It was a Thursday evening. I teach swim lessons this night, and was fortunate enough to be by myself (yay for my loving hubby to keep all 3 kids at home!!) I love to swim and after class I swam some laps. I chatted with a friend in the locker room for 5 minutes and was trying to get home as I needed to breastfeed my youngest son. I'm on the road a little later than anticipated. 3 cars in front of me...a 4 car pile up. I was the only one who thought to see if they are ok. I rolled my window down as I passed and asked if they needed help. One man said in a terrified voice, "Call 911!" As soon as he said it I pulled in front of the accident. It was bad. Smoke everywhere, 3 of the 4 cars were smashed so bad. I called and started telling the operator what I was witnessing. As I was talking to her, I heard a baby cry. I lost it, I started to well up with tears. I started inching closer to the wreckage. As I was about 20 feet away from seeing the whole of the damage, my body stopped. For a split second I became scared. I thought in my mind, "What if the cars blow up and I die?" as soon as I thought that, I felt God. He told me, not with words but with a sixth sense so to speak, "It's ok. You will be fine. Do not be afraid. Go over there and get that father and daughter away from the wreckage." And I did it. I did not hesitate after that feeling. The little girl was no older than my middle son who is 2. They were in the car that caused the accident.
Another woman started helping me and took the little girl. I helped the man and we both started taking them to my van to get them out of harm's way. The woman was in the last car hit, thankfully she only had a fender bender...and just so happened to be a nurse. She looked at the little girl who was bleeding. She seemed ok, but very scared. I stayed with her father, who at this point, knelt down on the grass next to my van. I started rubbing his back and (I don't know why I did this) started telling him of our car accident in Dec. 2010. I was pregnant and both of our older boys were in the car. I told him I can relate to how scary it is with your child involved. He started to cry and I cried with him. Here I am, with a grown man who I don't know. We cried together. We were perfect strangers. Out of a tragedy came light.
The police came, thanked me for being a good Samaritan. I got in my car and was again on my way home. I started bawling! I always keep a rosary in my van. I grabbed it and feverishly started praying for the 4 families involved. I got to the exit ramp to my city. Again I was feeling that Holy Spirit at work! I slowed down even though it was a green light. No cars around me...which is very rare. I came to a halt and stopped next to a homeless man. I rolled my window down and motioned for him to come. I held out my hand with the rosary in it. He extended his, probably thinking I was giving him money! I handed him my rosary and held his hand in mine. The only thing that divided our skin were rosary beads. He gave me a strange look.
This is what I said to him, "I just left a terrible car accident and there was a child involved. I was praying this rosary for all those involved. I need you to finish the rosary and pray with me."
The homeless man's demeanor changed. He had the look of love and sympathy. He asked if they were ok. I told him I don't know. I asked him if he knew how to pray the rosary, he responded, "I'm a Christian, but not Catholic. I don't know the prayers but I do pray to God." I told him I didn't care how he prayed, but when he prayed he needed to use the rosary. I made him promise me and he said he would. All this time our hands were holding this blue beaded rosary together. We parted by saying God bless to each other. And again, I was on my way home.
The power of that night! The glory that is God! I will never forget the feeling of compassion for strangers, for love of man, for letting the Holy Spirit take over my body. We are all called to do something in this world.
What's your calling?
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