This past October I had the privilege to travel with Gospel for Asia to man a booth at a blogging conference called Allume, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My last day at the Allume conference was interesting indeed. After spending the morning in sessions, enjoying lunch and an inspiring keynote speaker, I decided to walk to the CVS down the street to collect some packing tape for the boxes we would send back to Gospel for Asia.
I was looking forward to my walk so that I could take some pictures of the city life in Harrisburg from ground level. Slowly I approached the CVS, discovering that it closed an hour earlier. A little bummed I decided to just walk to the end of the block to get a few more pictures before heading back to the hotel. As I was taking pictures of this really cute cafe’ this couple that was sitting on the steps called me over and proceeded to tell me all the interesting things I could take pictures of in Harrisburg. Which was interesting because I dont normally get people that stop me on the street and talk to me at length, quite exciting if you ask me.
While I was discussing pictures and arcitecture with the couple, this cute little boy who couldnt have been more than 2 or 3, came up to us and posed for the camera a few times, then his mother came and took him by the hand to lead him in the other direction. Every few steps though, the little boy would turn around and pose again.
A few minutes later I was back on my way taking photos of Harisburg. I saw a few painters painting this brick building red, so I took a few pictures of them. After those pictures, the three ladies sitting outside another cafe asked me if the painters looked safe enough. I said that Im sure they know what the are doing, and went on my way.
Soon I decided I should probably head back to my hotel and started on my way. On the way back i saw a sign with the history of some guy. I took a picture of it and then heard the guy from that first couple call to me from across the street asking if I liked history, then he crossed the street to talk to me more. He told me about the Whig part and a president that was elected at the church down one block, and how that president died and his vice president wasnt part of the Whig party and then they disbanded. It was very interesting, but as he was talking I saw a RiteAid behind him!
After he stopped talking, I asked if I could take a picture of him. Then I headed to the RiteAid for packing tape. When I got the tape, I decided to take a picture of the church the guy was talking about since it was at the end of the block, and this old lady asked if I had some change she could have. I was about to say no when the Lord said to give her something, so I gave her the $5 bill I had in my wallet and smiled at her wishing her a good day. I took a picture of the church then started back to my hotel again.
As I neared the hotel a homeless fellow that I had passed a few times that day asked if I took a picture of the oldest church in Harrisburg that is by the river a few blocks from where we were. I told him that I haven’t, but I would see if maybe later I could.
Finally back at the hotel, I gave the packing tape to Sara and Rachael and started running through the happenings of my outing. Things like that almost never happen to me, but Im so blessed that it did! I loved smiling at people and taking the time to listen to them. Im sure they dont always have people that will stop and treat them like real people, so I was glad the Lord would allow me to be that person that could stop and listen and smile.
Now there were only an hour or two left before my mom would pick me up from Harrisburg to stop by my aunt Kristie’s house to congratulate her on her wedding and then stop by my brother’s calvacade for marching band. So I went upstairs to my room and became a master packer and fit all the millions of free gifts I got at the Allume conference into my carry on suitcase. Then went out to find my mommy in front of the hotel.
Talk about an interesting day! Things like that never happen to me, but I’m glad I got the chance to let people know that I cared about what they thought and gave them the time of day.
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