Remembering a Gypsy

The other day I was feeling a bit nostalgic about my time in Spain. I remembered how I tried to be purposeful during my time there, even though I wasn’t strong in my walk.

On a Sunday morning in Sevilla, I was not able to find a church service to attend therefore I went to the local coffee shop and decided to spend my time journaling and reading the Bible.

While I was reading, a lady came up to me with a branch and wanted to give it to me. I thought, “This lady is crazy – why would she want to give me a tree branch as a gift?” I rejected her offer of the gift and then she proceeds to tell me that she will read my palm for a few euros. I said “No, thanks.” She then left.

A little later, after walking around the town and meeting up with a few of my friends, we passed by the cathedral. There were women with branches, by the steps, trying to give them out to people. One of my friends grabbed a branch being offered to her, saying that she loves the smell of rosemary, when the woman stopped her and started to read her palm. I immediately realized that it was a scam so I told the other girl with me to hurry up and walk away.  One of the ladies grabbed her by the arm and started to read her palm! I ended up putting my hands in my pockets and an older lady offered me a rosemary branch and to read my future.

I told her, “No, thanks. It’s against my beliefs.”

She questions, “How so?”

“I’m a Christian. The only one that knows my future is God.”

“Are your friends Christian?”

“Yeah.”

“Then if they’re doing it, you can too.”

“I don’t need to do it. I have read it in the Bible where it says not to. I don’t really want to know my future.”

“I’m sure God is going to give you a wonderful life and I pray that he gives you a great husband; you’re a very pretty girl.”

“Thanks! I have already prayed for my husband and I know that God has him chosen for me.”

 The lady talking to me kept getting close to me but I would back up, still with my hands in my pockets. I turn and look at my friends that have been harassed by the women and I see 100€ bills and 50€ bills flying out of wallets and then the women arguing among themselves. I just had to laugh at the scene, even though it was costing my friends a pretty penny.

The realization that these women were scamming people hit me and I thanked God that I was ignorant when it came to botany because it kept me safe from being scammed by these women; who as it turned out, were gypsies.

Later on, in a different city, Málaga, I was with a friend at the local’s favorite churro place. There was a lady selling lottery tickets to people. She was passing by each table twice…But she never stopped at our table.

Reason being… SHE WAS THE GYPSY I HAD ENCOUNTERED IN SEVILLA!

She was going to stop at our table- until she recognized me and said, “You’re the girl I met in Sevilla.” In which she walked on by. I had to giggle because I was in a town about 2-3 hours away and she was there doing the same thing – scamming people. What a purposeless life – to be conning people out of their money.

I pray for that lady; I pray that my stance in God and trusting the future that He alone has for me, has convicted her in a way that only God can.

Gypsy lady, wherever you are, I pray that you are being shown how much you need to rely on God for your future instead of lying and cheating yourself, and others, out of a wonderful purpose for which you were created.

What are some moments in which you took a stance for Jesus and how did it play out?