The following post is from an incident I recorded August 15, 2011 prior to the creation of this blog.

Although I am retired, I still have the opportunity to work extra employment in a security capacity. This week is my second week to work security at an event that is conducting free HIV testing. I have been overwhelmed at the stories. The individuals being tested range from the age of 13 years old and older.

As I consider that our ladies ministry is hosting a table tapestry event, I recall that one of the organizations we will highlight is Free the Captives. I look at some of the individuals and see countless young women with children in tow being tested and I wonder how free they are. While they may not be restrained or restricted, many are captive to a fallen world.

One of the workers tells stories of a 15 year old that was tested a few years ago, her 13 year old sister was recently tested and today he is making a follow-up visit to their mother to discuss the results of the 11 year old daughter's test.

I am saddened that these women would not believe they are worthy of more. As individuals we travel to other countries to share the gospel when a dark fallen world surrounds us.

Yesterday a 17 year old walked in to be tested. She had a darling child in the stroller. As I knelt to make eye contact with the child, I noticed the mom's white overalls were soiled. I told her the child was cute and she proceeded to test. When she walked away, a worker told me that the child had soiled her mom's overalls and while the child's diaper was overflowing, there were no extra diapers. The mom made an attempt to clean her overalls but it made the stain and the smell worse. The girl was very shy.

I remembered that I had an extra dress in my car. I offered it to her but the shy girl only looked at the ground (can you imagine a figure of authority-I was in uniform-making such an offer?) I went to my car knowing I had packed an extra dress because at the end of my tour, I was going to change out of my uniform go buy VBS fabric. I opened my car door and discovered two dresses. I picked one and brought it to her. I told her "this one has a tie and it might fit you better since I am bigger than you." She went into a porta potty to change and came out with a million dollar smile! I told her that it looked nice on her. I noticed she had packed the overalls in her back pack and wondered why she had not thrown them away as I would have...then it hit me that those overalls might be all she had.

I say this not to my glory but as a reminder to ME that right around the corner...as close as Greenspoint Mall, is a world that is perishing.

Much to my dismay, it is in my country, my state, my city, my very communtiy. What am I doing to address that? While these girls may feel like they are in captivity by the very nature of their surroundings and an economic inability to free themselves, they can find freedom in Christ.

My question to me is "what am I doing to help a perishing world?"

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9