Of Pies and People

I might have mentioned once or twice that we really want to be more missional, reach out and get to know our neighbors and yes, ultimately share the good news of Christ with them. How to do that has been something of a mystery. Last week a woman at church mentioned that the holidays are a great time to be more active in our connection to our neighbors as it is just more natural at this time of year. We agree. In fact, we had already decided not to wait until Christmas but to get a head start by taking some initiative at Thanksgiving. Here's a glimpse of what took place in my kitchen yesterday...

We baked pumpkin pies for our five nearest neighbors. We decorated each one and added a card sharing how grateful we are for our neighbors. We had been thinking and praying about this for several weeks. It was a first step, a way to actually meet some of the folks who routinely drive into their garage, bring down the door and disappear inside until they need to venture out again. We prayed over each pie...I know, that sounds pretty corny, but we wanted this to mean something and knew that on our own it would just be food. We hoped to find each neighbor at home. We had only a small window of time to deliver them before the hubs had to go back on twelve hour shifts and we wanted to do it together. We also did not want five extra pies for our own small Thanksgiving celebration!

All five neighbors were at home which is pretty miraculous in and of itself. We were on a roll at the first two houses. Both are home to young families with little ones. They were delighted for any help with their cooking chores and received the pies with gratitude. It's always pretty easy to make pleasant conversation about someone's children. The third house, a neighbor we have actually spoken to on several occasions, was a different story altogether. Oh, they received us warmly enough, just in a very different way. We were ushered into their home, commanded to sit and they began to serve us...coffee, toast, ethnic foods from their home in Pakistan. We enjoyed a cake with herbs baked in along with a very hot red sauce as well as sweet orange rice. What a feast! They did not eat but watched us as we did. I tried hard to recall everything I knew about the customs of these fine folks. Suddenly, I remembered that I still had my shoes on! Never mind they were boots that zip to the knee! I still felt I should take them off. No worries, they said, guests need not do that. Then they began to tell us about their spiritual leader, their beliefs and customs. I wondered if they did so because the perceived that was the purpose of our gift and visit. Were they wrong? Not entirely but we had intended more "get to know you" time before we jumped right to religious beliefs. Well, now we know that they are Muslim. We were given information about how to learn more about their faith and we went right home and checked it out. This undertaking just took on a completely new aspect. Sharing my faith with regular ol' unchurched people is one thing (not that I can make any claims for having done even that!) but I was not exactly prepared for this new twist. God, on the other hand, was not taken by surprise in the least. After researching their particular sect of Islam, I'm fairly certain they are not extremists and that I am in no danger. I am, in fact, fascinated and more than interested in continuing our dialogue.

Our Kenyan neighbors, who greeted us warmly with hugs, received their pie and visit with enthusiasm. They will have a houseful on Thanksgiving and were grateful for the expression and the pie. Our newest neighbor, very northern, was also sweet and we should find an open door there when we return. All in all this was a very successful endeavor, hopefully the first of many. I was nervous, then frightened a little bit, and finally excited that God, in His infinite wisdom, chose to use simple people like us to reach others. I'm not sure if pies have a thing in the world to do with sharing the gospel but it seemed a good plan to me. Jesus did, after all, often use food to begin relationship with people. Food I can do...it's the rest I need a little help with. Thankful for first steps.