An Unexpected Encounter at Whole Foods
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You know sometimes our Lord just throws something right at us that totally blows us away. Late last month, I was in Evanston, Illinois doing a racewalking clinic. After my Sunday workout session circling an indoor track a million times, I headed straight toward the luscious veggie and pasta salad bar inside their local Whole Foods Market. I couldn’t wait as I hadn’t eaten since the night before. Oh yeah, was I in heaven.
I took my $28.07 salad and C20 coconut water over to the eating area and sat down at one of those single tables. I noticed a gal to the table left of me with a beanie and ski jacket on like the rest of us (it was 20℉ outside) finishing her sandwich and of course scrolling on her phone. Hey, I thought, why don’t I just say hi? So I started out by saying how ridiculously expense my salad cost compared to the one I had at the Whole Foods in Philly back in 2000 when my girls were doing a summer ballet program. She put down her phone, looked over at me, smiled and laughed. I don't remember what she said, but we just started talking, and she asked why I was in Evanston. I told her I was here for a racewalking clinic, that I’d given up running a few months ago because my knees were shot but I still love doing it, you know, competing in races and all. She then asked me where have I done races?
Well, I thought, this gal sure likes to ask questions. Cool. So I told her I’ve done marathons and half marathons pretty much all over the world, even a 20K race in the jungles of Haiti. “Why Haiti?” she asked. “Mmm...ok…” I then proceeded to tell her I’m a short-term missionary. “Ahhh, what’s a short-term missionary?” “It’s when you go out on short period mission trips, a few weeks, months.” Ha! What’s with all these questions, I wondered?
She stopped with the questions (for now) and started to open up. It ends up she’s a 2nd generation missionary kid. Both her father and grandfather were missionaries. She went on about having an unhappy childhood, that she really didn’t have much of a relationship with her father; he just didn’t pay much attention to her or his family at all. She stopped for a second, smiled, and then joyfully proclaimed, “but it’s ok. I happen to be a totally contented, a very happy atheist.” (I think I threw in a couple adverbs for emphasis. Sorry.)
Bam! Socko! I sure wasn’t expecting to hear that. What’s going on here, I thought? I didn’t know what to say, like at a dead-end. What do you say to a nice gal who grew up as an MK? After hearing her story for a few minutes, it was evident she knew her Bible and theology like the back of her hand.
Well, I just sat back and listened. Yeah, she was definitely in her 30’s, a single mom (divorced) with an 11-year-old son. She came across as being very articulate, sharp and well educated. She has some higher-level university degree, (I forgot what kind) has a great job in social services or some department where she handles troubled children, steering them to what she calls “crisis resolution.” She loves working with kids. “I just want to help them. I want to help people and make an impact on their lives.” She said she was really good at it, which, quite frankly, didn’t surprise me at all.
Haiti
We ended up talking for at least an hour and it was not because of me. No way. It certainly wasn’t my cool and persuasive Christian apologetics that kept things rolling. It was her – Christy - and all her questions! One question after another after another. She asked me more questions about Haiti, like what I did there and how was the life there with all the people. I told her I taught books of the Bible at a Bible Training Center and once spent two weeks by myself with a family and saw how they lived with practically nothing. “They seemed to me to be the happiest people I’ve ever known and all they had were themselves, their dear friends and Jesus.”
Haiti kids
South Sudan
Her questions continued. “Where else have you been?” I couldn’t wait as this was one of my favorite trips. “Let me tell you about ‘Morning Glory,’ the 4:30am 7-days a week worship and prayer time at a children’s home in South Sudan. Can you imagine how blessed you’d be if you’re in the middle of a big circle of 120 kids from ages 5-15 with their arms raised, dancing and singing to the Lord in Swahili?” Christy smiled. “No. I can’t imagine. You know, Jim, you ought to write a book about all of your trips.” Mmm…
South Sudan Morning Glory
South Asia
“Where else have you been?” Waah! I was held captive by all her crazy questions. I love it! So, I shared about my teaching English and history of the Christian Church classes at all of our church Bible colleges in South Asia and how increasingly difficult it’s been lately not to stick out being an old white American guy. I explained that we have to be very careful what we do and say, especially in the public circles, due to more and more state-level anti-conversion laws being enforced. Last year we had to conduct most of our Bible classes and studies indoors.
It was now time for her to go. As we were leaving, I walked up to her and looked her right in the eye and said softly, “I'm going to pray for you.” Instantly she replied, PLEASE DO!!!” “Really?” “Sure.” I remember giving her a hug and a kiss on the top of her beanie. She then left. I went back to my food and started to pray for her and her son.
South Asia teaching
Having fun on break
Epilogue
I even shared Pastor Rob Douglass’ long rope eternity analogy - that the rope was like 30 feet long, and on each end of the rope there was 2-3 inch plastic red tape wrapped around it. I told her that this 2-3 inches on each end of this 30 foot rope is like our time here on earth, and the rest of the rope is eternity. How little do any of us ever think of eternity. I gave her a lot to think about.
I definitely shared the Gospel with her and gave her a handful of Bible verses. She listened patiently as she knew (and I knew she knew) it all anyways. It was like I would give her a verse and she would finish it for me - that kind of thing. I was definitely “preaching to the choir” but in a weird way - she’d left the choir years ago.
Near the end of our time together, I knew I even had to give her the real deal so I told her, “You know Jesus said there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth to those who reject Him.” She replied, “I know. I know.”
Christy had given up on Jesus and everything years ago. But what is really interesting is that our conversation was so friendly and pleasant. No one was trying to outdo the other. Despite her disbelief and negative slant on Christianity and my “natural” dogmatic bent, we never judged each other, debated or argued with each other in any way. Neither of us had anything bad to say about our different mindsets, belief systems, whatever you want to call it. We both simply listened, smiled and shared.
I believe the Lord purposely appointed our time together for Christy to get to know Jesus in a different way. I pray she heard, possibly for the first time in many years, that living the Christian life can be a rich and rewarding life, filled with love, compassion, fun, excitement and adventure too. Please pray for her and her son.
This was truly an unexpected encounter at Whole Foods.
Missionary care trip coming up
I hope to make it back to South Asia again this fall. I love my friends over there so much. I love to teach, pray, fellowship, break bread – wait – I mean naan, roti, chapatis and dosas – with them. Even though we live so far away from each other, we keep in touch and pray for each other all the time. I love it when I get Signal phone calls or text messages in the middle of the night. “Hey, I’m 12 ½ hours behind you!” I still head up our church’s South Asia care team. We meet on the second Saturday of each month to lift up our South Asia brothers and sisters there in prayer. (Philippians 4:6-7) Prayer is so important.
I try get with my three kids and eight grandkids as much as I can. Oh, boy, they are so busy, busy, busy.
I hope they read this!
Thank you for praying for me and supporting my trips through your giving. See the link below if you feel led to help support my upcoming trip.
Oh, and I’m power walking now. It’s so much easier than running on these old bones. I love the challenge, the endurance, perseverance and competition. I really can’t explain it…
The Lord bless you all in every way. Take care.
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