HOSPITALITY. Unexpected invitation to eat a wood-fired soup in the countryside. // HOSPITALIDAD. Invitación inesperada a comer una sopa hecha a leña en el campo. [ESP-ENG]
Greetings to this busy community and to all who support it. I am delighted to be able to write here again. This time I want to talk about one of the feelings that most enriches human beings, which is hospitality and is linked to genesority. When we are objects of it we feel happy, pampered and with purpose in life. The person who offers hospitality does not think so much that if he gives what he has, he will be left with nothing for his family, or if what he has will not please the guest, but he does it from his heart, moved by love. And one of the definitions of hospitality, and it is the most beautiful thing about this feeling, is that it is love shown to strangers. Strangers?...yes, to people you don't know and that it is even the first time you see them, but your heart motivates you to show it so that they feel good.
Hay varias formas de mostrar hospitalidad, puede ser con cosas materiales, dinero, pero también ofreciendo tu tiempo y dedicación a otros. Me agrada decir que de esta clase de hospitalidad fuimos objeto mi esposo, 12 personas más y yo. En una jornada que hacemos regularmente para ayudar a las personas a aprender de la Biblia, nos tocó ir a un sitio muy alejado, zona de campo. Pero en realidad allí no conocíamos a nadie, solo de nombre a una persona que desde el principio nos dijeron que nos estaba esperando. Imagínense sin conocernos y estaba preparada para recibirnos en su casa. Nos dijeron que a hora de almuerzo debíamos estar en casa de esta persona para comer algo. Por supuesto, que eso nos dió mucha alegría e incluso quisimos colaborar con algunas cosas para el almuerzo.
There are several ways to show hospitality, it can be with material things, money, but also by offering your time and dedication to others. I am happy to say that this kind of hospitality was shown to my husband, 12 other people and me. In a journey that we do regularly to help people learn about the Bible, we had to go to a very remote place in the countryside. But in reality we didn't know anyone there, only by name a person who from the beginning we were told was waiting for us. Imagine not knowing us and she was ready to receive us in her house. We were told that at lunch time we had to be at this person's house to have something to eat. Of course, that made us very happy and we even wanted to collaborate with some things for lunch.
Cuando llegamos al sitio nos estaba esperando una olla inmensa con sopa de carne, gallina criolla y verduras. A parte de eso había jugo de limón y cafecito para cerrar la invitación. Así que conocimos a esta señora que bondadosamente abrió las puertas de su lindo hogar de campo para nosotros. Su actitud era de alegría por tenernos allí, no había cosa que no hiciera para hacernos sentir lo mejor posible. Aunque con una casa muy humilde y le tocó cocinar en leña esta sopa, sus esfuerzos y amor demostrado a nosotros nos conmovió. Más al saber que, a pesar de que uno de los que estábamos en el grupo compro carne y verduras para colaborar con algo, ella nos dijo al llegar que había matado una gallina criada por ella para echarla también en la sopa y que disfrutamos de eso. Imagínense lo que le cuesta a una persona de bajos recursos, y de campo criar una gallina y que vengan unos extraños que veía por primera vez y regalarla sin pedir nada a cambio...eso es hospitalidad.
When we arrived at the place, a huge pot of meat soup, chicken and vegetables was waiting for us. Besides that there was lemon juice and coffee to close the invitation. So we met this lady who kindly opened the doors of her beautiful country home for us. Her attitude was one of joy to have us there, there was nothing she wouldn't do to make us feel as good as possible. Although she had a very humble home and had to cook this soup on firewood, her efforts and love shown to us touched us. Even more when we found out that, even though one of us in the group bought meat and vegetables to help with something, she told us when we arrived that she had killed a chicken she had raised to put it in the soup and that we enjoyed it too. Imagine what it costs to a person of low income and from the countryside to raise a hen and to have strangers come and give it to her for the first time without asking for anything in return...that is hospitality.
Luego nos dijo que con anticipación se había levantado más temprano de lo acostumbrado para que la sopa estuviera a tiempo. También supimos que sacó de sus cultivos algunas verduras para el almuerzo. Nos tenía una mesa larga, con sus envases hondos para sopa de plástico, para que allí comieramos, y a parte tenía yuca sancochada para el que quisiera agregarle más a su porción de sopa. Con esta muestra de amor se nos hizo el día más feliz de lo acostumbrado. Por eso, el demostrar generosidad y hospitalidad no solo alegra y beneficia al que la ofrece, sino también al que la recibe. Y eso quedó grabado en nosotros ese día.
He then told us that he had gotten up earlier than usual in advance so that the soup would be on time. We also learned that he had pulled some vegetables from his crops for lunch. He had a long table for us, with its deep plastic soup containers, for us to eat there, and he also had boiled yucca for anyone who wanted to add more to their portion of soup. This show of love made our day happier than usual. Therefore, showing generosity and hospitality not only rejoices and benefits the giver, but also the receiver. And that stuck with us that day.
Nos dimos cuenta que su alegría por tenernos en su casa era genuina, ella y su esposo, que son dos personas de la tercera edad, nos dijeron que por favor volviéramos cuando quisiéramos. Así que hicimos nuevos amigos, personas sencillas, amables y de buen corazón. Nos dieron lo mejor que tenían a pesar de sus limitaciones económicas y físicas. Por eso, hago mención de que fueron un excelente ejemplo de hospitalidad y nos motivaron a seguir actuando así con otros. Lo que si les puedo asegurar es que esa sopa estuvo súper rica, todos comimos hasta quedar satisfechos y algunos repitieron otra porción. Hasta quedó en la olla para que cuando terminara nuestra jornada de la tarde, el que quisiera, podía volver a comer.
We realized that her joy for having us in her home was genuine, she and her husband, who are both senior citizens, told us to please come back whenever we wanted. So we made new friends, simple, kind and kind-hearted people. They gave us the best they had despite their economic and physical limitations. For that reason, I mention that they were an excellent example of hospitality and motivated us to continue acting like that with others. What I can assure you is that the soup was super tasty, we all ate until we were satisfied and some of us repeated another portion. It was even left in the pot so that when our afternoon was over, whoever wanted to, could eat again.
Ese día, fue un día que nos lleno de agradecimiento a nuestro Dios, por poner cerca de nosotros a personas tan hospitalarias como estas. Y aún recuerdo con mucho agrado lo gentil y servicial de estas personas. Aunque viven en el campo y llevan vidas muy sencillas, guardan en su corazón amor para dar a quienes lo necesiten. Así concluyo con esta mención a la hospitalidad, un sentimiento que nace del amor y que mostrarlo puede cambiar la vida del que es objeto de ella. Las fotos son de mi propiedad. Espero que tengan un excelente fin de semana.
That day was a day that filled us with gratitude to our God, for putting such hospitable people like these near us. And I still remember with great pleasure how kind and helpful these people are. Although they live in the countryside and lead very simple lives, they keep in their hearts love to give to those who need it. So I conclude with this mention of hospitality, a feeling that comes from love and that showing it can change the life of the one who is the object of it. The photos are my property. I hope you have an excellent weekend.
Banner made with canva.com //Banner realizado con canva.com
La primera foto es de mi propiedad, con algunas modificaciones hechas con canva.com // The first photo is of my property, with some modifications made with canva.com
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