P&J Homestead "God Walks" Scholarship

As a Christian, the principle of loving your neighbor as yourself resonates deeply. It is a calling that extends far beyond merely being polite - it challenges us to actively care for others with true compassion and hospitality. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus instructs "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39), exemplifying this through His own life of service. To me, being a good neighbor means embodying this spirit of selfless care and hospitality towards others in both big and small ways. True hospitality involves making people feel truly welcome, valued, and at home - whether a stranger, friend, or member of the community. It requires going beyond surface-level kindness to nurturing meaningful connections. The Bible reminds us that we should "not neglect to show hospitality to strangers" (Hebrews 13:2), as we may be unknowingly welcoming angels. Every individual deserves to feel this sense of belonging. Over the past four years, I've strived to be a good neighbor through my volunteer work with the hospitality ministry at my church. Each Sunday, I greet attendees with a warm smile and help them find seats, ensuring they feel welcome from the moment they arrive. For our community outreach events, I assist in organizing housing, meals, and care packages for those in need. Seeing the relief and gratitude on their faces has been incredibly humbling and motivates me to continue growing in hospitality. This heart for service has inspired me to pursue hospitality management as my major. The industry is centered around providing exceptional experiences for guests and making them feel cared for. However, I don't want to just learn the technical skills - I am driven by a deeper desire to truly exemplify Christian hospitality. From managing hotel operations to creating atmospheres of comfort and community, I will constantly focus on how to be a good neighbor and inspire my team to have this mindset. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus redefines what it means to "love your neighbor." The Samaritan showed compassion to the man who had been beaten and robbed, bandaging his wounds and ensuring he was cared for at the inn (Luke 10:25-37). This teaches that our neighbor is anyone in need, regardless of distance or relation to us. We are called to go out of our way to look after others and tend to their needs, both physical and emotional. Loving our neighbors requires us to be other-centered, putting the needs of those around us above our own. It is a daily practice of exercising care, patience, kindness and empathy in every interaction. By God's grace, I hope to spend my life demonstrating this type of good neighborly love through a career channeling hospitality as a means of service.