Lessons from the Dining Table

Editor’s Note: In his first FMS blog post, DC Service Corps volunteer Tai Ha gives a detailed glimpse into what community dinners are like at Casa San Salvador.
It’s 6:30 pm. The living room bell rings throughout the Casa. Dinner is ready. Everyone slowly makes their way to the dining room from various corners of the house. A familiar routine unfolds as we sit along the large wooden tables. Before we begin, we stand up to say grace. “Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.” With the prayer, we express our gratitude—not just for the meal, but for the gift of being together.
Every Sunday through Thursday, the members of the Casa gather around the dining table for a family-style meal, known as community dinner. As we eat, we debrief our daily adventures. Most nights, we talk about crazy new developments at our ministry sites, frustrations with coworkers, and odd encounters with strangers. The dinners are rarely formal or rigid, but each night offers an opportunity for growth as we slowly understand each other.
Initially, I wasn’t sure how I would fit into the Casa. I didn’t know anyone going into the program, I didn’t know what the house looked like, and I didn’t know if I would like the people in DCSC. Was I going to find that sense of community that FMS always talks about? But as I sat down at that dinner table on the first night, conversation began flowing. There was immediate banter, jokes were encouraged, and the laughter felt natural. We had just met, but I felt I had known these people forever.
The moments I have been able to share at the dining table make the Casa my home. It is more than a meal for all of us; it is a way to reconnect with each other and reset ourselves amid the busy, sometimes overwhelming work we have to do. It reflects the intentional life we are trying to build together, a life centered around community, shared purpose, commitment to support one another, and the deep understanding that we are all part of something greater than ourselves.
The dining table has become a central hub of our life in the Casa. During the day, it serves as a workspace where we spread out papers, laptops, and notebooks. In the afternoons, it turns into a gathering space. Someone (me) might be preparing for a medical school interview while others read or journal. At night, we all gather for dinner and prayer. The dining table’s versatility reflects the rhythm of our days, accommodating work, rest, and community with ease. It’s where we gather in all our capacities—whether to focus, relax, or be together. No matter how varied our roles and experiences may be, we are united by this table, this shared purpose, and the relationships that continue to grow around it.
Question for Reflection: Reflect on meals that you have shared with family members, friends, or a community. What made those meals special and meaningful?
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