Page 34 - Lenten Devotional 2023

Week 3: March 13-17 (cont)

There was a sense of community among them. Their respect and love for each other
was so apparent and they were in the trenches of their work and life with one

another. They had each other's backs.
They were grateful and they expressed it. They showered me with so many gifts I
thought I would have to buy an extra suitcase to get them all home.

When it was time for me to leave Puerto Rico I had so many different thoughts and
feelings that it was hard for me to make sense of it all. It took me several days upon

returning home to process my experience. Here is what I now know about my time in
Puerto Rico...

I left Puerto Rico professionally and personally inspired and changed. I may have been
the person with the title of “trainer”, but they trained me also. They modeled what it

means to welcome, respect, love, accompany and value another person. They accepted a
Midwest American girl, who couldn’t speak or understand their language and of whom
they had met just four days earlier, and welcomed her into their community. They

modeled what God instructs all of us to do - to take in a stranger and treat them and
love them as if they are one of us. They modeled what God’s welcome and love for

EVERYONE should feel like, sound like and look like.

They will be one of those training groups I will never forget because they challenged me

to be a better trainer, a better person and a better Christian. "Muchas Gracias, my Puerto
Rican friends, for accompanying me, welcoming me and transforming me."
~Kathleen Simley (35 yrs with First Lutheran)

When I first came to Bethany Christian Trust in Edinburgh, Scotland, I felt so welcomed
by everyone. There were the obvious ways - like making sure I was settled and giving

grace while I was learning what to do in my new role. It was all very much appreciated.
It made me feel at home just knowing everyone was so open and kind. However, there

were also little things people did to make me feel fully accepted into the group. It made
the difference between just being here and feeling like I was right where I belonged.
~Shelby Reidman