ANGELS

This was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:

Sent from a listener: Lois Shuler

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic
on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I
barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I
would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to
wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make
the call, I saw a woman walking out of the 'quickie mart' building, and
it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I
got out to see if she was okay.

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than
that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard
with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her
up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the
ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a
car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept
saying ' don't want my kids to see me crying,' so we stood on the other
side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California
and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, 'And you
were praying?' That made her back away from me a little, but I assured
her I was not a crazy person and said, 'He heard you, and He sent me.'

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so
she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked
to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift
certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. S he gave the food to
the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries
and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City Her boyfriend
left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew
she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation
had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5
years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them
and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they
were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to
live there.

I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for
safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, 'So, are
you like an angel or something?'

This definitely made me cry. I said, 'Sweetie, at this time of year
angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.'

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of
course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and
got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check,
but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.