"Our society seems to be increasingly full of fearful, defensive, aggressive people anxiously clinging to their property and inclined to look at the surrounding world with suspicion, always expecting an enemy to suddenly appear, intrude, and do harm.
But still- that is our vocation: to convert the hostis into a hospes, the enemy into a guest and to create the free and fearless space where strangers can cast Off their strangeness become our fellow human beings". -Henri Nouwen
Fear tells us we must cling to what is known to guard ourselves and others we may view as outside of our own life experiences. Many proceed through life this way. Opting for comfort, but all the while feeling a nagging that this can't be all there is. In truth, we all seek a place to live without fear and where community can be found. Yet, if we have any hope to engage in the events of the human experience, and not just that of the West, we must go forward with gentleness and receptivity. Certainly, one can experience this in their own neighborhood, but for me it has taken root during my times in Africa.
I can no longer keep a safe distance from those viewed as strangers. For me, the line between host and guest has been blurred. It is with a courage not of my own that I have shared in the joys, challenges, and sufferings of my African friends. For me, they have created space to engage without fear and to enter into honest dialogue. We've shared our misconceptions of one another and wrestled with our cultural differences. Through it all we have allowed ourselves to be changed and a deep understanding of each other to emerge. My hope is that others would experience this life giving transformation.
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