This weekend, an interesting situation occurred which was unsettling in one sense and yet I have peace about it. 2 gypsy women w/ a little baby came to me begging for money, food, and clothing. I gave them some things and then the older one slipped inside while my back was turned. That startled me. She asked me to boil some tea for them. I wasn't sure what to do and didn't want to be rude; so I continued to pray as the situation unfolded and tried to do what would please God - remembering how the bible says to give to the poor and to help them and to not turn them away. So, I let them stay and gave them tea and cookies. While they were looking around the kitchen, they kept asking for things - which I gave - remembering Jesus' teaching to give to those who ask.
We talked a little and I shared my faith with them and why I'm here, but soon the conversation was dominated by the older one. She kept pushing me to do something that would be beneficial to me b/c I had been kind to them and there are people who aren't good who want to treat me badly. At first I didn't understand what she wanted (language barrier and slow brain combined), but then finally I realized she wanted to do some kind of magic/fortune telling kind of thing. I said no way and reminded them that I am a believer and that God will take care of all my problems and protect me from people who weren't nice and that that kind of thing is not for God's children to participate in. We had this back-and-forth dialog quite a few times and I was starting to be very uncomfortable w/ her pushiness and where things were heading. I sensed in her a not good spirit. But, soon they left and I gave them a bible and said I would pray for them (Marina & Olya). They said they would return in 2 days, but I wasn't comfortable about them coming back if I was alone.
Afterwards, I felt somewhat shaken in my spirit so I prayed and read some Psalms which reminded me that God is my strength and defender (Ps. 28:6-9). It's sometimes hard to be alone and caught in a situation like that and not know what is best to do.
I received a lot of advice to not open my door to them if I'm alone. Today they returned - 3 times (the first 2 times I couldn't have answered the door even if I wanted to and by the 3rd time I was not going to let them in since I was alone). In respect of my parent's wishes, I won't open the door to them and let them in and I don't want to be rude and close the door in their faces and tell them to go away. On the other hand, if they truly are needy, maybe I am supposed to help them...but how and when I don't know. And the attitude of most here is to just not open the door to them, but I feel like that is ignoring God's command to help people in need. I don't know...
Sometimes living on one's own is a real pain. But it is also a big pain to live with others! Either way there are difficulties and benefits... :-)
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