In Hebrews 13:2 it says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Suzanne and I started our family in an old “lumberjack” house built in 1881 with white pine and oak. It was a rambling house that consisted of add-on sections as the residents’ need evolved.
The front porch was one such room. It was the only room surrounded on three sides by windows. During the Christmas season we would put votive candles in all of the windows, lighting them in the evening before prayers.
One evening before Christmas, it started snowing. By the time we lit our votives five inches of snow had fallen. The world outside was blanketed in white. Traffic had slowed to a crawl as the falling snow limited the drivers’ vision. Sounds became muffled as the snowfall muted noises outside the house. It was as if the storm had hushed all the bustle and activity of the entire world into silence.
As we said our evening prayers amidst the lit votives I noticed a figure walking by in the snow. The figure hesitated in front of our home, gazing at the lit candles in the windows. After a moment of indecision, the person walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell.
As I opened the front door, I noticed that it was a weary-looking woman with disheveled hair covered by a cowl. She had low-cut shoes and no gloves. She was covered with snow and was shivering.
“It’s cold out here. May I come in and warm up?” she asked
I ushered her in. Suzanne immediately jumped into action and made the woman a cup of hot cocoa and gave her a couple of chocolate chip cookies that she had made that evening for the after-prayers treat. Then she gave one to each of the children and me.
“What are you doing outside on a night like this? I questioned
“I just came to town today and I was told that people at the Red Cross would find me a place to stay.” she answered
The Red Cross building was just a half mile away.
“Are you sure it will be open?”
By then it was about 9:00 pm. I wasn’t so sure that even the Red Cross would be open that late.
“There will be someone there.” she replied
“I’ll take you there.” I said
Then I dressed up for the outdoors to shovel the walk to the car and clear the snow off. I started the engine and walked to the front door. The woman was waiting as I opened the door and escorted her to the car.
I pulled into the street and noticed the usual two lanes had become one as the snow piled deeper. As we drove the the Red Cross building, I began to wonder how people could still be out in such weather.
I turned to her.
“Why did you choose our house to come in from the weather?” I asked
She replied, “Because God lives there.”
I pulled into the parking lot at the Red Cross. The lot was empty. There was no evidence that cars had been there since the snowfall. I became dubious.
“Are you sure that someone is waiting for you?” I asked
“I am sure.” she said as she got out of the car and stepped into the deep snow. The walk wasn’t shoveled. The building appeared closed.
I waited as she walked to the windowless door in the deep snow, certain that no one was there. The though occurred to me that I may have to bring her home for the night.
She knocked on the featureless door.
Suddenly the door opened. A brilliant light shined out for a moment lighting up the entire parking lot, then the door shut, leaving the parking lot in the dark again.
“They must be having a Christmas party.” I though to myself as I drove home.
A few days later, I bumped into a woman who worked at the Red Cross. I aske her about the Christmas party they had last Thursday.
“What Party? Everyone left early because of the storm.”
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