Christmas Miracle: At Your Service

Dear you, who’s reading this at the moment,

Last Saturday, I happened to went to a shopping centre in Jakarta with my family to do some late Christmas shopping. We had some fun times and finally, tired and hungry, we went to the nearest food court for some lunch.
I quickly ordered my lunch, meatballs soup with rice and I saw the others were ordering their food in another stall. It was a Chinese food stall, and surprisingly everyone but me ordered their lunch at that stall.

I remember, I went back to our seat and my mum whispered,
“the guy who took our order, I think he has some mental disability.”
I also remember, I responded with, “Really?”

This guy then came back to our seat and he confirmed all the orders once again. When I saw him, I realized that he was somewhat “different”, but then, been learning Psychology for this past 4 years, I kind of used to…prevent myself from labeling anyone anything. So, noticing that he probably does have some mental disability, I ate my meatballs in silence.

Then it happened.

There were 5 of us and we used an extra chair just to put all the shopping bags. This guy saw that and he reacted by pulling another table so we have some good extra space. My mum and auntie tried to tell this guy that it was unnecessary to do that.
He did it anyway, stating it would be tiring to eat your lunch where you have no space to move.
Then my family start laughing, I stared at them, I wasnt quite sure what they were laughing about, then it turned out they were laughing at him.
I guess they laughed because he was so “weird”, his speech was strange, he could not maintain eye contact, his pronunciation of words were unclear, and his body language.. it’s stiff. Put those altogether inside one person and you probably understand why my family was laughing at him. They laughed even harder when this guy left.

I said, “He is a good kid, a very descent waiter, and he shows sincerity in working to serve his guests. Yes he is not perfect, why are you laughing at him?”
I was angry, naturally.
But my family did not stop laughing, naturally.

Somehow I understand. I learned the science of human mind and behavior, I know how society will act when they are faced with this kind of situation. I know that there is this certain stereotype about people with mental disability, or mental disorders and I know, that they looked funny in the eyes of others who perceive themselves as “normal”.
On the other hand, understanding why they think like that doesnt make what they did is right.

I think this guy noticed that my auntie was wearing a cross necklace and he made an assumption that we were Christian, which is right, and he asked, “What is your Church? I go to *church name*”
Then the atmosphere changed so quickly. Everyone started to look like they’re not comfortable with his presence. Suddenly they looked like they wanted to say “just..shoo. go away.”

I started to -cant help it- preach on everybody about how rude they were.
I said, “he was working really hard. He tried to be friendly. What is wrong with you??”

Long and long after that, the guy came back and he gave us the bill (sometimes they do it here — giving the bill first).
take a wild guess on what he wrote.
On top of the bill he wrote,

“Merry Christmas 20012 and Happy New Year 20013”

then, on the bottom part, he signed it,

“May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you, Amen,
-Samuel”

He blessed the people who could not stop laughing at him in the name of Jesus Christ.
He misspelled the 2012 and 2013, indicate that he probably didnt finish school. His writings looked like my little brother’s writings when he was 5 or 6.

But on top of that, I thought he, of all people, is one of the most sincere person I’ve ever met. I thought it was a really sincere Christmas and New Year greetings.
He, more than most Christians I’ve met and known, show the image of his God clearer. Simply. Beautifully.

Then, this is part where it became even more…. wicked. As soon as I finished reading his writings, I heard a song, a gospel song I cant remember its title and I lifted my head, searching who was singing that. No one was singing, there was no music and… no one heard what i heard.
I would not force anyone to believe that what I experienced was real, because i have a hard time on believing it was real either.

But then there is this… peaceful feeling, more peaceful that anything I’ve ever felt and it spread some mysterious warmth in my heart and it was very beautiful, very peaceful I’m so at loss for words. It was just unexplainable.

I showed everyone else what Samuel has written in our bill and they got so quiet, but then their attitude was so much better toward Samuel after that, for which I’m so really grateful.

I dont know if Samuel really does know Jesus, I dont know whether he is really a Christian or not, I dont know if he really went to church, I dont know any of that. But I do know I’ve been blessed by God through him that day.

See, I’ve been facing some major problems in my life. Mostly involving friends who lied to me over and over again, and that I felt so lost, I did not remember why I chose to learn Psychology from the very beginning. That, would be because recently, my fellow student, a friend, committed suicide and I still thought that we, his friends should’ve been able to do something before he did that.

Those things made me completely in doubt, whether I am walking in the right direction or not. That my place was truly here at the university studying Psychology and somehow stuck with all the theories in my head but have no use at all to help a friend.

But through the meeting with Samuel today, I felt like God was talking to me.
It is for people like Samuel, it’s worth it to study Psychology.
It is because there are still so many people like my family, laughing endlessly while Samuel trying to serve his best, that I am obliged to study Psychology.
It is because it’s worth it to learn how to help people like Samuel to have an equal quality of life, or at least to ensure they are given the chance to have a decent life.
To become the extension of God’s arms, to serve the Lord through those kind of things. 

It feels like God open my eyes that He has plans, and He is always right, including my placement here, at this particular university studying this particular major.
I told a priest at my church about this and he said, that Jesus revealed Himself in so many forms we often do not realize it.

He is the wind blowing your hair softly after the rain.
He is the hummingbird wakes you up in the morning.
He is the stars that you happened to see at the black night sky.
He is the snow outside of your window.

I think, God has just visited me through Samuel that day.
I think, I have been blessed.
And I think, I am responsible to share that blessing. So I’m writing this hoping whoever you are sitting there and reading this, will be able to feel the Peace, and that you too, will be blessed by the story. and look around, there are other Samuels around you.

This is my Christmas miracle. And it is the most wonderful Christmas present ever.
I hope you too, will find your little Christmas miracle. Because then again, Christmas miracles are applicable and accessible all-year round, it’s the best offering ever made for us, the human race.

So, be blessed.
Christmas miracle is ready, at your service. You just have to look.

With prayers,
-Rey