The Secret Place

For a long time I have felt a desire to somehow connect with the local Women's Shelter. Obviously time is an issue. Obviously money is an issue. Yet, I feel I need to be passionate about something. I need to give.

For the past several months, I have been using CVS Extra Care Bucks and rolling them over. I have done a pretty good job and also have accumulated quite a bit of personal products. I decided to make up gift bags with items in them that women in crises could use.

Today I decided to give them a call. I have some hiring needs and thought maybe someone there could use a job. In the process, I could also find out how to get the bags to them. After all, they live in a secret place. I told the woman on the phone about the items I collected. Really only 3 gift bags. I asked her how I could get them there. I acknowledged that I knew it was a secret place. She said, 'Honey, you call me before you come and I will tell you how to get here.' Maybe she could hear the sincerity in my voice. My desire to minister to the women in that secret place.

I had a woman come in soon after I called. Her application gave an address. A fake address. After all, she lives in a secret place that only a few know about. I scrunched up my mouth and told her we might have a problem. We do need a valid address for company information, taxes, etc. I asked her if there was a chance that her abuser could find her here. I told her we wanted to protect her. She was so beautiful. So articulate. So happy. She was almost dancing on her way out.

What would it be like to live in a secret place? To watch out the windows and wonder if the secret would remain? To leave your past for a secret present? To wonder about your future and how long you could keep that secret safe?

If my boss would walk by my office he would see eyes with tears in them. It is only by the grace of God that I do not have to live in a secret place. Today my prayer is that as I someday soon walk through those secret doors, that somehow I will be able to share a very loving Christ.