Five years ago, NewBridges hosted a community conversation on Epiphany. As the crowd gathered, one of our local community healthcare workers, originally from Guatemala, brought a “rosca,” a sweet bread traditionally used in Latin American communities to celebrate Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day.


The group carried about its business for a number of hours and then gathered for refreshments. We drank black tea, crunched through savory crackers and cookies, and nibbled on the sweet rosca. Suddenly, one of the participants declared that he had found the baby Jesus! Indeed, roscas often have a black bean or a small plastic infant to symbolize the search for the baby Jesus by the Kings. With great elation, she showed all of us the small plastic baby Jesus. He waved his hand with the small plastic baby between his fingertips and smiled.
Our Guatemalan participant promptly explained that the person who finds the baby Jesus must then host everyone for a gathering. The lucky Kurdish gentleman then joyfully declared that we were all invited to gather soon at the local Mosque, where he would host a potluck to continue the celebration. May we all be so generous in sharing and gracious in our hospitality during this season of Epiphany.