We've Been Waiting

Years ago I taught first grade. One morning one of my students came in and just stood there looking carefully all around the room. Finally he looked up at me and said, "Ms. Gooch, where do you sleep? In his world I was there when he got to school, and I was there when he left. I stayed there all the time and waited just for HIM!

I have a vivid memory of pulling up to my grandmother's house as a little girl. We lived out of town. When we pulled up onto that long dirt driveway she would come out the door and stand on the porch with her arms open wide. She would be smiling from ear to ear.  It seems as if she was almost laughing, she was so happy to see us. You see, she had been waiting on us. She knew we were coming and she would watch for us, and as soon as we got there she rushed out to welcome us and give us a hug. I loved that feeling. I always felt so loved and welcomed. 

I think that is where I get a lot of my heart for the PARC. Hospitality is the center of how we operate. I want every person that comes in our door to feel welcome, with arms open wide, as if we have been waiting just for them. We try to create an environment for this; for love and acceptance. We try to prepare our hearts so that every time someone walks through our door that we are so happy to see them. We are so glad that you are here!! We've been waiting for you.

If you haven't been to the PARC, I hope that you will come. If you have, I think that you understand this spirit that lives here. We all want to feel welcome. We all love it when someone is happy to see us. Imagine what it feels like for our members who are so often not seen. They are often disrespected, told they can't stay and told that they need to leave. This is the place where they can come. I hope that the PARC is the place where they always feel loved and welcome.