San Diego, CA. Every Saturday, you can find wonderful fresh produce at the award-winning Little Italy Mercato in San Diego. Many go there to purchase their fruits and vegetables for the week, to satisfy the needs of nourishment and hunger. But remember Isaiah 55:1-2 says “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what does not satisfy? Only listen to me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.” As the author of Isaiah exhorts the Jews to forget the physical comforts and foods they know in Babylon, and return to Jerusalem where the real blessings of God await. And so it’s rather fitting that today’s evangelist encountered a man who works at the Little Italy Farmers’ Market and used to attend church right across the street, that he was exhorted to forget the foods that will not satisfy, and return to the faith he once practiced that will provide his ultimate happiness.
The following report comes from Reggie and our San Diego team:
Recently we went street evangelizing at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market, a new favorite spot of mine to evangelize. It was Mica’s first time street evangelizing and I got show him the simple non-confrontational style of evangelizing that SPSE uses (listen and befriend, proclaim the Gospel, encourage and invite, and in the end ask we can pray for them).
I had a great encounter with a guy who was working at the Farmers’ Market. He said he used to go to the church across the street, Our Lady of the Rosary, when he was growing up but has stopped. I asked him if he still believes and prays. He said he did. I spoke with him about God’s love and closeness and that just as he desires the best for his kids and desires that love and closeness with them, God desire the same with us. I encouraged him to pray more and to come back to church before he had to go back to work.
Next, I spoke with an undercover Christian evangelist who makes balloon animals for kids but shares his faith with people he meets at the Farmers Market. He overheard me proclaiming the Good News to the previous guy and shared that he was an evangelist too. He shared with me some amazing stories from his experiences and we were both able to encourage each other about this great mission of sharing God’s Love, Hope and Salvation.
Praised be Jesus Christ! As evangelists, let us all call forward those who are stuck in their own personal Babylon (whatever it may be) to return to the Catholic Church, to the God that loves them and promises blessings far beyond their comprehension.