Sam

On Friday we took the day to go to a popular tourist market. I have been several times and find it somewhat stressful. You walk through row after row of little shops, and people shout at you as you walk, saying "come into my store" "I give you good price" "You are my first customer of the day!". Then once you get in and find something you like, you have to barter to get it at a good price. I wouldn't say that's something I'm good at, but I'm getting better. I actually ended up making some friends this time. I went into a shop and started talking to the men that ran it. I asked them their names in Hindi and they got really excited, assuming that I knew how to speak Hindi, which I don't. I know a few phrases here and there and I shared with them what I knew. We chatted about all sorts of things, including the price I would pay for some pants. I walked away a few times before they "gave me good price". I was there for about 30 minutes and really enjoyed the time spent getting to know them. In India it is very rare that we have contact with men outside the ones we know through the orphanage. It isn't appropriate for us to talk at them or really even look at them. Their perception of american women isn't the greatest, largely based on what they see in the movies. But at this market they are very used to foreigners and it was nice to be able to just hang out and have some fun chats.
While getting on the metro that morning to go to the market, I couldn't help but remember a boy my friend Reecie and I met there last time. He was so young, and was walking around selling necklaces. We weren't really interested in the necklaces, but these people are persistent! He followed us around and he even taught us some Hindi. We eventually ended up sitting outside a shop waiting for our friends and he sat across the road from us. We talked back and forth and learned that his name was Sam. There was a cop who came and tried to run him off and hassled him and tried to hit him with a stick. We eventually parted ways, but not before buying a few of his necklaces. I'm not sure why but I never did forget him. What a life for a teenage boy to lead. No schooling, on the streets every day trying to make money by selling necklaces and hassling tourists, trying to avoid being beaten by the cops who tell him he's not supposed to be there. It's been a year and a half since that trip. I was hoping that I would run into him again, but the odds of that happeneing are SO small I knew it was probably impossible.
The last thing we did Friday was go into a shop to look for shoes. It was the same shop I went to last year, so I took the girls there and waited outside so that the shop wouldn't be so crowded. A young boy approached me with necklaces and tried to get me to buy them. I wasn't really interested, but he was just so cute and I wanted to help him out. I tried to get him to sell me necklaces for 5 rupies each. He wasn't sure what to do, and then an older boy came up and he asked if that was ok. I talked them into it and they both agreed, and I bought some necklaces. I still had sime time before the girls were ready and figured I would chat with these boys until they came out. I asked them what their name was, and the older boy replied SAM! I couldn't believe it! He was so grown up, but it was the very same boy I met last year!! I asked him if he remembered me and we talked about how me and Reecie talked with him last year and hung out. He said he remembered, I'm not sure if that was just because I was so excited to see him or if he really meant it. I asked him about his family. He has a younger sister. The boy selling necklaces with him was his friend BJ. As we were talking a woman came to chase them off. Apparently that wasn't their market area and they weren't supposed to be there. I was really sad. As the girls came out and we walked to the main street, I heard a whistle, and looked and saw the two boys a little ways down beckoning me. I went to them and we talked some more and we took a picture. I promised that next time I came back I would bring the picture and try to find him and give it to him. I gave them some money to buy some treats and we both went away smiling. That was by far the best part of my day. Not getting a great deal or finding Christmas presents for my siblings, but seeing Sam again. What an amazing God we serve that he would cross our paths again. I hope to have the opportunity to go back just once more to deliver the picture, although it will have to be a God thing because I have no idea how to find him again!













Me with Sam and BJ