Wengers...You never know what you are going to find!

Earlier this week, I read a blog post on "Given to Love" about Wenger's, our local discount grocery store.  In my family, Wenger's often receives quite a few jokes.  When looking in the pantry for a bite to eat, you can't mistake the florescent orange price stickers, dented cans, or slightly crumpled cereal boxes.  However as much as we joke about it, we love Wenger's and you certainly can't beat their prices.

Wenger's is owned and run by Mennonites.  I always get a kick out of the folksie hymns that play over the speakers, but I usually catch myself humming along at least once.  Shopping at Wenger's is unlike any other store.  You really have to search and examine your groceries (check for dents, holes, leaks, expiration dates, etc.).  My mom, a proud Wenger's shopper/supporter, often jokes that Wenger's is full of surprises.

"Why are you writing about a Mennonite discount grocery store?" you may be wondering.  Well, like I said in the title, you never know what you are going to find.  While meandering down the pasta isle, I overheard someone behind me say, "Sa bon." That is Haitian Creole for "That's good."  I quickly spun around and saw a couple examining a slightly dented box of pasta.  I enthusiastically said, "Ou pale Kreyol?!  (You speak Creole?)"  After I began speaking Creole to the couple, I took a slight notice to the other white customers stealing awkward glances in my direction.  I'm assuming they were most likely thinking "who is that crazy person?"  I didn't care though, I was too excited.  I'm sure to you readers, this scenario does not seem like such a big deal.  However, you must understand that I have been missing Haiti terribly.  But today, for 1 minute in the pasta isle of a discount grocery store, I was back in Haiti again.

I think my creepy-ness enthusiasm caught the Haitian couple off guard a little bit.  While I happily pranced off to the next isle, I think they may have been talking about how strange that white girl was.  After we parted ways, I started kicking myself for not talking to them a little bit longer.  I didn't exchange names or even invite them to church!  It was all I could think about the rest of the time I was shopping.  I even tried to strategically shop my way towards them so that I had an excuse to talk to them again.  Unfortunately, I did not get another opportunity.  While standing in the check out line, I took some paper from my purse and quickly wrote down my name, number, and some info about our church (Higher Hope).  After handing my wallet to my sister, I went back to find the couple.

I ended up finding them and inviting them to Higher Hope.  It turns out that they had been invited before by Pastor Mark's mother, but they work on Sunday's and cannot make it.  The woman told me that she plans to go when she has vacation.  They seemed touched that I invited them (even if they were a little weirded out by my over-enthusiasm).

I never imagined that situation would happen here in my tiny, rural, non-diverse town.  You just never know what is in store at Wengers (get it? har har)!