchange.}

You might also think of people in your church who are alone on Sundays, or new to your congregation, or who travel a distance to come to church and it's difficult for them to return between services. My parents always had a crowd of people over when we were growing up --most of them lived alone or were otherwise in some kind of hardship or inconvenience. My mom would make a roast the night before, and it was a great treat for some of the college students who otherwise subsisted on Ramen.

Incidentally they once extended hospitality to a family they didn't know who were passing through from Canada: I was very ill and barely met the family. A few months later, when I had determined to stop praying as there didn't seem to be any way to communicate with God, I received a call from the lady out of the blue while the rest of my family were at church. I told her they were all gone and she said she knew they would be and had called to speak to me, in the belief that God had wanted her to tell me to keep praying. I am not a charismatic: I don't know how to explain these things. But it was the most complete refutation of what I had been thinking, and I believe that those who are 'mindful to entertain strangers' will never be the loser by it.

Here and in Mexico Ruben has been careful to invite all the families in the church over at least once. This way we have a chance to develop a relationship with people we might not otherwise have much contact with, and to be more aware of needs outside of our own age and interest group.

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Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.