The WWJD Lady
At around 11 or so, the word about the Word had spread throughout the festival it seemed. Dozens of people began to approach me (Brennan) asking, "Are you the guy with the Bibles?" I of course said yes, and began to hand them out, each time saying, "A couple bucks and a Bible."
"A couple bucks and a Bible."
"A couple bucks and a Bible."
Each time. Kinda like our new "hello." Works like a charm. Anyhoo...around this time, I started to get the "two-timers" coming by asking for a Bible. Now I was born on a Saturday, but it wasn't last Saturday, so I know a hoodwink when I see one. (Actually, I think I was born on a Wednesday. Almost at a Whataburger. True Story.)
One guy, no lie, came up to me one time with a hat, the second time with a different hat...and the third time hatless. I was like, "Dude, didn't I already give you a Bible?"
"It's for my girlfriend."
Oh really? How many you got? I caught him and he knew it. Busted! But, the best was this one woman who shamelessly came back up to me not even two minutes after I had just given her a couple bucks and a Bible.
I was like, "I know I just gave you one."
"No.....okay. You right." And then she smiled and turned to walk away.
I called out..."What would Jesus do?"
She turned back, playfully clutching her heart and said, "Oh please, don't do that to me. I honestly just wanted the money."
I told her I respected her honesty, but I needed to spread the wealth. And besides, she got the Bible, and that's what really mattered. She nodded and said, "You're right."
The Hari Krishna
This was short and bittersweet. We offered a woman a couple bucks and a Bible, but she refused. Saying she couldn't take the Bible, but the $2? Not. A. Problem. We asked her why. "Because I'm Hari Krishna."
We reluctantly took the Bible back, but told her to keep the two bucks anyway. On the way back to our car, we thought it would have been funny to say, "Well, you've tried that out, it's not working for ya, so why not give Jesus a shot?" Maybe we'll save that for the next person.
Moses and His Newspaper
Nope. Not that Moses. Or...was...he? No. He wasn't. He was, however, supercool and hung out to talk with us for a bit, telling us about the newspaper he works for called StreetZine, a publication put out for and by the Dallas-area homeless. We thought that was pretty sweet. Getting the homeless perspective from the homeless. No need to guess what they're thinking, how they're feeling, how your action, or inaction, effects them. It's all right there. That's pretty powerful.
Moses, a StreetZine vendor, gave me a copy of his paper, which usually sells for a donation, because of what he saw us doing. Giving back. Caring. We told him that we would sponsor him in return, getting him 60 papers that will help him earn some needed cash.
People helping people.
