Human moment in the Dekalb Farmer's Market

(Go ahead and read the story below, but I also wrote an update here!)

I met a man at the DeKalb Farmer's Market, my first week back in America.  He saw me watching the fishmongers and came from the group to talk to me.  I was a little embarrassed and said, "Sorry, I was just watching."  He told me it was okay, no problem, and he asked where I was from.  When he heard that I had been an English teacher, he said that I could be his English teacher, and he asked for my number.

I've been asked for my number from non-native English speakers many times.  Like, a lot.  So this was totally commonplace.  But, now that I'm in America, I felt like I needed to be more selective, I guess.  I said, "Um, no.  I have a boyfriend."

He told me, "Oh, no, that's not what I mean.  I know you have a boyfriend the moment I see you."

Well, shucks, okay, then of course you can have my number.

But really, that's what happened.

His name is Comé.  Comé called me the day after we met to chat.  I was driving at the time, so it was no problem.  He told me multiple times, "It is so good to hear your voice.  You are my first friend in America."  Wait, what?  "Yes, I give my number to many people I meet, but I think they don't like to talk to people who cannot speak English well," he says through his Beninese accent.  "I call them and send a message, but they do not pick up.  You are the first to talk to me, and you make big effort to understand me, and I work hard to understand you.  I think it is very good."

Suckered into this relationship or not, here I am, and I don't think I'm leaving.  In fact, I just got off the phone with him.  This, our second conversation, was a little over half an hour.  We talked about our families a little, we talked about work, and we found out we're both Christians.  He is Catholic, I am Protestant, but Comé told me kindly that we pray to the same God.

He asked me I pray.  I told him I've been forgetting to lately.

This is what he said to me.
You cannot become grow without pray.  You cannot become grow without pray.  But don't worry.  God follows everyone.  Everyone who is full of God, He follows everyone.  And He will give us what we need.

Schooled by a near stranger.  Totally schooled.