I was in the Honda dealership this morning to have my car AC looked at - it's blowing hot air - not a good thing. And no . . . it wasn't hot air coming from me! I'm waiting for the call to tell us how much. God is in control and whatever it is, it is. We will survive.
But that isn't the purpose of this blog, it's about the man I 'met' in the dealership storeroom. I had to wait for the shuttle driver to return from his previous run to take me to work. As I waited I looked around but couldn't but notice an older man sitting in a chair waiting for his car to be ready. Based on how he was dressed and looked I imagined him to be someone who was used to be up early to get things done. Probably a farmer in his younger years. Maybe getting ready to have breakfast with his buddy's at a local diner. He had a nice smile and seemed very pleasant. I thought several times as I paced around the new cars that I really should say something to him. Lots of times, elderly and the disabled are ignored and not spoken to. Unlike a good looking man or woman who people want to interact with. I am trying to change that about myself. The stories they can tell. I want to learn to enjoy them. I want to truly listen and engage and make it about them and not about me and what may make me uncomfortable. Kyrgyzstan has done that for me. The seniors at Kemin who just want to talk, the men at Iskra who have said 'Thank You for touching us and treating us with dignity' - people shun them, ignore them, afraid of them - they are just like us . . .
So, I finally said to myself 'Kim here's your chance to make a difference'. Finally after five minutes I took a real close look (from a small distance) and thought "he isn't moving". I causally moved to the other side to get a different look at him and casually evaluated him, and thought "he is't blinking". Something wasn't right here. I began to worry. Do I just leave with the shuttle driver and let someone else deal with this? I did said to him, "so you are waiting for your car as well?". No answer. Then I made my decision. With determination but not panic to cause undo attention, I sprinted to the service manager. I called him aside from a customer and asked about the man sitting in the showroom. We were within eyesight of the man and I was cautious not to make it totally obvious to the man that we were talking about him. The service manager just smiled and said "that is your shuttle driver, didn't he come to get you?" I was like "no, the older man sitting over there. He isn't moving and isn't blinking." The service manager reiterated "That's your shuttle driver". I replied again, "no the older man sitting there". Keep in mind this man was sitting in the showroom when the manager took me up there to look for the driver. All of a sudden the manager started laughing. The older man was actually a practical joke on the owner of the dealership several months back and their little 'friend' has remained in the showroom to create conversation for those who have come in. They have had '911' called, someone try to break the glass to get to him to get him assistance, and many many other stories. The older man is actually an amazing amazing 'dummy' that is so lifelike that it is almost impossible to realize he isn't real.
I laughed it off, took some pictures, and proceed on to work when the real shuttle driver arrived. But what I did realize is that I am changing. I took the time to at least talk to this man who seemed pleasant and interesting. And who I was sure had stories to tell. Well . . . he does but he can't tell them.
I also took action and went to get further assistance. What if he had truly expired? What if I had just left him sitting there without getting him help. I am proud of myself. Proud that God is changing my heart for those who others may not want to engage with. Not proud actually . . . thankful. Thankful that God is giving me a compassionate and caring heart and spirit. I know I keep saying this but I can't wait to go back to Kyrgyzstan. I want to just sit with the seniors and hear their stories and talk about their lives, their dreams, their wants. I want them to know that someone from another country loves them but more importantly that GOD loves them. I want to spend time with the men from Iskra and experience new things with them like the man in the wheelchair that had the FIRST ever opportunity to feel the spray from a waterfall on his face because his buddies and the LAMb team CARRIED him up the hill/mountain to the falls. I want to talk to the orphans and hear about their dreams for the future and pray that I can help find the resources to help them make that dream come true. I want to do more . . . I want to be God's hands, His Feet, His mouth.
But that isn't the purpose of this blog, it's about the man I 'met' in the dealership storeroom. I had to wait for the shuttle driver to return from his previous run to take me to work. As I waited I looked around but couldn't but notice an older man sitting in a chair waiting for his car to be ready. Based on how he was dressed and looked I imagined him to be someone who was used to be up early to get things done. Probably a farmer in his younger years. Maybe getting ready to have breakfast with his buddy's at a local diner. He had a nice smile and seemed very pleasant. I thought several times as I paced around the new cars that I really should say something to him. Lots of times, elderly and the disabled are ignored and not spoken to. Unlike a good looking man or woman who people want to interact with. I am trying to change that about myself. The stories they can tell. I want to learn to enjoy them. I want to truly listen and engage and make it about them and not about me and what may make me uncomfortable. Kyrgyzstan has done that for me. The seniors at Kemin who just want to talk, the men at Iskra who have said 'Thank You for touching us and treating us with dignity' - people shun them, ignore them, afraid of them - they are just like us . . .
So, I finally said to myself 'Kim here's your chance to make a difference'. Finally after five minutes I took a real close look (from a small distance) and thought "he isn't moving". I causally moved to the other side to get a different look at him and casually evaluated him, and thought "he is't blinking". Something wasn't right here. I began to worry. Do I just leave with the shuttle driver and let someone else deal with this? I did said to him, "so you are waiting for your car as well?". No answer. Then I made my decision. With determination but not panic to cause undo attention, I sprinted to the service manager. I called him aside from a customer and asked about the man sitting in the showroom. We were within eyesight of the man and I was cautious not to make it totally obvious to the man that we were talking about him. The service manager just smiled and said "that is your shuttle driver, didn't he come to get you?" I was like "no, the older man sitting over there. He isn't moving and isn't blinking." The service manager reiterated "That's your shuttle driver". I replied again, "no the older man sitting there". Keep in mind this man was sitting in the showroom when the manager took me up there to look for the driver. All of a sudden the manager started laughing. The older man was actually a practical joke on the owner of the dealership several months back and their little 'friend' has remained in the showroom to create conversation for those who have come in. They have had '911' called, someone try to break the glass to get to him to get him assistance, and many many other stories. The older man is actually an amazing amazing 'dummy' that is so lifelike that it is almost impossible to realize he isn't real.I laughed it off, took some pictures, and proceed on to work when the real shuttle driver arrived. But what I did realize is that I am changing. I took the time to at least talk to this man who seemed pleasant and interesting. And who I was sure had stories to tell. Well . . . he does but he can't tell them.
I also took action and went to get further assistance. What if he had truly expired? What if I had just left him sitting there without getting him help. I am proud of myself. Proud that God is changing my heart for those who others may not want to engage with. Not proud actually . . . thankful. Thankful that God is giving me a compassionate and caring heart and spirit. I know I keep saying this but I can't wait to go back to Kyrgyzstan. I want to just sit with the seniors and hear their stories and talk about their lives, their dreams, their wants. I want them to know that someone from another country loves them but more importantly that GOD loves them. I want to spend time with the men from Iskra and experience new things with them like the man in the wheelchair that had the FIRST ever opportunity to feel the spray from a waterfall on his face because his buddies and the LAMb team CARRIED him up the hill/mountain to the falls. I want to talk to the orphans and hear about their dreams for the future and pray that I can help find the resources to help them make that dream come true. I want to do more . . . I want to be God's hands, His Feet, His mouth.
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