Store Manager Witnesses to Robber
On July 23, 2010 20-year-old cellphone store manager Nayara Goncalves persuaded a would-be armed robber to put away his gun and leave her store in the name of the Lord.
Every moment of the more than five-minute exchange between a calm Goncalves and the nervous, unidentified robber was captured on a store s
He exchanges pleasantries with Goncalves, asking whether she was keeping dry, then asks to see a phone.
Moments later, he reaches into his coat, apparently showing her a gun. He apologizes: ``I really hate to do this. . . . Don't be scared.
`I'm not scared,' replies Goncalves, a devout Christian who was working alone. She calmly walks back to her cash register, telling the man, ``You can do whatever you want, but I'm just going to talk to you about Jesus, my God, before you leave.
The man momentarily pauses, and says, ``God bless you for that.
Goncalves tells him she is a Christian. He replies sheepishly, ``So am I and I absolutely hate doing this. I do. I'm embarrassed to do this. But I have no choice.
He says he has attended Calvary Chapel.
`Calvary Chapel?' ``Pastor Bob?' Goncalves asks, saying she has visited there.
Yes, the robber replies, ``Pastor Bob.
``I'm so sorry to put you through this,' he says.
Goncalves continues to talk to the man, giving soothing responses of ``I know, I know,' as he opens up about his troubles -- telling Goncalves he's married, has a job, and that he needed $300 to stave off eviction.
As if sensing an opening, Goncalves continues, her voice breaking for a split second, ``I don't know what you're going through. But all of us are going through a hard time right now.
The man barely looks at her. ``That's why I refuse to do anything out in the streets. I've never done this before.
She offers to connect him with friends to help him find a job.
He says he had one.
She suggests he seek a loan from a friend.
He says he sp
Every moment of the more than five-minute exchange between a calm Goncalves and the nervous, unidentified robber was captured on a store s
He exchanges pleasantries with Goncalves, asking whether she was keeping dry, then asks to see a phone.
Moments later, he reaches into his coat, apparently showing her a gun. He apologizes: ``I really hate to do this. . . . Don't be scared.
`I'm not scared,' replies Goncalves, a devout Christian who was working alone. She calmly walks back to her cash register, telling the man, ``You can do whatever you want, but I'm just going to talk to you about Jesus, my God, before you leave.
The man momentarily pauses, and says, ``God bless you for that.
Goncalves tells him she is a Christian. He replies sheepishly, ``So am I and I absolutely hate doing this. I do. I'm embarrassed to do this. But I have no choice.
He says he has attended Calvary Chapel.
`Calvary Chapel?' ``Pastor Bob?' Goncalves asks, saying she has visited there.
Yes, the robber replies, ``Pastor Bob.
``I'm so sorry to put you through this,' he says.
Goncalves continues to talk to the man, giving soothing responses of ``I know, I know,' as he opens up about his troubles -- telling Goncalves he's married, has a job, and that he needed $300 to stave off eviction.
As if sensing an opening, Goncalves continues, her voice breaking for a split second, ``I don't know what you're going through. But all of us are going through a hard time right now.
The man barely looks at her. ``That's why I refuse to do anything out in the streets. I've never done this before.
She offers to connect him with friends to help him find a job.
He says he had one.
She suggests he seek a loan from a friend.
He says he sp
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