WWJD

The kids and I went to Costco today to stock up on some house staples. As we walked back to our car (kids in full cart, wind blowing, cars everywhere), a woman approached us with a paper in her hand. She had something written on there about having two kids and needing money to feed them. She offered a few words of English, but it was obviously not her first language (hence the paper). I apologized and kept walking, but promised myself that I would track her down once we got back to our car and give her a ten-dollar bill. (Even though we were in a busy parking lot, I'm a bit hesitant to stop, look through my purse/wallet, and hand out money, especially while with my kids. Who knows who is watching, or who this woman could be?)

As we continued to the car, I vacillated back and forth between hoping she really had two kids and hoping she didn't have two kids. If she was telling the truth, it would make me happy to know that not everyone asking for money is trying to scam me. However, if she was lying, at least that meant there weren't two hungry kids back at her apartment or car waiting for her to return with some way for them all to eat. That image is too much for me to handle these days. Having no money is scary, but having no money when you have to support children is downright terrifying.

By now I'm emptying the cart and loading up the kids. I vow to not just give her $10, but to give her whatever cash I have in my wallet. All of it. I couldn't get her face out of my mind. She seemed so sad and sincere. She also seemed ashamed to ask...I watched her approach other people and she never chased them down or yelled out to get some one's attention. Her whole demeanor told me she had no other choice but to beg for money... Unfortunately, all I had in my purse was five one-dollar-bills. Silently cursing Lehr for taking some bigger bills from my wallet that morning, I pulled around the parking lot until I found her. I handed her the money, apologizing that it was all the cash I had. She thanked me over and over, telling me "God bless you and your family."

Then the unexpected, but awesomely perfect, aftermath occurred. As soon as I rolled my window up, Eli asked, "Whatchu doin' wiff dat lady, Mommy?" This would normally be where I fumbled around to give the best answer, all the while giving horribly awkward pseudo answers in hopes of dumbing it down for him enough so that he really got it. Instead, God gave me words that seemed to flow effortlessly from my mouth. I told him something to the effect of "That woman has two kids, but she doesn't have any food for them right now and they're hungry. She asked me for some money to buy them food. I gave it to her because I think that is what Jesus would want me to do. I think if He was here, He would have given her His money too. Plus, if you and Maddie were hungry and I needed food, I would be so happy if someone helped me and gave me money to feed you guys."

The cool part is, I think he got it. He told me, "I could give her my money too."