David Trinko: Thanksgiving meal welcomes all nationalities
Nov. 23—Whether it’s “bienvenido” in Spanish or “byenvini” in Haitian Creole, Jonathan Burkey just wants you to feel “welcome.”
That’s why Burkey, the executive director of Compassionate Ministries of Lima and the pastor at Elm Street Church of the Nazarene, and the other organizers of the annual Thanksgiving Day dinner began advertising in three languages for the annual community gathering.
He looks forward to welcoming the exiles here from violent Haiti who speak Haitian Creole, as well as any Spanish speakers who can attend. The annual event runs 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 28 at Veterans Memorial Civic Center in downtown Lima.
When they say all are welcome, they mean it.
“For me as a pastor, in some ways it’s a glimpse of the fullness of the kingdom of God,” Burkey said. “We’d have all the nations right here in downtown Lima for a feast. It’s amazing, if you think about it. People from dozens of different countries come to a place to enjoy a meal and feel safe and warm. I hope that’s what we offer to everyone on that day.”
The tradition of an all-are-welcome dinner started in Lima in the 1980s. Compassionate Ministries of Lima, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, picked up its leadership in 2020, following the pandemic. They expect to hand out 3,000 free meals this year at the Civic Center, along with a drive-through option at the Wingate Hotel. They’ll also provide some grocery and basic hygiene items, thanks in part to a partnership with West Ohio Food Bank.
This year, they decided to reach out to non-English speakers in Lima with a trilingual flyer around town and online. Burkey anticipates several hundred Haitian immigrants and several hundred more Spanish-speakers at this year’s event.
“We’re trying to help make sure the people speaking Spanish and Haitian Creole are aware of the meal and feel like part of the community,” Burkey said.
A Haitian congregation gathers at Burkey’s Elm Street Church of the Nazarene at 2 p.m. each Sunday, so he knows there’s a need.
Burkey said Lima has a reputation as an “incredibly hospitable town” along the Interstate 75 corridor. While some stoke fear and distrust of the immigrants, Burkey sees others with their arms outstretched.
“We have a mayor (Sharetta Smith) right now invested in making people feel welcome and embracing them,” Burkey said. “There are a lot of pastors in town and priests who also feel that call, to make people feel welcome.”
One challenge is bridging the language barrier. There will be translators on hand this year to help. Organizers are also working to teach some basic words in all three languages, such as “welcome” and “hello,” so all can feel included in their native tongues.
The event gets easier and easier to plan each year, Burkey said, as repeat, committed volunteers know how to do their tasks well. There were a handful of volunteer sign-up spots remaining, and people can sign up via elmstreet.church/thanksgiving.
“I just feel like it’s part of a larger movement in Lima, of people who want to be hospitable,” Burkey said. “We want to make sure they’re not feeling like outsiders. We should let everybody be insiders.”
ONLY ON LIMAOHIO.COM
See past columns by David Trinko at LimaOhio.com/tag/trinko.
David Trinko is editor of The Lima News. Reach him at 567-242-0467, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @Lima_Trinko.
Featured Local Savings
