Set the Captives Free

Submitted by Sue Shaffer at The Church in Central

“What’s up with her, I thought.”  This girl is clearly NOT from here.   She’s tall, white, and blonde, while most people here in the Amazon are short, dark skin, and dark hair.  She was also dirty and bare feet.
 
At first she was reluctant to talk, but she finally opened up to me.  She had been with a group of tourist but had missed her boat.  On her first night alone, she had been raped multiple times by some taxi drivers.  All her belongings were stolen and she was left alone with nothing, not even the clothes on her back.  She was forced to steal clothes that were hanging out to dry from a backyard.
 
So I took her into our home, cleaned her up, washed and dressed her wounds, gave her some clean clothes, and some good Louisiana home cooked food.
 
The following day I was preparing an injection for a young man with allergies. The young lady, however, thought I was going to give it to her and took off running out the door and down the street.  Several people ran after her to explain that the shot was not for her, but sadly, I never saw her again.
 
What’s the lesson with this story?  Well, the first thing is obvious.  Be kind to others; treat them as you would want to be treated.  But what if you are identifying more with the young lady?  Maybe life hasn’t seemed fair to you.  Sometimes when we are hurt and afraid we run from the very place where we could receive help.  God tells us to come to Him all you who are weary and heavily burdened and He will give you rest.  He has come to set the captives free.  If you’re feeling captive to a hard life, then run to God.  He is the One who can restore your life and give peace, hope and a future.