Monday, March 14, 2011

16th and Island - Chapter 4- Operation Hope (Part Five)

Pete of course agreed to watch Jeb, who was happy to have more space for skateboarding, and I watched back into God's Extended Hand.
      I breathed a silent prayer – Help me Lord ­– as I walked back to sit down with Susan. Wanting to let Susan decide when she wanted to open up to me, I began talking. “So let me tell you what we were thinking, Susan. There is a place in Vista, called Operation Hope, where you and Jeb can stay. It is about 45 minutes from here, and Pete and I can drive you there if you want to go. Here’s a note I wrote you that I was going to leave on your car if we couldn’t find you.”
      Susan read the note aloud. “They have job training and a school for Jeb… This sounds real good – I can not turn down somethin’ like this!”
      “Now I know that you don’t know us, and for all you know we could be kidnappers, but we just felt God put it on our heart to at least offer you a ride up there.”
      “Yeah, you could take us little helpless North Carolina folks and sell us down the river and nobody would know whar we were,” Susan laughed. “No, I think this is from the Lowrd, there bein’ job trainin’ and a school for Jeb. You jus’ don’t understand what has happened to us the last few days. I come from good stock – a good middle-class, Christian family. I never thought I’d be homeless, and somebody would be trying to help me off the street. I told you already about that Shelby, the crazy that I came out here with who took off with all my money to go to Tijuahana, well he comes back here last night. And he wants back together, and when I tell him I don’t want nothin’ to do with him, well, he starts threatenin’ to kill me! Thank the Lowrd Jeb was asleep, so he did not hear any of that. Please don’t tell him about it – he should not have to know about that heavy stuff – he’s just a child.”
      “Of course…”.
      Susan interrupted. “Well, this rael kind man named Judah stayed with us in the car and guarded us all night. I sat up prayin’ all night that I could get Jeb and I to some place safe. So I’d be obliged to ya’ to git us away from har!” Susan was shaking like a leaf, but looked relieved.
      No wonder I couldn’t stop thinking about it – God wants us to get them out of here to save their lives! “Wow, that is horrible! I am glad you are safe! We will get you guys out of here.”
      “But wait a minute, what shood I do about my car! Shelby may try to stael it or git into it and take stuff if I jus’ pack up and go. Now, you’re friend Shawn (one of the college students, I barely knew him) said he wood try an fix it for me, maybe I shood wait for him to fix it first.”
      “Susan, you’re lives may be in danger. We will tow your car to wherever you want, and we can try to get it fixed from there. But for now, we just need to get you guys out of here.”
      “Well, I sure do appreciate it, more than you kin know!” Susan’s brown eyes, which I noticed were as big as Judy Garland’s, were shining.

2 comments:

  1. So awesome how God heard Susan's heartfelt prayer and how you responded as God's hand extended. If only everyone would listen to what God is trying to get them to do, we would live in such an awesome state of amazement. Look forward to your next installment.

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  2. It was truly humbling and amazing that God chose to use us that way - I couldn't believe it!

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