Christmas with IHN guests

As we celebrated Christmas with our family on Christmas Eve, we were free to spend part of Christmas Day with the Interfaith Hospitality Network guests that our church was hosting this week. (Check out NIHN.org for more information about this program). Many people had sent food for a fabulous Christmas dinner that the guests enjoyed along with several church members. There were a couple of moms there with their several children who seemed to be having fun with new toy and bikes in spite of spending Christmas in a shelter. I especially enjoyed a delightful 16 year old boy who was adjusting to a new school along with trying to remain vegetarian. After dinner another couple took everyone to see a movie for the rest of the afternoon.

Our community has been working with this program for 4 or 5 years now and it has been very satisfying to be able to do a small something about a huge homeless problem. My job is usually to be a van driver pick up person, so I don't always interact with our guests, and I was honored to spend part of this Christmas with them.