This year as we change from country to country, we won’t always be staying in a one space. Each room in the house will be different, but there will always be one common space. The kitchen.
The common room between all thirty people who are with the World Race, a place to come to the table. A place to sit down and join each other in fellowship. Although the physical appearance of the kitchen will change over nine months, the atmosphere will stay the same.
Common sounds will fill the air and similar sights will appear. The crackle of the gas stove as water boils and the sound of laughter is always near. Piles of groceries align the walls and the smell of dinner floats through the halls.
In the kitchen I have time to notice the sun pouring in through the windows. As I wash the dishes, or sit at the kitchen table on the porch – I’m in it, right there in it – the poetry of morning light.
Kitchens are for early mornings and late nights. Sitting around on the kitchen floor as we tell stories, joke around with each other, or quietly enjoy a cup of coffee. We’re tired in the kitchen at night after ministry, but it’s where we dance, too. Grab a friend and turn on some 2000’s tunes or settle down with some worship music. Late night worship where sounds of the guitar fill the air. Broken lyrics fill the air as we piece songs together since we don’t have WiFi to look up lyrics or chords. It’s not perfect, but it’s special and cozy. It’s authentic.
We pour strong coffee here. Nathan’s french press comes in handy everday as Emily’s mom insticts kick in and fixes coffee for numerous people at once. Some like it sweet, others a bit darker, and she takes her time to customize each cup. That’s the kind of person she is, intentional. People hug each other in the kitchen, pray over each other, and make up handshakes. We make things we hope others will love and eat up with joy. The kitchen is full of delicious smells. And once in a while something gets burned, and that too becomes a rather cherished memory.
When you see Gel in the kitchen, you know you’re in for a treat. That Latina queen shines in the kitchen and you always know it’s going to be good food. You often find Nikki in the kitchen as well, serving the squad in any way possible, whether it be with cooking or cleaning. She has a servant heart and cares well for others.
Lighthearted moments take place in the kitchen and around it. Such as Sumer trying her first cup of coffee and Danny eating a tub of what he thought was yogurt, but with the help of Google translate turned out to be sour cream. The random moments in between sessions and ministry that are filled with laughter.
The kitchen space won’t stay the same, but the fellowship found in it will. That’s the beauty of community. They make every place feel like a home.
