Should I initiate a conversation?
The thought crossed my mind when I noticed an elderly man. Like me, he was strolling along a walkway. I'd seen him before. He was a Catholic priest. This place was a shrine.
I decided to go for it. Greetings were exchanged. A conversation broke out.
He identified himself as a retired missionary. I asked about his work overseas.
He'd served in Indonesia. That's a mostly Islamic country. He said the people there welcomed the presence of Catholic churches. That's because the churches served the poor. His account surprised me. I assumed that kind of acceptance rarely happened in Muslim countries.
The priest also served in Sierra Leone. A civil war raged back then. He ministered to the victims of rebel atrocities. Their arms, legs, ears, or noses had been chopped off.
Here's a man who devoted his life to ministering to the poor. He did so under the radar, without seeking acclaim. Now he assists in the upkeep of the shrine.
Meeting him inspired me. By speaking to a stranger, my life was enriched.
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