Hospitality

Watching a cow being milked, my cousin – around four years old at the time – asked, “Are they putting it in or taking it out?” I’d like to think I have a better grasp on this and other farming processes, but the truth is much of it is wrapped in deep mystery for me. What I do know is that when I’m hungry, I’m reliant on others, and ultimately God, to feed me.

In British Columbia (BC), Canada, five species of Pacific salmon travel over 600 miles from the ocean to the inland streams where they hatched, a moving buffet feeding everything from insects, other fish, and birds to otters, orca,s and humans. We now know they even feed trees – you can see from the rings in a trunk which years there was a good salmon run!

A Rocha’s team in BC monitors salmon migration, runs a Coho salmon hatchery and carries out a full programme of environmental education and community engagement. Sadly, stocks are struggling because of habitat degradation, drought, and overfishing. With so much life depending on this one significant yet struggling species, it is hard not to find the whole situation bleak and even frightening. But Cindy Verbeek, who spearheads the salmon project for A Rocha says, “It is not my job to save the world – that’s already been done.” Instead, she sees her job as to “walk alongside the Creator of the world, to do my part in the redemption of this world and love what he loves. And in BC that means caring for salmon.”

We all benefit from God’s abundant hospitality but so often we don’t offer that same hospitality to our neighbours, humans, and others. God’s call on us is to love what he loves, as Cindy puts it. What is your salmon equivalent? Perhaps the first step is finding out a bit more about creation in your own back garden or local park and starting from there.

Prayer:

Pray that God would give you inspiration for creative ways to be generous with the resources you have.

Take a 40acts challenge today:

1. Instead of saying a rushed or generic grace at your next meal, take time to express detailed and meaningful gratitude to God for each thing on your plate. Ask Him to help you appreciate all He has done to provide for you in His creation.
2. Generosity isn’t (only) for the birds! Create a bug hotel or put up a bird table in a communal space
3. Cook a meal to share made only from ingredients you know have been grown, harvested, and processed with care. Tell your guests about what they are eating.