Some angels on the streets

Today was a day of great ordinariness. I am so excited because I had no idea that 'ordinariness' was even a word! Who knew, right? Anyway, I got up, I read my Bible, took a shower, then went down stairs to eat breakfast like any normal day. My mum (I prefer the way 'mum' sounds more 'mom' or 'mother'; those just sound so stilted) was down stairs with eggs waiting on the stove. I love her lots!Our kitchen is strewn with odds and ends; magazines and computer cords usually lie across the table like centipedes in a recycling heap. Books are easily found among assortments of clothes freshly tumbled and warmed from the drier. For a few days I had noticed a thin paperback book with a bright red cover which read One Lady at a Time. I had wondered what it was and mildly thought "what could that strange title mean?" but had never picked it up to find answer my questions.

This morning, while painting my toes a bright shade of sparkly green, the book was sitting on the table in front of my empty plate. My mum picked it up and started flipping threw it. My curiosity got the better of me,

"What is that book about?" I asked. My mum explained that it was a book written by the head of the Walter Hoving Home in Pasadena, CA and Garrison, NY. It is a home for women who choose to get out of prostitution and drug addiction. The couple who run it are strong christians who have two children of their own but choose to take care of these women as well.

This book, One Lady at a Time, was a collection of stories from the home or outreaches around it. My mum offered to read some allowed to me. I sat waiting for my toes to dry and listened to the simple stories of John and Elsie Bentons excursions to dangerous neighborhoods around their New York home.

They were by no means fabulously written, but their simple style lent a sense of humility and grace to the words. Gods love showed in Johns descriptions of the girls on the streets and the tenderness his wife showed them. These two people I have incredible respect for, How can they have such self sacrifice? I feel challenged when I now think of them. Greater humility, greater sacrifice, greater love, and greater obedience to God can only yield one thing; that is more fulfillment then any other practice on earth. God shows this threw the Bentons; two Jesus's walking around New York doing good and great things for women in need. They do God proud!