After the ordeal I had on the escalator, all I wanted to do was go to bed on the sleeper train, but I knew that I still had a few hours to go before I could go to sleep. We still had about two hours left to go before we could board the train so we decided to walk around and find a spot to sit that was a little warmer. Finally we found a spot to sit and put our heavy packs down. As soon as we put our packs down, and got settled a man walks over too Ben, Ruth, and I. He says, “Hi, I’m Robert�.
Robert started to ask us if we had a place to stay. He goes on to tell us that he works for a hostel owner and his job is to stay at the train station and get people to stay at the hostel if they don’t look like Romanians and if they have packs like us. We tell him that we don’t need a place to stay because we are getting ready to go on the train towards Arad. Robert then goes on a tangent and starts to ask us all kinds of questions. Like what are you doing in Romania, are you missionaries, what religion are you, etc.
At this point the three of us can tell that he has been drinking, because first we can smell the booze on his breath, and second he was acting a little eccentric. Ruth asks Robert if he believes in Jesus, because Ben was telling him about our mission trip. Instead of answering the question, he looks at me and asked if I believed in Jesus. I go on to tell him that yes I do, for Jesus is my brother in Christ and God is my Father in heaven. Robert goes on to asking me, but why? I told him that I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I also tell him that I was saved by God 2 years ago, and that I have a stronger faith because of it. Robert said he believes in God, but he doesn’t follow the ways of God. Robert looks at her and says “Stop, I’m not going there with you�. He goes on to saying that he has done horrible things in the past, and God would never want him.
I look at him and told him, “We all doing things at one point that we aren’t proud of, the thing about God is, he forgives all his children�.  I look him in the eyes and tell him “You are a child of God, and you do matter to Him�. Robert just starts to break down and cry, and he gives me a hug and he just sobs. I go onto telling him, that you can ask God for forgiveness, and he will give it to you, but you have to be honest with God and you have to want to be forgiven, and want to change your life.
After Robert collects himself, he is back to himself and starts asking us a lot of questions again. I just stand back listening to Ruth and Ben talk to Robert. I realized that after telling Robert that God loves him, his reaction made me feel like I really got to him. If Robert chooses to follow God, and believes in Him then my words have helped, if he chooses to continue to not follow God, then I just pray for him.Â
I would be lying if I told you I got on the train with no problems, but that would be a lie.
Ben, Ruth, Robert, and me
The next and final part to this crazy travel night is called “I can’t find my train ticket!
