Despite the fact that the living room is still somewhat in the chaos of moving (the picture was from a week ago, and things have improved), the firehouse community has already felt like coming home to us. After having lived in an intentional community in Amsterdam (Oudezijds 100) for a number of years, we have longed to find something similar here in Lansing. Even parking our car is like coming home:
The car was originally owned by a fire brigade and we park in front of pictures of saints - John Calvin, Jean Vanier, Harriet Tubman, Oscar Romero, St Patrick, Wendell Barry, and Flannery O'Connor.
Lastly, the church that has become our new landlords cleaned up our house, scouring the oven, painting the walls, and weeding the flower beds. They even gave us leftovers for moving in and planted flowers in the window boxes!
Having been welcomed so well to this new home, it feels good and fitting that we welcome others and do all we can to make them feel at home. Starting next week we hope to have more people over and join us in embarking on the adventure of community, including having times of prayer and potlucks!
