So surprise surprise , I get a Facebook friend request and it’s a woman I had forgotten about , she remembered me and looked for me on Facebook. I was thrilled that she came looking for me after 5 years or so since I last saw her.

One Monday I came home from work early and I had a craving for a certain burger and since I lived within walking distance of the roadhouse, it was no sweat to take a stroll to go buy it. Outside the store was this blonde woman sitting flat on the ground crying, everyone just passed her by, not that I judge a book by its cover but she looked like a prostitute because of her attire. I looked at her and said nothing and just went inside for my burger. I could see her through the glass window, and my heart reached out for her but my mouth couldn’t. What was I to say to her? How could I comfort her? I don’t know her, what if she screams at me or what if it’s all an act, these days you have to be so careful, you can’t just trust people. I waited a few minutes for my burger and I started consulting with the Lord, I felt convicted to reach out to her but I was scared.

Maybe I should just walk up to her and say “Mam are you ok?” it seemed like the normal thing to do, any caring person would surely ask. I became anxious, I felt as if it was my duty to ask her if she needed help but I didn’t have the courage. I was after all dealing with my own insecurities. I went outside and sat down on the curb next to her, I greeted her and offered her half of my burger but she refused. We sat in silence for a moment and then she started opening up to me. At first it was a lot of anger, she started telling that her life was one big mess; she had been living on the streets since the age of 13, prostituting her body to older men. I was staring down at the pavement while she spoke and she asked me to look her in the face, her eyes were as green as the sea, she was actually a very beautiful woman.

She decided to turn her life around, she went on the internet and met a man, they fell in love and after six months they finally met. She wanted a fresh clean start and had disclosed her shameful past to her online love. The two planned a romantic get away for the weekend but he arrived with three of his friends instead. She was beaten and violated all weekend long, she just returned from the police station but she got no help from them. So there she sat. My burger was now cold, since she didn’t want eat, I didn’t feel right to eat in front of her. I asked her if she was serious about turning her life around and invited her to church. Immediately she declined the invitation, she didn’t need God, she needed love. I knew that nothing I would say in that moment would ease her pain. I got up and asked her if she had money to get home and told her to consider coming to church on Sunday and explained where the church was located.

When I arrived at church Sunday morning, she stood outside the gates smoking. She was dressed presentable but provocatively. I went to greet her and the first thing she asked was if she had time for another cigarette. I hooked in her arm and led her inside the church. While we were sitting in church her phone rang, she went outside to answer it, it was a customer, a married man, his wife had gone to church with the children and he needed her services but she switched off her phone and came back inside. The warm reception she got as she entered the church made a difference to her, as we entered the church doors, people were greeting us and welcoming us and she felt accepted. I didn’t see her again after that day. I didn’t know she started frequenting a church closer to her home. We met for coffee last week; she is a completely different person. I am embarrassed to admit I that I checked out her Facebook and saw she is friends with pastors and missionaries, I was quite shocked.

Sometimes when I lack the boldness to do something, like in this case, I was unprepared and didn’t know who to handle this woman, all I needed to do was to invite her to church and God did the rest. Sometimes God only requires us to do one small thing, He is the Savior after all, He will save the day, and the onus is never on you or me. He will be faithful to complete any good work.