I have been focused on the work side of our hospitality and I stopped for a moment to look around at some of the people we are serving. Tuesday as mentioned before I had a really good visit with a small group of Dutch. We talked about the unfortunate DQ of their speed skater. This morning as we were watching a sports cast and a photo of Sven Kramer appeared. Ken gave a nudge and said “ Look that’s the guy you were talking to last night!” He seemed not to mind that I didn’t recognize him.
Not everyone we meet is an athlete. There are those who live nearby, and we see them each day as they stop and chat on their way home from work. There are those who are able to travel to the Olympics from other Nations. It is great to meet so many different peoples and culture in such a small place. I have to listen very closely to what they say and how they say it on order to understand them. Others seem to only be able to share the names of their most famous athletes –very loudly and proudly.
Tonight I met a young man (21) who just needed to visit with someone. He talked and talked and talked, about anything and everything just to stay near us and visit with us. He was in the Canadian Forces, a new Boot. When I shared about my experiences working with the Canadian Forces in Europe his face lit up. I was able to share with him about the importance of faith in Jesus in my life, He listened and a bible and a Jesus video. He said he would be back on Friday to see us again.
Still others stop and you can see in their eyes the weight of their troubles. One young man shared with me how he had been trapped in drugs and alcohol and that he was working in the city to help rescue others from the same problems.
One man comes every day. He really enjoys the Hot Chocolate. I have learned that he doesn’t live nearby – he is waiting for us to finish so he can take back his bench for the night. It seems we are in his home of the moment. He is very polite and has an ability to almost disappear. The Salvation Army Major knows him by name. I tried to give him a bag of supplies (hand warmers, rain coat, hygiene supplies) but he won’t take them.
There are others like these. They all have needs, and struggles. We cannot ne blinded by the events to the needs of those around us.
