PRESERVED TO SERVE THIS PRESENT AGE!

On this past Wednesday evening, a young woman along with her two 
children, one teenager, age 15 and 18 months old, appeared in the parking lot 
of the church.  She wasn't familiar with United at all.  She stated 
that she wanted someone to GIVE HER LAST RIGHTS before she killed herself.  
Our Pastor was still at church, it was right after prayer meeting and 
the praise dancers had just dismissed.  Patt Kroll came into the church 
stating that Pastor wanted to speak to me because there was a woman 
outside that was suicidal.  I put my jacket on because I was preparing 
myself to leave, and I went outside to assist.  When I arrived outside the 
woman was distraught and had been speaking with Pastor.  I asked her to 
pull into one of the parking stalls so that we could talk.  She did so 
and Pastor went back inside to prepare to leave for the evening.  

I remained at the car with young distraught woman and her two children 
in the back.  The teenager was very afraid and the younger one was 
asleep in her car seat.  After speaking to the young woman she stated that 
she wanted to kill herself because she didn't see any reason to still 
live.  She had been driving around for 3 hours thinking of ways to 
complete her plan of death.  She even went as far as to call the Maywood 
Police Department and they DID NOT respond.  She doesn't even know how she 
ended up in the Church's parking lot.

After I told her that I was a psycho-therapist, she looked at me as if 
she had seen a ghost.  Needless to say that when you tell a person in 
the mental health profession that you want to kill yourself, we have to 
take it serious, especially if children are involved.  I attempted to 
have her come inside the church with the children.  She refused several 
times.  Here is when the hand of God worked in a tremedous fashion.

Patt Kroll appeared with a cell phone.  I asked her if I could use her 
phone to make a phone call.  I told her that I had to call the police 
because she was not in a "sound judgement" and was thinking very 
irriational.  She became very irate with me stating that the kids would be 
taken from her and put into the system, etc.  She became so irriate that 
she proceed to back up out of the parking spot with the door open, with 
me between her and the door.  Her daughter became very afraid and 
jumped out of the car and took the little one out of the carseat.  Someone, 
and I think that it was Derrica, seen this and ran into the church 
stating that something was happening.  

- Sarge (security) appeared and stopped the car and took the keys out 
of the ignition.
- Monique Gill (Medical Nurse) appeared and Tammy Bates (DCFS) 
instantly.  

By this time, after 20 minutes, the police arrive.  Needless to say 
that when these type of situations occur, an ambulance is supposed to 
arrive with them after getting a call of suicide ideation.  But this time, 
it didn't.  I still can't figure this one out.

We were able to calm the mother down a little bit and was able to get 
in touch with her mother to come and assist.  The police were CLUELESS 
as to what to do - I mean CLUELESS!  I don't even remember them taking 
any type of report as to what happened.  

Now, you may ask, what are the chances of this woman pulling inside of 
a church parking lot on a Wednesday evening, at 8:00 p.m. in the 
evening, with a plan of suicidal ideation and getting this type of team 
together, i.e, a mental health professional, a registered nurse, a security 
guard, and a DCFS worker, and the Man of God,  AT CHURCH AT THE SAME 
TIME and it wasn't on a Sunday morning?  It was only GOD!  

Now, it doesn't stop there.  The mother of the distraught woman came to 
her aid and was able to take them all home, however, she had stated 
that she was on her way to the Riverboat to gamble when she got the phone 
call from her granddaughter that her child was about to kill herself.  
She said herself, that God is good and SOMETHING told her NOT to go to 
the Riverboat that evening and to stay home.  She was knocked off of 
her socks when she heard about the TEAM of God's folks that came to her 
daughter's aid.  She couldn't believe it herself.

I haven't heard from the young lady and I do pray that she did go and 
seek some type of help.  She stated that she had been searching for a 
church home and had even visited the Masque where the Muslims practice, 
but you can best believe that she won't ever forget United Baptist 
Church, that's for sure!

The Hand of God shows up and shows out!  That's the truth!

Big ups to Derrica too, she showed great compassion with the young girl 
who is 15 and very wise in her years.  All she wanted to do was go home 
and study because she had finals the following morning.  Praise God 
that she got that opportunity to do so.

It was a pleasure to serve with Sarge, Monique, Tammy, Patt & Pastor.

Pastor sure listened to God when He gave him the theme for 2004

"PRESERVED TO SERVE THIS PRESENT AGE!"


It's a wonderful thing, the hand of God.

--
Life's precious moments don't have 
value, unless they are shared.