A glimpse from the front line

Busy busy busy in my own little world, I almost didn’t notice the young woman as she unloaded her groceries onto my belt. It’s towards the end of my day and I’m a little tired, but I’ve decided to make the effort to make meaningful eye contact with each person I take money from. It seems only fair. When I looked up at her, I almost cried. One eye was swollen shut. She had a deep scratch on the side of her nose that should probably have been stitched and bruises on her neck and upper arm. And she had two of the most beautiful little girls I’ve ever seen with her; a toddler in the baby seat and a little one at her side. Both had thick, dark curly hair and sweet blue eyes.
“Dear Jesus,” I prayed silently, “Let me minister to this woman.”
I put on my friendliest smile and asked, “How are you doing today?”
“Fine,” she nearly whispered her answer.
“Did you find everything you were looking for today?”
“Yes,” she muttered, keeping her eyes and head turned down. Her emotions were as swollen shut as her bruised eye.
Any further efforts on my part to make conversation were thwarted with one-syllable answers and downcast, angry eyes.
She paid for her groceries with WIC checks and food stamps.
Still thinking I might start weeping for her right there in the store, I turned my attention to the toddler as I paced her groceries in the cart. “Hi, Sweetie,” I said. “Those little overalls sure look pretty on you.” The tot answered me with a cute little grin and when I turned around, her mama was smiling.
When I handed her the receipt, she finally looked up and said, “Thank you.”
I don’t know her name, but if you are a praying person, please ask God to get this family away from who ever did this to this precious mother.