He Stopped to Talk, But Then….
“What’s different about this place?” he asked the college seniors.
They’d been sitting on some steps. He asked if he could join them, and they said yes.
His name is Rich. He chairs our Conference’s scholarship team for that school, Africa University (www.africau.edu). It’s our United Methodist school in Zimbabwe.
Their answers varied of course, but all mentioned changed lives in the present and opportunities for the future.
Then he asked them what we over here in the USA could do that would be most helpful for them.
Stunned, one of the students replied, “You’re the first one to ever ask us this.”
Another said, “This is the first time one of you has stopped to talk with us.”
Ouch.
Jesus told a story that too many of us act out regularly. Luke 10:25-37 carries an indictment…are we too busy doing our alleged religious duty to take time for someone else?
Rich stopped to talk. But then he stopped talking and listened.
joescheets 
I have a writing colleague in Zim and things she has written about the workings of her country are astonishing and sad. A ruler of almost three decades, who rigs elections to stay in power and keeps his people poor (pocketing the aid we and other countries provide, well mostly us) and his foot on their necks (pardon the cliche`). I think the word is despot! It warms my heart that “he listened!”
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