Are you a Christian?

This is a question that I would expect in some places I guess, especially being from the bible belt. But here? In the closest thing to a Japanese 99cent store in the middle of a most holy Muslim nation? All of these reasons are why the question shocked me.

Backstory: I decided a couple days ago to decorate for Christmas even though we are leaving soon. I think I was just feeling homesick for trees and decorations and holiday spirit. We brought assorted color felt with us to make a tree and ornaments. I had found a couple winter decorations before we went back to Houston so I thought I'd go look again.

When I got to the store I found some garland and put it in my buggy. I made my way to the back of the store to look for a couple things. A worker followed me and asks me in a low voice if I'm a Christian, I feel afraid all of a sudden and just smile. He asks if I'm looking for Christmas decorations and still I really don't know what to do. I tell him yeah I'm decorating for the holidays and try to walk away. Suddenly my irrational fear is returning that he's secretly the religious police and is going to arrest me. I can see the headlines now: American Woman arrested buying garland in Saudi. I keep one eye on that guy for the rest of my shopping trip terrified that he was going to try and arrest me! When I went to leave he walked up to me as I was getting my stuff. He said "I'm a Christian too, Merry Christmas"

It hit me like a ton of bricks, I'm truly amazed about peoples commitment to their religion. Here is this man willing to share his religion even somewhere so restrictive. Although I'm not particially religious myself I have a lot of respect for people that believe something so deeply that they are willing to share it with a stranger.