I got up early this morning (5:40 am), picked up a friend and headed to one of my favorite Rochester locations: the Saturday Morning Public Market. I try to make my way to the market once or twice each summer. I love the diversity of cultures merging together in one sunny spot in the heart of the city. It's a great place to interact with strangers - as there are so very many strangers scurrying around trying to find the best deal on tomatoes. It's kind of funny that I would choose to go to the city to find what can be found in my own town (perhaps at better prices), but to tell you the truth, it's not the food I'm after - it's the experience! Male and female, rich and poor, young and old, red and yellow, black and white, all are shopping at this site! I love it!
I had many interactions of varying degrees, which was my hope for today. Oh sure, I bought a quart of sour cherries and the nicest looking red pepper, but truly, my goal was to connect with strangers AND observe interactions among strangers. Most of my connections would not get too far, primarily because friendly vendors are more interested in their next sale than they are in taking time to have a leisurely conversation. Who could blame them? They're "on the job" after all. Shoppers were generally busily focused on finding the best deals and interacting with the vendors selling produce. No matter - it was still a good place to "go for it"!
I met "Mark", a farmer from Sodus who let me know he and his family have been up since 2:30 am in order to get their stand set up this morning. Ouch! He had thought about coming to a concert in Rochester last night, but decided it would be better to stay home in Sodus, get what sleep he could, then load up and head to the big city in the wee hours of the morning. My friend bought some fresh picked peaches from Mark.
I also met Mary Kay, a shopper at the Public Market this morning. She was there with her two young adult daughters, purchasing pounds and pounds of honey. In the course of our conversation, I learned that Mary Kay has a 27 year old son who graduated some years ago from Houghton College with a degree in Youth Ministry. Unfortunately, "Michael" has not yet found a job open in his field and so works as a customer service representative for a local company. I told Mary Kay that I would be praying for her son and for that ministry opportunity to open up for him. (She also wanted me to pray he'd find a wife! :)) Nice connection.
Finally, I met "Carrie". (Not her real name - and not at the Public Market) I bring her up here simply to ask you to pray for this precious, smiling 19 year old young lady. I learned late in our conversation about the pain behind her smile. (Had I not pressed through in our conversation, I would've missed it.) Carrie has a difficult background - the kind that makes you cry...or get mad...or both. Her view of "father" was shattered four years ago, she was kidnapped and attacked a year and a half ago and she found herself unexpectedly pregnant with triplets last year. Then she expressed to me, her very deepest sorrow: she chose not to carry those three little babies and she deeply regrets that decision. She believes in Jesus, believes in forgiveness, but can't seem to shake the guilt. Together, we freshly asked the Lord to come and heal her heart. Would you pray for Carrie too?
Sometimes, there is shocking pain that lies underneath the smile of the strangers we meet every day.
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