The Secret Handshake

"You know you're training a new girl tomorrow, right?" Gretchen asked me last night.
Yup, Dottie posted the training schedule.
"Her name's Lauren; she seems really nice."
Yeah, I met her; she seemed really sweet.
"In fact, I kind of think she might be a Christian...."
Really?? What makes you think so?
"Well, she went to the same college as one of my friends, and I think it's a Christian school. And I'm pretty sure on her resume when she applied it said something about a Christian high school."
Oh man, that'd be awesome! I'll do some investigating tomorrow and see what I can find out!!

I had it all figured out. I was going to ask where she went to college and then see where I could take the conversation from there. But things went a little differently than I'd planned....

"So do you work here full-time?" Lauren asked me while I was showing her around the barista station.
Sort of... I work here four days a week (which is technically full-time), but I also have another part-time job.
"Oh really? What's your other job?"
I work with inner city kids.
"You do?! That's so cool! Where is it?
It's a Christian mentoring program in Midtown...
"It's not.... I mean, it's far-fetched.... But it's not Kids With A Promise, is it?"
(My jaw dropped open.)
You've heard of it?!?!?!
"Oh my gosh! Yeah! I've been emailing with Carlos to see about being a mentor!"
ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?! How did you even know about it?
"I was visiting a church, and they mentioned it! I used to be part of a mentoring program in Atlanta, and I miss it."

Needless to say, we had lots to talk about. From mentoring programs to church hunting in New York City to working at Alice's. Oh yeah, and talking about how to make tea.... we did some of that too, I promise.

My friend Gelucc always used to say she felt like talking about church was a "secret handshake" between Christians. If you put it out there that you go to church, chances are that the other person will jump on it if they, too, are a Christian. I told Lauren that today-- told her about my mission to find out if she was a Christian, and told her how excited I was to find out that she "knew the secret handshake."

I'm excited to have another Christian on staff at Alice's. I'm excited that God sent me another little reminder that he's actively at work. And I'm excited to see what he's up to and what good things he's got planned-- for me, for Lauren, for Alice's.