Submitted by Steve Malchow (Watertown, Wi)
An encounter I normally would dismiss brought great joy.
I was traveling on a normal business trip to East Germany. I read the book ”I Like Giving” on the way over and I prayed the prayer asking God to show me opportunities. I was sitting at a Starbucks waiting for my train departure and a gentleman walked up to me in a heavy German accent. I could tell he was weathered and down on his luck. I don’t speak German, but I knew exactly what he was asking for. He wanted cash, and my immediate response as I was on the phone was to wave him off and shake my head with a distinct no. He walked off and looked back at me with a look of despair I will not soon forget and it hit me.
This was the opportunity I prayed for only hours before.
I waited for a second glance to catch his attention and waved him to come back. I asked if he spoke English. He said yes though his English was as rough as my German. I asked him what he needed. In a combination of English and German he told me he was needing money for a train ticket and other things I could not fully understand. He was obviously in a bad situation. I never fully understood his situation due to the language barrier, but he was real and he was sincere. I told him I would give him what I had in Euros. I only had twenty Euros, but what was little to me was much to him.
He shook my hand with a big smile and a thank you. I simply left him with a God Bless and good luck friend. I will never know the impact, but it did more for me than it did him. Blessing.
