As he steps out of the door he is met by a cold wind, sleet pelting him in the face.As he steps out onto the street, he scans the road up and down, trying to remember when he has seen the town this dead.

Just as he is about to open the door to his car, his eye catches a raggedy man, probably in his early forties, walking down the sidewalk in front of the church he has just left.He stops for a moment as he watches the man approach.

Suddenly, the man vears in his direction, and he catches himself wishing he had gotten in his car, instead of standing there gawking.

"Excuse me, sir," the ragged man starts, as he approaches."Could ya spare some change for something to eat?"

"Something to eat, huh?," The man says, with an eyebrow arched high.The Reverend Tommy Vasquez has seen too many of these guys.He stands there looking at the man in half pity, half disdain. He thinks to himself " I just bet you want something to eat."

"Yes, sir," the street dweller continues,"They have burgers for just 99 cents right down the street." He stands there looking at the preacher, wondering if he is going to give him anything, or just make him stand in the cold wind all day.

Suddenly, the preachers face lights up. "I'll beat this guy at his own game," he thinks to himself. "I tell ya what, pal," He directs to the disheveled figure standing in front of him,"Why don't we just walk down there, and I will buy us both one."

The preacher gets a coy grin on his face."That ought to do it," he giggles to himself in his mind, "He will get no drug money from me, so he will go along his way."

How many times had he seen this same picture. The name and face may change, but the story is always the same. Get money from whoever you can, and then go and buy the cheapest high you can find. These people are all alike.

Much to the suprize and dismay of the parson, the ragged street man does not turn and walk away, neither does he start to protest. Instead a smile pops up on his weathered face. "Thank you kindly, sir," The panhandler grins,"I will meet you there."

As Reverend Tommy looks on, the strange man turns and starts walking down the street toward the little diner with the famous 99 cent burgers.The preacher just stares after him for a moment, before closing his car door, and walking after the man in the ragged clothes, and the strangely becoming smile.

As he walks into the cafe', the preacher notices that the man has already chosen a booth for them and is grinning at him as he walks through the door.He walks slowly over to the booth and slides into the seat opposite the strange man.

"By the way," the man says as he thrusts out a callosed hand, "My name is Bob Mitchell." The preacher takes the extended hand and shakes it, suddenly curious, as that name strikes a bell somewhere in his mind."I am Reverend Tommy Vasquez, pastor of the Praise Outreach Mission down the street.

Bob looks at him and smiles a warm smile, "Oh, I know who you are, Pastor, I have followed your work for years." The preacher is stunned at the strange mans statement, and is about to ask a question when the waitress comes up and asks, "What'll it be, fellas?"

"Give us each one of your famous 99 cent hamburgers, and something to drink, please." The Reverend tells the buxom blonde waitress. She smiles and walks away as she scribbles the order onto her pad.

Pastor Tommy, as he is lovingly called by his parishioners, turns once again to face this man that calls himself Bob Mitchell. "Have we met before?" He asks. "Yes," the vagabond replies, "Many years ago."

The minister strains his mind, trying to think of where it is that he has heard that name. He is just about to ask another question, when his thinking is interupted by the strangers voice. "Reverend, How are the wife and kids?"

Once again, Pastor Tommy is taken back by the mans knowledge of him.He thinks to himself, "How does this street bum even know I have a wife and kids?" "They are fine." he answers shortly, disturbed at the mans knowledge of his family.

The two men sit in silence for several minutes, until the waitress comes up with their order. She sets each mans hamburger in front of them and then smiles at the preacher again and walks away.

Just as Pastor Tommy is about to suggest that they say grace, the street man snatches the ragged stocking cap from his head and starts to pray."Oh Lord, let us be truly thankful for these your bountiful gifts, and let us also be thankful, Oh Lord, for the saving grace of your son Jesus Christ, amen."

The minister just stares in disbelief at the eloquent prayer of the vagabond. He is both shocked and amazed that this street bum speaks so well, and obviously is saved. Suddenly, he sees the man in a whole different light. No longer does he see a ragged homeless bum, but a brother, a fellow Christian, down on his luck, and in need of a hand from the Pastor of the local Church.

A wave of shame and humiliation flows over the young parson, as he recalls the harsh thoughts that he had just been thinking of this, his brother in the Lord.

As if he had read the pastors mind, the vagabond starts to speak. "You know, Pastor Tommy, Jesus said 'You saw me hungry, and you fed me, you saw me thirsty, and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in.' And the disciples asked him 'When did we see you hungry, and did feed you, and when did we see you thirsty, and give you to drink, and when were you a stranger, and we took you in?'."

The pastors eyes suddenly begin to fill with tears, and he is unable to speak, as the rough looking street person continues."Jesus said 'When you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.'".

The two men finish their food in silence. The pastor lost in his own shame, and the man, obviously very hungry, too busy eating to talk. They finish their food, and each looks at the other, wondering what is left to say.

Finally, Pastor Tommy starts to speak, and has to clear his throat before even being able to speak."I owe you an apology, Bob. I was not a minister to you, but, instead, I judged you for your appearance, and made my offer of food in hopes that you would refuse and walk away. I am very ashamed and I ask you to forgive me."

A tear suddenly fills the street mans eye, as he says "Pastor, after all that Jesus has done for me, I have no choice but to forgive you this small thing." He smiles and takes the hand of the preacher, "All is forgiven, my brother."

The pastor rises to his feet and hurries to the other side of the booth, where he pulls the street man from his seat, and hugs him, and thanks him tearfully.

As they walk out of the small diner together, they are smiling. No longer are they The Reverend and the bum, but they are brothers, fellow servants to the Lord.

"I must go now," the street man says," I have work to do elsewhere." And with this he bids the pastor farewell, and huriedly walks down the cold damp street.

The parson watches as the man goes, and is about to turn to walk back to his car, when an almost audible voice rings loud in his head. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for by this some have entertained angels unawares." Pictures flash in his mind, the small church where he attended as a boy, the service where he had decided to give his life to Jesus, and to the ministry of His gospel, and the Evangelist that had preached on angels that day....

"No...its impossible." The Reverend thinks."That preacher was killed about a year later in a car wreck."

He whirls around in the street, and looks toward where the strange street vagabond had just been walking. There was not a trace of him. He hadn't had time to make it to the end of the block, and yet...he was gone.