There are many reasons why someone would find themselves with unstable housing, but we are not there necessarily to ask this question. We are there to extend hospitality in the form of snacks and water, and (in my opinion, more importantly) to enact our Christian love in the form of our engaged presence.

Furthermore, it is true that people who experience housing instability also have high incidences of mental and physical illness, sometimes a cause of but as often, an effect of their living situation. It will likely be the case that as we serve together, we encounter people with various struggles. It is likely that our time with the Welcome Church will bring up questions that are hard to answer for parents, like: Why doesn’t she have a home? Why does he look like that? Why are they acting that way? It might also bring up some emotions of sorrow or frustration.

While the questions are difficult, they are important ones to ask and the emotion is true.

I encourage those who attend to take the opportunity to wonder along with your children. Help them to notice similarities alongside the differences that will be apparent between themselves and those they meet. If you’re up for it, this is a good time to lean into conversations about race and poverty, in the simplest or more complicated forms depending on what you think your child is ready to engage. And as always, your (and their) pastors are ready and willing to help think through these questions as well. I encourage parents to set the example, talking to our friends from the Welcome Church, and being attuned to where conversation is welcome (or not).