An 8-year-old and my invitation to dinner

UPDATE:

Many of you may remember the sweet 8-year-old who invited me to his home for his special homemade macaroni and cheese dinner.

I have some wonderful news to share. His family has found housing and is settling into their new home. Because they now have a washer and dryer of their own, my dinner invitation has been postponed for a little while. 

His mom recently shared a message from him. He wanted me to know that as soon as he gets his room set up and learns where all the pots and pans belong in the kitchen, he'll invite me over.

But that's not all…

When he first invited me, he told me I would need to bring my own drink because he wasn't sure what I liked. I told him I love lemonade. He smiled and said he liked lemonade too, but sometimes it was so sour it made his face look funny.

His message for me this time was that he's been practicing. He wanted me to know that he's working on his lemonade recipe and thinks he's finally gotten it to where it won't make my face look funny when I drink it.

So now I'm looking forward to not only his famous macaroni and cheese, but also what I'm certain will be an amazing glass of homemade lemonade.

Most of all, I'm celebrating that this little boy and his family are finally home. Sometimes the biggest victories aren't measured in loads of laundry. Sometimes they're measured in a child proudly preparing to welcome a guest into his very own home.

~Original post:

Recently, I was invited to dinner by an 8-year-old child we serve.

He excitedly shared that he would be making his special homemade macaroni and cheese...the best I would ever have.

With pride and joy, he told me how he would serve me, not as someone in need, but simply as a host welcoming a guest.

What stood out most to me was not the invitation itself, but the perspective behind it.

To him, there is no difference between his life and anyone else’s.

His camp trailer is his home, and within it, he experiences family, pride, and belonging...just like any other child.

This moment is a powerful reminder that the individuals and families we serve are not defined by their circumstances or where they live.