the hospitality of poverty

I have a book called “design for the other 90%” 90 % refers to the 5.8 billion/90% of the world who have little or no access to most of the products and services that many of us take for granted. Nearly half do not have access to life sustaining food, water or shelter. This book tells of current collaborations of top engineers and others at the Smithsonian who have now shifted focus of their talents to help this 90% live well. I love the mission and the name of the book, because in my american privilege and power I forget that i am only a part. ” To him who had been given much, much is required” , I long to never forget…. My brief stay among this 90%, otherwise called poor, on a couple of missions trips, along with my ample reading of others whom have lived outside of the US have now re-defined HOSPITALITY for me. In my opinion, the less afluent understand hospitality in a far deeper level than the wealthy. The hospitality of poverty is so beautiful that no longer do I see the entertaining that we call hospitality the real deal. How can I take the soul of the hospitality of poverty and to it my ability to give? For the most part, no matter where you travel the world to be in the midst of other cultures, or work in missions, you will find a graciousness extended to all guests. The hospitality is so unexpected that we trained our american teams in this social expectation. We learned that although we come to serve we will be put into the finest beds, while the natives sleep on the floor- and that we must take when we have been given. One place we stayed at we ended up sleeping on cement roof tops as this is where the natives slept. We were taught that we would be served the best “holiday” foods, and to refuse would be offensive, even if we see the hostess have no food left for herself for it is considered an honor to have so many guests that you dont have enough food for your self and so it becomes a joy to eat the scraps. We were taught that the natives give from a belief that to give graciously reaps so, and so we must receive with all gratefulness. I read the following story:” Brenda was in the rural Lesotho village of south africa where she lived for 3 years. when she arrived, greeting her in her room was a drink and some pumpkin. Her landlord had said that it was a bad pumpkin harvest,more than half crop rotted, and that he has only 8 pumpkins to make it through the winter. When Brenda left his home after a month to serve elsewhere the landlord took the largest pumpkin and gave it to her. ” you cannot give me more, this is all you have for your family, Brenda said! The landlord told her that this is the way they live, that they always share the best, and if one year they have none maybe another will share with them. Brenda took half of the pumpkin and shared it with a neighbor who had none, and lives this hospitality of poverty even as she has returned to the states.” There are countless stories such as this, the very fact that we find it to be a “story” proves its difference from our wealthy way of hospitality. I suppose the removal of the things that we consider “hospitality” ie: Martha Stewart table cloths, williams sonoma mickey mouse waffle irons, santa plates, pumpkin plates, bunny plates, summer picnic plates, wine bottle charms (how can i have lived without those) etc, show us that they are more entertainment than true hospitality. True hospitality focuses on the guest more than the host.

Tags: affluence, change, purpose