Now that I have your attention...if the title of my blog post offended you...please keep reading.
Two Saturdays ago I did something that I
rarely do...I went to Starbucks to have coffee (sorry Dunkin Donuts) and use their wifi to complete my homework. I was having a terrible time concentrating on my homework at home because all my dog wanted to do was play and he kept hitting keys on my laptop and it was annoying me to no end...thus began my adventure at Starbucks...
As I was sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather we were having, a well-dressed man around his mid to late 40s sat down at the table next to me and began reading the newspaper; we exchanged pleasantries and than went about our business. Time went by, and I noticed that the man was staring at me and my computer quite frequently, but I did my best to just ignore him, even though I was growing uncomfortable. I smiled apprehensively at him and asked if he was having a good day, which supposedly served as an invitation for him to join me at my table. Now, being the "good missionary" I am (LOL) I should have just welcomed him and thought about how this is a great opportunity to meet someone new; however, I was actually thinking, "dang it! I should have stayed home with my dog."
I looked at this man closer, he was definitely at least in his 40s, he had wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. I thought this could be a good sign that he laughed a lot; I came to this conclusion as well because he was not saying a word to me, only smiling at me strangely. I politely asked his name to which he responded, "doesn't matter", so I, in turn, did not offer mine. He then cut to the chase and asked me why I was wearing a Bulgaria shirt. I looked down and indeed, I had put on my Sofia shirt that morning, not even really paying much attention. I shared with him that I had friends that lived there, and that I planned on moving there within the year. He became a bit more friendly at this point, telling me he was from Turkey and that he knew Bulgaria very well. He then asked me what my "fascination" was with that country and why I would want to move there. I explained that I was in school for psychology and Christian counseling and that I was also a missionary that was going to be joining an established team in Bulgaria. He probed for more info on the specifics of what I would be doing there, and as cautious as I was trying to be (he gave off a very sinister vibe) I ended up just telling him that I was going there to offer counseling to women in general. I did not feel comfortable disclosing too much info to him.
He felt the push back I was giving him and ended up turning belligerent towards me; he told me I was a "stupid American" and that I had no place being in "his part of the world" as a "crazy Christian." He also said to "stay away from the dirty whores on the streets" because they were right where they belonged. This was interesting because I hadn't mentioned at all about working and dealing with prostitutes. He said he knew women "like me" and told me that if I did go there and try to talk to the "dirty whores" that I would have "another thing coming" to me. He was literally yelling at me and making a spectacle. People were staring and one guy (rather than step in) was taking video. I was in COMPLETE shock and basically just politely stood up, told him that I would pray for him and then walked to my car and went home.
I'm not sure if I should have said more to him, or if I did the right thing, but either way, I have been praying for this man and the rest of the men who either don't care about, or abuse these women.
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