I went to the park planning to spend the morning chatting with the Big Guy Upstairs.
I left with a new friend and polished Rainbows.
Sitting on the bench, I kicked off my sandals and curled my feet under me. Taking in the beauty of the park around me, I started talking to my Father and not five minutes later, I was interrupted by a shoe-shine man examining my sandals. He wanted to put new soles on the bottom and shine them. I explained to him that I really didn't need it, plus I had no money with me to pay him for it anyways.
Regardless of my repeated declines, he sat down next to my bench on his shoe-shining box. When I realized he was not planning on going anywhere, I started talking to him. I honestly was pretty surprised he stayed. Usually when street vendors realize I am not going to buy anything they walk away. Not the case with Ming.
We talked about all kinds of life. He explained in his best English that he moved to HCM for a year in order to make money for his family. He's 29 and has tattoos all over his body that his friend drew. He told me that if he could afford a passport, he would travel to China because he had learned their language in school. Like all Vietnamese people, Ming asked if I had a boyfriend to which I told him no I did not. He replied brightly that he didn't have a girlfriend so he could be my boyfriend. I laughed and told him no thank you, but I would like to be his friend. So it was decided that we were friends.
Towards the end of almost an hour of talking, Ming suddenly grabbed my sandals and started gluing a square of rubber grip onto the bottom. I quickly tried to stop him, telling him I really did not have any money. He looked up from super glueing my shoe and told me not to worry; he was going to do it for me because we are friends. My mind was blown. I'm sure he could see the surprise and shock on my face because he did not wait for a response before continuing.
I could not believe that this man who works so hard at people's feet all day came and sat with me for an hour, then proceeded to repair and clean my dirty sandals.
There was nothing I could do to repay his act of kindness.
-I could not really explain to him what it meant to me because he wouldn't understand.
-I could not tell him about my Father because it is against the law here.
All I could do was tell him thank you again and again and again and attempt to explain to Ming how good, kind and generous he is. I told him how my Father had blessed me because of him today. He seemed to understand most of it.
Before walking away, I wanted so badly to repay him for the act of service he had given me. I looked down helplessly at my hands and noticed my bracelets. One of them was wooden and has "Sunshine" painted on it. In a flash decision, I took it off my wrist and asked him if he would take it. He stretched out his arm and I put it on him. I explained to him what sunshine was and what it meant to me- how he was the sunshine spreading joy and brightness in my life. With that, I stood up, shook his hand and thanked him one last time. I walked away and look back a few steps later; he was gone.
I don't know if he really understood anything I said or how much it meant to me. I'll probably never see him again, although I scan the streets for him as we walk around the city.
If you know me at all, you know my Rainbows are the staple of my footwear. I wore them for high school graduation, brought an extra pair on the race just in case something happened to the first one, and would have worn them to college graduation if I thought I could have gotten away with it. Fixing them was one of the most precious gifts Ming could have given me.
After leaving the park I was filled with so many questions-
-Did I really have any kind of impact on him? We could barely communicate, much less talk about his soul.
-Why was he so kind and generous? He has no reason to be. He didn't even know me.
The best I can understand is that first off, my Father does not need me in order to bring people to Him. It was simply an opportunity for me to show His love to a stranger. Secondly, even though Ming has no clue, my Father still used him to show His love to me. Ming does not even have to be aware of my Father to be used by Him in my life.
Sunshine and love in Vietnam.
Ephesians 3:17-19
