Traveling Strangers, Pt. 2

OK... finally spending some time updating you on my lunch with the traveler's from Massachusetts. I had lunch with them and just got to know them for about 90 minutes. They were heading out of town shortly after lunch, but showed just as much interest in me as I did in them.

Their names are Chris and Mary. They are both 17 years old, amazingly, and no, they are not runaways or in trouble with the law at all. In fact, they talk to their parents/grandparents/siblings quite often and spoke very fondly of all of them. I couldn't believe they were that young, honestly. They were very good conversationalists to be so young.

They had been on the road since August. They just decided that if they were ever going to tour the country this way, now was the time. They had traveled to Ohio and back to Massachusetts previously over a short time span and had been exposed to the road/hitchiking/strangers so they knew what to expect for the most part when they decided to hit the road again. They have no time limits nor destination limits. They are actaully headed to Austin for the winter, or at least for a while, then back to the east coast - Florida/Carolina's area, before heading out to California. No real plan though.

They have actually been staying with some people here in OKC for about two weeks. These people picked them up in Indiana and they were headed home to OKC so Chris & Mary came all the way with them and ended up sleeping in an open room they had. They moved around to a couple different houses during the time here, but still within the same group of people with no ties to any of them prior to being picked up on the road.


I felt quite odd at times honestly. I felt like I was playing 2o questions with them, bouncing from one subject to the next. One thing that was a little odd was the way I felt the waitresses treated us. Their were a couple different ones that waited on us and I'm not sure whether she was just having a bad day, or if she didn't like Chris & Mary, but that's the way it came across. They really liked it here in OKC, and plan on stopping back by when the remainder of their travels brings them back through the crossroads of America.


Although I do feel this was a God moment, nothing overtly religious happened, but both their families are pretty liberal and that's how they grew up, so through our conversations there were numerous opportunities for me to share about volunteering for churches and that I had just quit working for a church and some of the "outside" events we have been involved in through Mars Hill, so I think that was really my purpose was just to introduce them to "christ follower's" that aren't judgemental, or condemning. They had told me about not-so-good experiences in the south with "christians", but they were not hurt by them, just felt sorry for them kinda.

All in all, I was happy to get to know them, and hope to see them again. I think they felt the same, and they have my number in their cell in case they ever come back through. I look forward to planting some more seeds should God grant me that opportunity.

Traveling Strangers

So, I was driving down 30th today coming back from the Paseo when I saw a young girl and guy on the corner of 30th & Classen. The young lady was holding a sign that said "traveling, need money, hungry" or something to that degree, but it definitely said traveling. I drove right by and not even a block later, really felt conviction that I needed to turn around and go talk to these two young people. I felt compelled to give them $10 and a bottle of water and snack bar that I had in my car.

They kind of have a "goth" look going on, grunge rebel kinda. I pulled up next to them, offered the money, and the snacks and asked them a few questions. Turns out they are from Massachussets and are just traveling around the country. I don't believe they have a car, nor money, nor plans, they are just totally playing it by ear. I'm not sure, I didn't inquire as much as I would have liked, but I wished them well and left.

A couple hours later, I really felt compelled to drive back by and to invite them to breakfast or lunch tomorrow. I was on my way to work and didn't have much time, but I really felt compelled give it a shot. So, I turn from 27th onto Classen going north and I get just passed 30th and wouldn't you know, sure enough they are walking south toward 30th. I pull a U-turn and pull into the parking lot where they are walking and of course they remember me from earlier and I ask them a few more questions about their plans and timeframe for leaving OK, etc and they didn't really know, so I invited them to breakfast or lunch if they were still around. I gave them my cell phone number in case they were still in town and just told them to feel free to call if they wanted to have a meal and share their story. I was very interested and would love to know at least part of their story. I'm sure they were a little weirded out by this at this point, but who knows.

Anyway, I get a call about 8:30 tonight asking me if that invite is still open. I say sure and we setup to meet tomorrow at Jeff's Country Cafe at noon tomorrow. What's crazy is that when I caught up with them the second time, they were just returning from Jeff's after me having given them enough money to go eat, so they were already familiar with the place.

I'm not sure what God has in store, other than for me to go hang out and buy them lunch, but I am going to go do that, with no Agenda other than to love on them. Please be in prayer with me as I depend on the Lord to guide me in this new relationship.

I'll update you tomorrow on how it goes and if you are in the neighborhood, feel free to stop by and have lunch with us, we'll be there at 12:30 for lunch on Wednesday.

Have a great one,
Robert

P.S. I'll be posting an update soon on our life journey, I know it's a little overdue. I do think it's a little funny though that my previous two blogs talked about wandering and this blog, I actually have met some wanderers. God is good.