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Stories & Blog
“Beautiful Weather.”
ITALY — Crossworld worker Sam sat in the park listening to the happy sounds of children running and playing in the breezy, summer afternoon. “Beautiful weather,” Sam said to the elderly man sitting next to him on the bench.
“Yes, although it is still too hot up on my balcony,” Alessandro added, indicating one of the upper floors of a nearby apartment building.
During this second meeting of theirs, Sam and Alessandro had more time to talk than when they first exchanged names a few weeks ago.
“This town is just not like my village,” Alessandro said. “There, everyone asks how you are, and even how your pregnant cat is doing! Here I am out most of the day, every day, and I never open my mouth. No one wants to talk to me.” The sadness and loneliness seemed etched on his face. Sam wondered how many others in this suburb of a major city felt the same way.
“What do you do for a living?” Alessandro asked.
Here’s my opening! Sam thought. “I’m a pastor at a local church.”
“Oh, I’m an atheist.”
“Why is that?” asked Sam.
Alessandro began to tell Sam a story about his childhood. When his family had needed and asked for help, religious neighbors responded with cold indifference. “Now, I never want anything to do with this religion or this god.”
Sam’s heart ached for this Italian man, sitting on a bench, sharing his deepest hurts with a near stranger. Sam silently prayed, Lord show me how to respond and how to be your light in this situation! He told Alessandro, “I’m so sorry to hear how you’ve suffered — but thank you for sharing your heart with me.”
When they met again a few days later, Alessandro smiled at Sam as he sat down on “their” bench. “Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for letting me open my mouth,” Alessandro said.
Sam smiled and said, “I’m glad I could be here to listen!”
“Yes, although it is still too hot up on my balcony,” Alessandro added, indicating one of the upper floors of a nearby apartment building.
During this second meeting of theirs, Sam and Alessandro had more time to talk than when they first exchanged names a few weeks ago.
“This town is just not like my village,” Alessandro said. “There, everyone asks how you are, and even how your pregnant cat is doing! Here I am out most of the day, every day, and I never open my mouth. No one wants to talk to me.” The sadness and loneliness seemed etched on his face. Sam wondered how many others in this suburb of a major city felt the same way.
“What do you do for a living?” Alessandro asked.
Here’s my opening! Sam thought. “I’m a pastor at a local church.”
“Oh, I’m an atheist.”
“Why is that?” asked Sam.
Alessandro began to tell Sam a story about his childhood. When his family had needed and asked for help, religious neighbors responded with cold indifference. “Now, I never want anything to do with this religion or this god.”
Sam’s heart ached for this Italian man, sitting on a bench, sharing his deepest hurts with a near stranger. Sam silently prayed, Lord show me how to respond and how to be your light in this situation! He told Alessandro, “I’m so sorry to hear how you’ve suffered — but thank you for sharing your heart with me.”
When they met again a few days later, Alessandro smiled at Sam as he sat down on “their” bench. “Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for letting me open my mouth,” Alessandro said.
Sam smiled and said, “I’m glad I could be here to listen!”
Your part in this story...
Sam asks you to pray for these requests.
- Pray for Alessandro to find Jesus, who is always ready to listen.
- Pray that the Lord would allow our paths to cross again soon.
- Getting to know new people can be a bit out of my comfort zone. Pray that I would be willing to sacrifice my comforts in order to share God’s love and light with those around me.
- Pray for my fellow Crossworld workers and me as we seek ways to show God’s love to refugees we meet here in Italy.
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