MR. HALOGEN

Kathy's Kitchen Restaurnt, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory.  We walked in after a grueling downpour, creating tiny lakes wherever we walked.  What a cross-section of travelers and culture we had joined. Sitting around a table in the back were the local youth, high-spirited and jocular.  Next to them a table of passers-through from California.  Nearer to us a sat six Amish gals from Indiana being driven around the Yukon by Mennonite drivers and wishing they were back home. 

But behind me was a little Korean man from northern California about my age traveling the country by himself.  I happened to catch Kim Chong just before the first forkful.  His head was bowed and eyes shut.  "Oh, are you a Christian?" I asked him when he had finished.  He enthusiastically and cheerfully acknowledged his faith and spoke glowingly of his church, their mission work in Central Americaand his personal mission work.

Have you ever encountered people who can never seem to NOT smile?  I don't think Kim could not smile even if you were peeling his fingernails off.  He just beamed.  If he'd been a light bulb, he would have been a halogen--brilliant and bright.  I introduced myself and we both went back to eating.  Then I felt a tap on my shoulder.  "Mr. Tom?  I am supposed to give you this," he announced with his effusive smile, rolling his eyes up to a higher power as he thumped a Canadian five dollar bill into my palm.  I started to resist until I realized that God had been brought into the drama.  This was all the more generous when I later learned upon inquiry that Mr. Halogen slept in his van to save  money on his journey.

The meal was ended and I once more went to Kim and gave him a shoulder hug, again, thanking him for his mission offering to Mosaic.  Remembering that I was a pastor, Mr. Halogen did the unthinkable:  "Mr. Pastor Tom, would you pray for me?"  

"Like, right now, here in the restaurant?"  I sputtered.  Kim Chong did not answer, for he was already in that 'every head bowed and every eye closed' mode.  So right there, amidst passing servers, conversation, and your cheatin' heart, I prayed for brother Kim, his family, his ministry, and church.

Next morning, I was in the sign park forest, taking pictures when I spotted him--Mr. Halogen.  Seeing me, he grinned and smiled and bowed and stood beside me wanting Menno to catch this magical moment on film for his wife.  As we parted company with smiles and bows and waves, he did it again.

"Mr. Tom Pastor, would you pray for me?"  I didn't even have time to say no.  Kim had dropped on his knees--right there in the dirt--and guided my hands upon his head as if he wanted me to ordain him to the United Methodist ministry.  

Can you imagine how humbling that is?  The guy probably starts his day praying at 4 am.   Mr. Kim Chong is a halogen, so bright, joyful, wholesome.  He emanates the joy of the Spirit and the love of God.  So in front of God, passersby, and 77,000 signs, I prayed for Kim, his family, his ministry, his church--again.

Upon reflection, being with Kim Chong for those few minutes has impacted me.  I have thought about his undeniable joy, his childlike faith, his unselfish, unproud life and then think about how I'm doing in the halogen business.  I still see his halogen presence energizing everyone around him.  And that encourages me to keep returning to the Source of all joy and hope and love.  I just hope that I can have such an impact on others that he's had on me.