I got off the train at 9, and headed for the post office because I needed some cash for this weekend (the post office will trade your dollars or traveler's checks for pounds free of charge). After getting the cash and walking back to CLC, I had to knock on the glass doors because I don't have keys of my own.
I was a little late for our prayer meeting today (9:40) because I was checking my e-mail and found my college roommate (Rebekah) had written me. How exciting! I smiled as I read about whats going on in her life, and I attempted to answer her questions about my life, until I realized I was supposed to be downstairs! Hurriedly, I responded, closed my e-mail, and made my way downstairs.
After our team prayed, one of the volunteers revealed that she had brought raspberries from her garden and home-made ice cream for us all to share--Heaven!! It is the "evenly divided" part that is difficult. The whole team knows I love raspberries and ice cream, so I was lovingly hassled all day.
We unlocked the doors at 10. Probably three people came in the first 20 minutes, only one buying something. I keep myself busy by making sure the "Bestsellers" rack is filled, and also by reordering shelves. Sometimes I head to the children's section and read random books, and there is always the database that needs to be transferred...(we are building an e-mail database, but we have to manually transfer the information because the program we use will not let us cut and paste!).
More people come in as the day progresses, and because today was sunny, lots of people were milling about. Occasionally we get people who come in and ask for jobs, at which point we explain that CLC is a Christian mission and everyone at the shop is a volunteer. The people usually leave without requesting more information. Occasionally we get people who barely speak English, at which point Mat begins speaking to them in their own language (Mat has a gift for languages, and he knows so many I don't know how he keeps them all straight!). And occasionally, we get odd customers.
I have made a habit of trying to catch everyone's eye when they walk in our door, and smile at them, giving them a "Good morning/afternoon/evening!" Many smile back and nod or verbally respond, while others begin browsing for books. I had the strangest reaction today though...a middle aged man came in, I looked him in the eye, smiled, and said hello. He walked into the shop and straight towards me, never taking his eyes from mine. I nonchalantly moved behind the counter (I had been standing on the outside, putting away books), and almost panicked when he came and stood in the space that leads behind the counter. But he stopped, never taking his eyes from mine. When Pauline asked if she could help him, he broke the creepy gaze, but seemed at a loss for what he was looking for. So he meandered around the shop. It was a slow time, so a few of us volunteers began discussing something, until I looked up and noticed the man was staring at me again! When my eyes met his, he motioned with his hand for me to come over to him...hmm... I considered asking Pauline to help the man, but I swallowed my uncomfortableness and went over.
The man told me what he was looking for, and the more he talked, the more "normal" he seemed. It was when he stopped talking, but kept staring, that I got the ebbe-geebies. When he left, another volunteer remarked, "Sometimes we get strange customers..." I nodded and involuntarily shivered. That encounter was a bit out of the ordinary.
Anyway, lunch time came quickly (12:15 today), and I ate downstairs with one of the other volunteers. We talked, ate, and then cleaned our dishes. I left a bit early so I could get some work in before having to head to my last ear-doctor appointment.
I headed to the doctor at 1:50, and returned to the shop at 5:15--there was a terribly long wait at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital. Carol told me it had been relatively slow while I had been out, which I was glad for. I didn't want to leave my fellow CLCers with a bunch to do and little help to do it!
Our customers were glad to hear that we stayed open 2 extra hours today, and they browsed until the last minute. I served a Chinese woman who had come in a few weeks ago. Back then she had been very discouraged: she had been praying for her unsaved family for 30 years and nothing seemed to be happening. Her cousin just found out he has cancer. Everything seemed wrong, and she wanted to give up. I did my best to encourage her then, and I have been praying for her and her family ever since. When I saw her today I asked about her family and told her I had been praying. She was so thankful, and she told me that a few weeks ago, a different cousin who had cancer had died, but before dying he has accepted Christ! I was so encouraged! She asked me to keep praying, and I will. We exchanged e-mail, and I realized that good friendships can start just through small interactions and a little bit of care.
We lock one door of our double doors at 7:25, and we lock both doors at 7:30. We let the customers know that we are closed and that they should make their selections and purchases! We are ready to go home! Carol let me go home early, allowing me to catch an earlier train. I ended up on the same train as Paul and Sue, who invited me to go grocery shopping (which I needed to do anyway, and I now had money, since I had been to the post office!).
I made it home a bit late, and now it is 11:10 p.m. but it was a good day. I hope this painted a good picture of what day-by-day life is like in the shop. Nothing too exciting, but definitely a ministry.
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