The Drunk Dilemma

An almost amusing, but also sad challenge here has been dealing with drunk people. Unfortunatley
alcohol is a common part of like here, and since people know how to make their own beverage called
Chook-Chook people can be drunk all the time. All throughout the village you'll see little cabaret's or
bars where people go to get their fill. A market in any town will have the section where all the little bars are
for drinking. Some men and women too just go from bar to bar, drunk all day. It is quite sad. You can
very easily tell when someone is not all there. But I just do not want to offend people so sometimes
I get stuck discussing with people that have no idea probably where they even are. Today was a class example.
I passed by a house where the front entrance has benches and has become a small bar. A man called me, he
said he'd seen me walk by earlier and so now wanted to speak with me. After a minute I could tell
he was not at his height of intelligence, not only from his breath, but his demeanor. A drunk, as I used
to believe, is not just a person sloppily dressed, and loud and such. This guy was nicely dressed and
said he was even a director of a private school in town, could be true, so many people even well educated
drink their brains out! He asked what I do, I told him I was a volunteer with the Adventist church,
he asked me if I was really sure that I was, several times even he asked. I declared yes. After this
point it went downhill, he started boasting about his superiority in Bible knowledge, and that he had
every diploma a man could earn, etc. The girl that was sitting on a bench opposite us, told me that I should
just leave, but she did so silently just moving her lips, so as not to disturb the guy. I knew too it was time
to go. When I tried to explain the second coming and he got confused and said I was lying, I knew I
should go, I stood up and shook hands, another boy (they are the people that live there), said quietly that
it was the drink that made him like that. I left. I really do try to treat even drunk people with respect, but
I tend to forget that they forget everything. I get worried that if they see me later they will remember
that I left the conversation without finishing, refused to drink with them, etc. But from experience (like Fidard)
they never remember! So I can be polite but to sit and talk is a waste of time. I am learning here so
much of what is to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Wise to know when someone is
mentally stable enough to actually listen and speak, and harmless to treat them with respect even
though I may fulfill there wants for me to stay and argue with them!