The good Samar... Atlantan?

It was 11:23 p.m. on Tuesday night when I woke up to a woman's scream. 

"Great. Just great," I thought. "Stupid neighbors are at it again."

I opened my eyes and saw light coming through the bedroom window. We live on the top floor of our building (the 4th floor counting the basement apartments facing the woods), and Josh and I are used to hearing raised voices coming from other apartment balconies below us. At first, I dismissed the yelling, but the lights went away and the one loud voice continued.

"PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP ME," the woman screamed out. "HELP ME!"

I jumped out of bed and looked out the window. Brady barked. On the road behind the apartment complex, I saw a woman on the ground beside her car and thought the worst. Raped. Hurt. Mugged. Beat up. Something bad. 

"I'M HURT..... IT HURTS SO BAD!"

Josh jumped up then and ran to the window. I had my phone ready to call 911.

"PLEASE, SOMEONE! HELP ME!!!"

While I was on the phone with the dispatcher, Josh called out the window to see what was wrong. The lady replied that the car had rolled onto her foot. Before I could tell the dispatcher details, Josh told me to watch out for him and he ran out the door.

My heart and mind were racing. What if this was a trap? What if she was faking an injury and her accomplice was in the woods waiting to pounce? We do live in a dangerous world, a big city... crazy things happen all the time. I watched Josh like a hawk as he climbed the fence surrounding our apartment complex and ran to the aid of the woman in distress.

I waited outside for the police officer, and called Josh to be sure he was OK. The officer met me in front of our apartment building, and I told him the situation in more detail and then showed him where to go.

After Josh came back to the apartment, he told me the entire story. The young woman had recently moved with her husband to a neighboring apartment complex. She couldn't sleep, so decided to take a drive with her newly adopted dog. It just so happened that she already had a broken foot. In fact, she went to the doctor that day because her cast was too tight. The doctor cut open a piece of the cast and taped it shut.

During her drive, she thought something was wrong with her car, so she pulled over to check it out. She put it in neutral, and went behind the car to check things out. The car began to roll backwards, but before she could move out of the way, the tape from her cast got caught underneath the rear tire. Her foot was then wedged under the tire, and she had no way of getting out nor was she in a position to move the car off of her foot! She was lucky the car didn't roll completely over her foot.

She began yelling for help. Windows and doors opened in our building, but no one asked her what was wrong, nor did anyone come to her aid. Someone drove by and asked her what was wrong, then once giving her amazing advice to call 911 (really?!), they drove off!

The woman did not have her cell phone, and she was unable to move! She thought she would be there until morning. Then my wonderful husband came to the rescue!

She kept thanking him, and then told Josh her story. She is from a small town in Florida and new to Atlanta. Josh told her we are from small town life too, and then explained that people probably were too afraid to help. Poor thing didn't even think about that!

Can you imagine???

Well, our late evening adventure immediately brought the Parable of the Good Samaritan to mind. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus defines Christian attitude. We should show love and kindness no matter the person or situation. And how would you define love? The best word to describe love is SACRIFICE.

My husband sacrificed not only his sleep last night, but he sacrificed his SAFETY. The woman in distress called out for help, and not only did the hundreds of people in our apartment building dismiss her painful pleas, but someone in a vehicle WITH a phone told her to fend for herself.

Josh put aside any fear and annoyance by aiding a helpless human being. He showed love/sacrifice to a complete stranger last night. He was a good Atlantan... or I should say, a Christ-like Christian.

Love, peace, and freedom,

Jenna J.