The Dangers of Cart Witnessing in California

   Literature display tables and carts is only one of the ways Jehovah’s Witnesses preach the good news of God’s Kingdom.  The program started in 2014.  I started Cart Witnessing as soon as a cart became available in my congregation.  The spot I picked is the Daly City BART station.  Like any public place, Daly City BART station has its share of homeless and psychologically challenged poor.  That was exactly what brought me to Cart Witnessing.
   In my youth, I visited slum areas and peasant communities in the Philippines as part of a student outreach program.  From there, the poor has sunk into a soft part of my heart.  I knew that going door to door with the Bible message did not reach people who didn’t have doors.  In the Philippines Jehovah’s Witnesses approached people who lived in cardboard boxes or make shift sidewalk placements.  In America, the Cart Witnessing is providing the Bible message to the homeless and carless, overworked laborers working two to three jobs, so that they’re never home when we knock.
   In the beginning brothers came with the sisters.  The elders were wary that sisters, left without a brother, could be harassed by evil strangers.  Back then, I was told that the organization rule was to have at least one brother for every cart.  Eventually, sisters were allowed to do cart without a brother.
   True enough, I experienced some forms of harassment.  Strangers who were fanatics in their chosen religion, who were not used to seeing the newly instituted Cart Witnessing, screamed expletives at us.  Some took literature pretending to be interested in Bible truth then tore and threw the literature in the nearest trash.  We were given instruction not to debate with anyone.  We were warned to be careful and alert but not to engage to escalate such encounters.  
   Once, an American man, who did not look poor just angry for some reason, screamed curses at us.  I followed him with my eyes.  He went over to stand right behind me.  His plan must have been to attack me behind my back.  That’s what criminals do so they can’t be identified.  I turned around to face him with him a few inches from me.  He was tall.  I’m a small Asian.  The sick thing was, I wasn’t scared.  I stared up at his face continuously until, frustrated, he walked away.  I felt triumphant!
   Las week, someone took a book from the cart.  I told my companion I will go for a minute to get another book from my car in the parking lot.  When I returned, the sister told me a man went to the cart and when she approached, he put his arms on her shoulder.  The sister was terrified.  I told her I will never leave her alone again even for a minute.  I was afraid the incident might turn the sister off Cart Witnessing.  
   That sister and I continue to do Cart Witnessing on the same spot to this date.
See also:Statistics from the HeartThe Art of Preaching Wisdom of Birds