Encouragement

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An Unusual Visit…
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


It was a bitter, cold afternoon in Oklahoma City during the winter of 1999-2000. Seventeen year old Helena Harjo’s hat and hood was glazed by winter snow as she waited for a bus. The wait seemed like an eternity. Her body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind.

She heard the faint, steady sound of vehicle wheels screaming to gain traction on streets beginning to be buried by an ever increasing accumulation of snow and ice. Within minutes, Helena watched four cars move slowly past her without any effort to get the drivers attentions. One more car passed by, and another. As a small Volkswagen Beetle slowly came near, a twentish looking woman stopped before Helena, “Young lady, would you like to have a ride?”

Uncertain about getting into the car with a complete stranger even though she was a woman crossed her mind. “I’m waiting for the bus,” shouted Helena through the ever increasing winds.

“I think you’ll be waiting for a long, long time before a bus gets here. I’ll be happy to take you where you need to go. I really don’t think a bus is coming.”

Hunger, numbness and cold forced Helena to reconsider and accept the woman’s offer. “I’m trying to get home. I live in Warr Acres on the west side of Oklahoma City.”

“Sure, I know where Warr Acres is. I live in Bethany. Come on, hop in! I’ll take you home.”

“Oh, thank you!” responded Helena as she entered the warm car.

As the driver trudged cautiously through the accumulating snow, the young woman’s curiosity caused her to ask a question of Helena, “Young lady, I noticed before you accepted my offer you let several cars pass by without responding to at least three drivers that offered you rides. Then I came up and with a few minutes I was able to convince you to accept my offer for a ride. I’m curious as to why on such a very cold afternoon, you waited and accepted my offer for a ride? What if I was the last person available to you? Then what would you have done?”

Helena now rubbing and blowing her nearly frozen hands responded: “Yes, I’m only 17 years old but I’ve learned to sort out the difference between mean people and kind people as well as people who will try to take advantage of me because I’m young and a girl. Even though it is so very cold I would have never gotten into the cars that passed me by today. I could see by their facial expressions that they could care less about me and my transportation problems. But when I saw genuine kindness, respect for life, empathy, love for humankind that is unconditional, I realized you are a woman of deep principle with a gentle spirit and heart of beauty that truly wishes to serve those who are in need. I call it the servant spirit.”

Helena’s discourse so touched the woman that several tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Your words…”

“My name is Helena… Helena Harjo.”

“Your words Helena have deeply touched my person and my soul. Your wisdom, Helena, is well beyond your years. I will never forget you. It is my hope that I never fail to respond to the needs of my brothers and sisters in need. Thank you!”

Upon reaching the address Helena had given her, the woman turned her head for a brief moment. “Here it is...” When she turned to say goodbye to Helena, she was gone. It was as though no one had ever been in the car. In the seat where Helena sat was a shiny object. It was a gold three inch cross. Shaking the woman picked up the cross then gave thanks and praise to Almighty God for her visitation.

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