Frieda

This summer a couple of my friends and I from Bethel have gone to Hennepin Avenue, every other Saturday, to Auggies, to show people the love of God. Auggies is a strip club and as I've found out, it is one of the worst places to go for the girls; but sometimes desperation is enough to make someone do something so unwise. God loves these people so incredibly much and has been telling them about His love for them for a long time, but sometimes it takes the voices of Christ followers on earth to get them to finally lean their ears His way and to believe in His unfailing, unconditional love.

This last Saturday we met a woman named Frieda. She was in her 60s, missing a couple teeth, was a short, sweet woman who spoke with an accent (German). I saw her walk right past our little group of four sitting in a circle outside Auggies; she was walking with her face to the ground, sort of shuffling her feet, and hugging a plastic bag to her side. I quickly got up and ran over to her and started talking with her. It took a little bit to make her look up at my face - I think she didn't trust me but when I showed her I wasn't going to hurt her. I asked her if she needed any prayer for anything and she said she didn't have enough money for a bus fare (she needed 75 cents) & that her knees were hurting her. I added everything up and I asked her if she was homeless and she said "yes, sort of." So I brought her over to the group and said "Hey guys, this is Frieda. She needs money for a bus fare." I for some reason immediately looked over at Hunter (thinking he might have money on him). I saw his face drop and I almost laughed because he was so sad about not having any money on him. So then I told them about her knees and we prayed for her. She said her knees were feeling a lot better.

This whole time I was watching her feet because she was wearing thick socks with pink flip-flops over them. I kept thinking, there is no way I'm letting her go with those flip-flops; no wonder her knees hurt! She needs to be wearing tennis shoes!! And a thought came to me - I should give her my shoes. I can afford a new pair but she can't and these are good shoes. So without anyone noticing I lined my foot up next to hers and it looked like my shoes would work. So as she started walking away I told her I wanted her to take my shoes and try them on. There, outside Auggies, I take my shoes off and she tries them on. Too small. Hunter, Esther, and Megan start murmuring but I didn't care - I wanted her to have shoes! Hunter takes off his shoes and says "You can try mine on." We all laugh. Then Megan takes hers off and says "Here, my feet are big." They fit like a charm! Size 10 as well - exactly what she needed!

We talked some more, just wondering who she is, what her story is, and what her relationship with God is. Then Hunter comes to me and tells me to keep her there for a couple minutes while he gets money. Before I could say OK he was gone - sprinting back to the car. As we continued talking she kept saying "I shouldn't complain" - she sleeps on a bus, can hardly afford Goodwill, has no family, didn't find out what she does for food, but she said that she always looked for ways to help families who couldn't get nice things for their kids. A homeless woman only thinking about others and she says "I shouldn't complain!" Well that felt like a sword right to my gut - God telling me, stop complaining because you have been blessed with much!

We walked down to the other corner and waited for Hunter to get back. Her response to getting the money were tears and saying "God feeds the rabbits." It was such a blessing to bless her! I was crying and I did not get a lot of sleep that night because I couldn't stop thinking about how much I have been blessed with. That woman was ministering to me and the rest of our group when we were there to minister to her.

What an eye opener! God kept bringing to mind that verse about entertaining angels unaware. And "whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters, has done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40). We did it out of compassion and God's love but the blessings that have followed have been great! God is so amazing and I just could not let Frieda go without providing for her needs as much as I was able to. I wished I knew if there was a place I could take her but none of us knew anything. But I believe God will provide for her as He provides for us.

Lord God, wherever you lead me I will go. Whatever you ask me to do I will do. And whatever you ask me to give up I will give up.

Blessings!!