HIGHWAY ANGEL

I was driving home from a work when
my car started to choke and sputter and
died.
I barely managed to coast, cruising, into
a gas station, glad only that I would not
be blocking traffic on the highway and
would have a somewhat warm spot to
wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even
turn over. Before I could make the call, I
saw a woman walking out of the
"quickie mart" building, and it looked like

she slipped on some ice and fell into a
gas pump! So I got out to see if she was
okay. When I got there, it looked more
like she had been overcome by sobs
than that she had fallen. She was a
young woman who looked really
haggard with dark circles under her
eyes. She dropped something as I
helped her up, and I picked it up to give
it to her. It was a nickel.
At that moment, everything came into
focus for me: the crying woman, the
ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff
with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat),
and the gas pump reading $4.95. I
asked her if she was okay and if she
needed help, and she just kept saying "I
don't want my kids to see me crying,"
so we stood on the other side of the
pump from her car. She said she was
driving to California and that things
were very hard for her right now.
So, I asked, "And you were praying?"
That made her back away from me a
little, but I assured her I was not a crazy
person and said, "He heard you, and He
sent me."
I took out my card and swiped it
through the card reader on the pump so
she could fill up her car completely, and
while it was fueling, walked to the next
door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags
of food, some gift certificates for more,
and a big cup of coffee. She gave the
food to the kids in the car who attacked
it like wolves, and we stood by the
pump eating fries and talking a little.
She told me her name and that she
lived nearby. Her boyfriend left 2
months ago, and she had not been able
to make ends meet. She knew she
wouldn't have money to pay the rent
January 1st, and finally, in desperation,
had called her parents, with whom she
had not spoken in about 5 years. They
lived in California and said she could
come live with them and try to get on
her feet there.
So she packed up everything she
owned in the car. She told the kids they
were going to California for Christmas
but not that they were going to live
there.
I gave her my gloves and a little hug and
said a quick prayer with her for safety
on the road. As I was walking over to
my car, she said, "So, are you like an
angel or something?"
This definitely made me cry. I said,
"Sweetie, at this time of year, angels are
really busy, so sometimes God uses
regular people."
It was so incredible to be a part of
someone else's miracle. And of course,
when I got in my car, it started right
away and got me home with no
problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow
for a check, but I suspect the mechanic
won't find anything wrong.