You are welcome

The common greeting here when you are coming into someone’s home, office, or market stall is “You are welcome.” It sounds funny to us since no one said “Thank you.” The phrase makes perfect sense, of course. They are saying you are welcome to come into my place, welcome to be my guest, welcome to make yourself at home. It’s often repeated several times in those first couple minutes when you’ve arrived. And that is exactly how we have been welcomed to Uganda – with open arms, a wide smile, and an eager handshake.  We should have expected it, of course.  Christ has welcomed us all with arms held open on the cross.  It is certainly the case that His love holds together brothers and sisters in Christ - even across the oceans.  We have been wonderfully welcomed home.   When you arrive, we will say also to you, "You are welcome."  -Shauen