My convo with an evangelist and a homeless man at Grace Chapel

"Oh look, there's somebody's handbag"'the scruffy homeless man said pointing to my bag hanging over my chair , which was perched out side Grace chapel where our art group was holding an ad hoc exhibition.
I had left my post, briefly at the entrance ,to pick up a billboard sign that had fallen over in the wind. A guy helped me pick it up and I started a conversation with him.
"Do you belong to the church here/" I enquired
" Yes we are all going out evangelising" was the reply
"Oh yeah? What are you going to vandalise then?" I joked. We got to talking about how he had turned his life around because he had an epiphany one day in a Church of England church. He seemed genuine enough, our conversation was broken up by the scruff y man's remark-"Yes its my handbag so keep your eyes off it" I called over.
"Can anyone go in here?" He asked. "Yes "I replied " So long as you don't nick anyone's handbag!"I said only half joking. I returned to my companion, and I could tell he did not approve of my remark, but I could tell he knew I was half joking,especially as I had invited the guy to go in and have a look.

He continued his conversation and was joined by a few others in a friendly 'lets talk about God 'kind of way. This does not phase me, I have had loads of discussions about religion.
 I exchanged some of my views about one of their posters which declared 'God gave his son so that you would be saved. How do you do you feel about that?' I pointed it out to Sean, and told him, I felt it was a bit extreme. He agreed "Yes it is extreme, that is why I am dedicating my life to engage people about talking to God, God wants to hear you."he exclaimed enthusiastically.
I smiled I had heard this all before and was no stranger to this type of rhetoric I told him I was aware that there was a big difference between spirituality and religion. Religions have a list of things you can and cannot do. He told me that his church does not tell people what to do.................... I wasn't sure if he actually believed that or not. We chatted to and fro, and he seemed surprisingly open and refreshingly honest. One of life's good guys. I knew the chapel he belonged to had a soup kitchen which is why the homeless street people were hanging around the entrance With nowhere to go they utilised the benches around the square and benefited from the shade of the ancient trees  on a hot summers day. There was also a facility for showers  for them in the chapel, which I thought was a nice touch.

Later on in the day as I carried my unsold canvases to the car park pay machine,  I put my bags down to retrieve some change and I noticed the same man sitting behind them

." Have you been to the exhibition?" He  called across, noticing my paintings, Not realising we had exchanged words previously. "Yes " I replied smiling "It's good in there isn't it ?" he said 
"Yes " I agreed smiling again at the thought he enjoyed it .
"I wish I could draw "he continued "At school all I could do was maths, Its either one or the other isn't it?"he queried I agreed I know what he meant.
 I was waiting for him to ask for change, which is why he was sitting by the machines But he carried on with his conversation. "I was never any good at school, but when I left I started up a cleaning company and made a good living even though I didn't have any qualifications" I raised my eyebrow questioningly. He carried on, "Then it all went wrong, my wife left me and my parents died, and now I'm on the streets" Trying to think of something helpful to say I asked if he used the Grace Chapel "Oh yes, they are very good to us in there, they feed us and everything" came the reply.
"Do you know what?"I said "You could do all that again you know, there are always people wanting cleaners etc especially in posh areas around here"  "Nah" he said" I'm homeless now" as if that equated to hopeless, but to me he was capable of holding a decent conversation, he was inquisitive, polite and interested. I had no idea why he remained homeless, but I figured the people at the chapel were looking after him, and folk like him, for now, so maybe one day he would get back on his feet. "Oh Well , at least it's nice and sunny" was all I could offer as I left, still bewildered at why he had not asked for any money. But maybe, just maybe, he had felt the need for an ordinary conversation.