This morning in my Sunday group was a time to lay aside my lesson plan and respond to a need. One of the people who comes to my Sunday group is a single mom from Venezuela. She was a judge there and left with her then twelve year old son because she was in danger from the government. Now she works in a factory due to her English level being low, so her focus is all about her son having a future.
When she came into the room, she said teacher and started crying. Seeing that she was distraught, it was time to listen to find out what was going on. She had received a scam text message telling her that if she did not send money her son would be killed. The scammer had gotten pictures off of social media to try to convince her that the scammer was following her and her son.
Fortunately, she contacted the local police who responded to the text. But she was still rattled. She showed me the messages and I tried to reassure her it was a scam. We talked and prayed. I called a friend from church who is a police investigator and fluent in Spanish. He told me they are seeing the scam a lot in the Hispanic community.
Putting myself in her shoes, having escaped for their lives from their home country, not understanding how things work here, and receiving such a message, I can completely understand how she could be distraught. So it was time to comfort a worried mom.
Having empathy for others is something Jesus is big on. Hebrews 4:15 says:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
I am grateful Jesus gave me an opportunity to show his empathy, love, and understanding to my distraught friend.
Thank you for reading. God Bless.
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