Welcome – The Right Hand of Friendship

Hebrews 11 : 30–31

‘By faith the walls of Jericho fell… By faith Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.’

A small hand on a page — open, curious, ready to connect. This image, taken when our youngest was about eighteen months old, seemed right for the word ‘welcome’. In Greek the word used here is ‘δέχομαι’, meaning to receive with the right hand — a gesture of trust and friendship. That idea runs through every language: to take someone in, to greet them gladly, to make space for peace. Seven years on, his hand is larger, but the meaning of that gesture has not changed.

Each word card set begins with an image that captures the theme of the word. The following cards trace its story: a main word card (or two, if extended), a junior version with a paler border, an etymological breakdown showing how the word travelled through time, and a list of sources. Some sets also include cards for related words or translations across other languages. Together they show where each word came from, how it changed, and what it still carries with it.