By Sherrie Grise
Published march 2002
Hospitality is an intercultural and ancient tradition whereby strangers are offered food, shelter and sometimes work. The word hospitality has its roots in the Greek word `Xenos’, which means stranger and is also the root of the word xenophobia. Xenos then can mean fear of stranger or love of stranger. There were no hospices or hostels for the poor until the 4th century. Hospitality and care of individuals in the community was the responsibility of the community. In North America we don’t have to go back many generations to find a time when a bench was left by the door for travelers to sleep on.
Nowadays, most of us are comfortable with extending hospitality to family and friends, but it seems radical to consider sharing our meals or homes with a stranger.
There are agencies and institutions where people can sleep at night and get a meal for free, but there is still a need in our community for adequate housing and jobs. People are trying to make a home and a living and they are running into real barriers.
At the Working Centre we try to help people find shelter and work, but we are limited by what our community is able to offer. Hospitality can be many things, such as renting an extra room in your house (going rate approx. $350.00/month), or sharing extra space in your garden. If you feel it is not safe to invite a complete stranger to supper, you can instead volunteer at St. John’s Kitchen, or simply come and share a meal and talk to someone. Hospitality can also be offering work or training to someone who is having a hard time finding a job because they are still learning English, have literacy challenges, or have a disability of some kind. Local employers who have hired people with these kinds of barriers to work find that, although you might have to spend a little more time training someone initially, you end up with a loyal and hardworking employee.
Are you able to offer hospitality in any way? Please call and let us know.
