the kindness of strangers.

I still remember arriving back in Buenos Aires after our 17-hour bus ride from Iguazu. I remember declining the cab ride with Maija and Andrew in favor of walking home through chilly rain. I remember having just left the Retiro train station and walking past Plaza San Martin (no game, so no fans that afternoon), and perhaps smelling a weird, paint-like scent...when I heard a "Psst" from behind me.
I remember turning around, surprised to see a middle-aged couple approaching me and motioning to my jacket (which, actually, was Maija's that I was borrowing). I remember looking down and, to my horror, seeing giant white stains (from what, I still do not know) on her jacket and my backpack and even my hair, simultaneously realizing that those stains were the source of the weird scent. I remember my heart sinking and feeling awash with regret at not having just taken the cab with Andrew and Maija, now that I had stains to deal with, on top of a cold-inducing, 15-minute walk home.
But it wasn't hopeless. Not in the least.
As the woman kindly and patiently took my jacket and poured water from her water bottle onto the stains, as her husband fished around for tissues that he used to try and wipe off the stains, I stood there, confused and wet and just wanting to go home. I tried, in my sad state, to ask them what it was or what had happened, and they mentioned something about seeing the substance fall onto me after passing under some industrial workers nearby. As I stood there, still struck dumb by the whole situation and half-wondering if it was really happening, they continued to help me as much as they could. Then, when they had emptied their water bottles on a few more stains, they handed me a few more tissues, wished me good luck, and left. Just like that. I walked home that afternoon in awe of their compassion and in gratitude to God. And I didn't even get sick.


Feels like fiction, I know. And I know that couple will never read my blog, will never see me again...but I'll always be thankful to them for touching me with their kindness and giving me an example to follow.
"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." -Hebrews 13:2