Rivendell Hospitality House
Last Sunday, my wife and I had dinner with possible future Hospitality House directors. Chris & Elizabeth will be finishing up their time in seminary next May and are praying about joining Cadence. Chris grew up in an army family and spent some of his high school years in Germany, where he was involved in a Malachi youth ministry.
Over dinner as we were talking about House minsitry, Elizabeth shared somewhat of a romantic but very interesting vision of one aspect of a Hospitality House: Rivendell.
Rivendell was a place of refuge, mostly of Elves, in Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In The Fellowship of the Ring, in the chapter called “Many Meetings,” Rivendell is described “as Bilbo had long ago reported, ‘a perfect house, whether you like food or sleep or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all’. Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness.”
In the midst of chaos and confusion where shadows threaten to overtake you, Elizabeth envisions a Hospitality House as a place of safety. The current war with all of its deployments and family separations make this all the more appropriate.
What do you think? Good analogy?
This is right on! Rick and Paula the Jones family has experinced all these things through your ministry in Schweinfurt. I went to the field months at a time and 12 month deployment to Iraq in 2004. Through all those times away I knew my family was safe and blessed through Schweinfurt Hospitality House. The times I was able to be there has changed me forever, to experince the love of brother’s and sister’s in Christ.
I like it. Wanted to let you know Chris’ graduation is set for May 9, 2008. And by all means, link to our blog any time!
We will be praying for you Chris and Elizabeth. I pray God will bless you as he blesses other’s through your ministry.