Anyone want a cuppa?

While sitting in the office at Bethany House, you will often hear the question "Anyone want a cuppa?" asked by numerous staff members who are off to get themselves a cup of coffee or tea and are wondering if anyone else would like one.

In my life so far, I have gained a dear, deep love for coffee. And now, in my time in the UK, my love for tea has grown to almost the same standard. One of my favorite activities has been going for coffee with a friend and I have fond memories of sitting on the deck of Atsina, or lodge deck, at Christikon with a hot cup of french press coffee in the morning hours, talking with dear friends. All of these moments have informed much of how I interact with people and how I process life. Though, now, a simple cuppa has so much more profound meaning since spending time at the House.

In times of distress, one must offer a hot drink. Whenever I have had a resident who is just needing to talk or is completely down, offering a cup of tea or coffee has opened the doors to helping someone relax and to process what it happening. A cuppa has given the opportunities for meaningful conversations with residents. And on top of that, there have been days when I have needed a cup of tea to make it through. I can think of one in particular when the load of work was wearing on me and I ended up breaking down in the back office. My co-worker just looked at me and said, "How about a cup of tea?" And with that, he sat with me and comforted me and helped me to regain my strength to continue.

Hospitality goes a long way. Now, at Christikon, we are taught a lot about hospitality so I've been aware of just how much impact it can have on people. And at the House this is no different, the difference is that it is often the residents being hospitable to me. You see, whenever I go up to the flats for whatever reason, I am offered a hot drink almost every time. This amazes me. These guys and girls are living in a homeless hostel and have so much to deal with and don't always have much to offer in different ways, but they offer what they can: a cuppa. They show me hospitality and love through this small action and it blows me away every time. It took me some time to realize this. Often, I would say, "Oh, I can't right now because I'm..." (probably doing some random job that can honestly wait). Though, they did not stop offering and one day I had the realization that if I want to really get to know these guys and show them I am worth their time and their trust, I need to start acting like it. So, I started staying for the cuppa. Or, I would tell them I'd finish waking up the flat next door and would be back. This has made the difference. I've needed to set aside my agenda of doing "things" all the time to just sit, relax, and enjoy some human company with a hot cuppa.

Tea break is a necessary time of day. I know I've written about this before, but I find tea break to be an incredibly vital part of our life together in the House and in the world. Not only do I get to eat delicious biscuits and have a hot cuppa, but I also get to sit and laugh with some of the coolest people in the House and outside of the House. Around 3pm every day, my brain tells me to stop what I'm doing and have a cup of tea and it is a reminder to slow down. It is a reminder to just be for a bit. Tea break is good for the soul.

When I sit and think about it: a cuppa goes a long way. It is a small gesture that makes such an impact. I know this for certain because the impact has truly been made on me through the hospitality and love of others in my time here just through the simple question of, "Anyone want a cuppa?"