Rebekah’s story

I went to the local magistrate’s court with a friend who had got into trouble when she got drunk at a club. She went inside for her case and I said I would wait for her outside. I walked a little way and found a bench I could sit on between the main road and the courthouse. I got out my phone and started sending some texts and checking Facebook. Then this man wandered past. He was really scruffy, wearing a big coat without buttons and carrying a big shopping bag with newspapers in it. Then he came up and just looked at me. I felt a bit intimidated and sort of wished he would go away. He wandered off, but a few minutes later he came back with a take away cup of tea. He came up and looked at me again and I thought he was going to ask me for money. I felt embarrassed because I didn’t have any. But he just said ‘do you mind if I sit here?’ I said no, although I still felt uncomfortable. I must have looked a bit bothered, because then another man came up and asked me if he was upsetting me. I said no. The man asked if I was sure and then walked off, looking over his shoulder. I thought about getting up and going back to the courthouse, but it seemed silly. The man was just drinking his tea and looking through his newspapers.

After a couple of minutes the man said ‘Can I ask you something?’ I said ok. He then said ‘Can I pray with you?’ I didn’t know what to say I was so sure he was going to ask for money! So I said yes. He shut his eyes and said the Lord’s Prayer and when he had finished, I said Amen with him. Then he said, ‘can I get you anything?’ I said no. And he said goodbye and left. I’m not a Christian, I don’t believe in any of that stuff, but I did wonder, is this like meeting Jesus Christ?