The Beauty of a Simple Meal

By Michelle Swearingen, Director of Programs

As we rebuild our routine of sharing a meal together at RILA before our clinics, I’ve been pondering the motivation behind the meal. Why is it valuable to share a meal before each clinic? It’s a fair amount of work to organize these meals. It increases our reliance on volunteers and members of our community. And strictly speaking, it is not core to our mission of providing excellent, free legal services to vulnerable immigrants in our community. But what if the meal allows the work of RILA to flourish?

At a recent clinic, I watched Jason, our Legal Director, sit across the table from two Spanish-speaking clients who were alone. Despite the significant language barrier, Jason struck up a conversation with the mother and daughter waiting to file to bring a family member to safety in the US. They talked about Chipotle and parenting and Jason showcased his uncanny ability to remember odd details from applications he filed years ago. What started out awkwardly ended with lots of laughter and ultimately a deeper connection.

There is something holy and powerful about sharing a meal. It’s an equalizer, a place to share stories and dreams–and sometimes, awkward chit chat. But it’s a way that we leave space for more: space for God to do something–in our hearts, in our minds, in our relationships. Jesus spent so much of his time eating with people. He absolutely met their needs, but he also listened to their stories and their fears. He laughed with them and enjoyed their company. To begin with a meal--an act of hospitality--gives a context of mutual respect for the difficult conversations that follow later in the evening.

I also love sharing this meal because we get to include more people in our work–those who don’t have the capacity to hear the traumatic stories or spend three hours at a clinic, but who want to care for immigrants. Please consider joining us to make and serve our 6:30 clinic meal one week. If you don’t typically come to clinics, this is an opportunity for you to gather a group of friends or colleagues or neighbors and care for immigrants in our community! We’d love to have you. And, as always, if you're interested in volunteering to translate, take notes, or generally volunteer with RILA, reach out to Mel.

Hebrews 13: 1-2
"Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."