Why I am not a social worker

When I started college my freshman year I was a social work major. I didn't know much about social work but I knew I loved people, was compassionate, enjoyed helping people and found hope in seeing other succeed.  Sounds like a perfect recipe for a social worker eh? Luckily God knew better.  I ended up taking a year off of school my junior year because we were getting married. Yah, Yah, we were young. I know. Go ahead and tell me but you will be about the millionth person to do so. Maybe someday I will blog about the joys and pains of getting married so young. But, not today. So, I took a year off school and ended up going back as a business major. It's a good thing. Last night I discovered one of the (possibly many) reasons the Lord did not have social work in His plan for me.

My husband and our two boys were headed to the church for a movie night in the park. As we approached a major intersection in our little town I noticed a young pregnant woman carrying a toddler and waiting to cross the street. She did not look good. She looked sad, distraught, tired, scared and angry. She was wearing dark sunglasses but was obviously crying.  I told my husband we had to stop and help her.  He of course asked "what are we going to do for her?" I said "I don't know but we have to stop." We pulled over and asked if she needed any help. She said through broken tears "No, I'm fine."  Ok, why do girls (myself included) always do that? It is like we have too much pride or are too fearful to accept help for someone. Granted, we were strangers and I am sure she was a little concerned about that. I would be too.  So, we went on our way.  The rest of the way I kept telling my husband "we have to help her, we have to help her" and he kept saying "we tried, we tried." By this point I was bawling my eyes out and my 4 year old was quite confused.  We went back to the church and my sister had just pulled up with her family. I ran to her car and said "You have to come help me, there is a woman who needs our help." We got into my car and went back to find the girl.  I pulled over and got out of the car basically cornering her and told her through tears that we really wanted to help her. She was hesitant (as I would be) but eventually agreed to let us give her a ride to a grocery store 1/2 mile away.  On our way there we learned that she was 7 months pregnant and her son was a year old. She had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend. She continued telling us how she really felt like she needed to leave him but that she didn't think she could because he was the father of her two children.  My sister and I waited with "Betsy" for about 20 minutes in the parking lot while her mom to came pick her up. I gave her some water and her boy a juice box. As I sat there and listened to her story my heart broke. What a beautiful woman and a beautiful baby boy and soon to be girl.  Betsy was lost and totally hopeless. I felt completely helpless! As she got out of my car and into her moms, my sister told her we would be praying for her. I actually (against all kinds of rules I am sure) gave her my cell number and told her to call me if she ever needed anything.

As my sister and I pulled away I could barely function. I wanted so badly to for her to be ok. To be able to find peace. To be able to get out of the bad situation she is in. To have the courage to walk away from a man who doesn't realize what she is worth and how precious his babies are.  But, all I could do was cry, and cry and cry and cry.   And then I came home and cried and cried some more.  Ok, fine....I am a baby. I am pretty sure crying isn't in the job description of a social worker.  However, for me...last night, it was in the job description of a Jesus worker.  Please join me in praying for Betsy.  My guess is I will never know how things turn out with her and her two beautiful babies this side of eternity. My only hope is that something either my sister or I said will put a spark in her heart and maybe, just maybe she will someday know the best social worker there is.