I was reminded today in our fast and testimony meeting of some of the most touching moments in my life. Times when I realized how truly blessed I am living in these days and in this great country of ours. This is a cropped enlargement of a young man who was probably 10 years old or so sitting on the steps of a large building in Nanjing, China in the summer of 1997. I was blessed with the opportunity to experience a Fulbright Hays grant that summer that allowed me to travel some 3,500 miles throughout China.
As our group of academics exited a large multi-story modern department store with trinkets and food in hand onto the tour bus, our attention focused upon this young man whom we saw going through a garbage can and placing wrappings from candy and foods in the paper bag seen here. You cannot imagine how I felt as I watched this youngster reaching into the sack, examining some recently acquired wrappings and then proceed to eat the paper. Some of us exited the bus and offered our recently acquired food to this young boy in a quiet, tender moment. Because our tour bus was ready to leave, I found myself hurriedly offering him a partially-eaten ice-cream sandwich. I recall the gesture of gratitude from the young man as he touched his hand to his forehead, lips and to his heart. I presume he was a Muslim beggar.
As our group of academics exited a large multi-story modern department store with trinkets and food in hand onto the tour bus, our attention focused upon this young man whom we saw going through a garbage can and placing wrappings from candy and foods in the paper bag seen here. You cannot imagine how I felt as I watched this youngster reaching into the sack, examining some recently acquired wrappings and then proceed to eat the paper. Some of us exited the bus and offered our recently acquired food to this young boy in a quiet, tender moment. Because our tour bus was ready to leave, I found myself hurriedly offering him a partially-eaten ice-cream sandwich. I recall the gesture of gratitude from the young man as he touched his hand to his forehead, lips and to his heart. I presume he was a Muslim beggar.
I wonder where he is today.
