True Stories of a Bus Driver- Part Two

Let me tell you about Debbie(not her real name). Debbie was a street worker in an area of T.O. known as the Junction. A short route, 9 minutes long, but a very colorful one, especially after 11:00pm. I would see her standing on her corner at the same time each night. Just like she punched a clock and it was time to go to work. Being a short route I went past the corner several times in a shift, about every 10-15 minutes. She was easy to spot by the way she dressed, displaying her most marketable attributes in the most provocative way possible(even in the cold of winter) in order to attract customers. I could tell when she had a customer, because I would see her actually get into a car or she would disappear for a short period of time. I did this route allot, because being a junior driver, it wasn't a route the senior drivers wanted to do. It was the same thing year after year. It was like she was a permanent fixture on this particular stretch of road at night. She was not alone, there were several of her colleges, but they had their own corner and seemed to cooperate by not infringing on each others territory. She would move around on the Junction. If one corner was not producing, she would move to another. She had her favorite spots and I would usually see her standing at one of them. One cold winter night, she boarded my bus at the end of the line, which was very unusual. She must have been really cold and business was obviously not very good. For the next 5 minutes she told me her whole life story. Do I look like somebody she would trust with this personal information? I don't know, but maybe all the times I saw her, she was seeing me too and I looked like a familiar face and perhaps someone she could share her story with. Sometimes people just need to share their pain so they don't feel totally alone on this planet. I must say, I was a bit nervous and didn't know what to say, which probably was a good thing. So I just listened. She said " Hi, my name is Debbie and I work on the streets". As if I didn't know. I just said, " I know, I've seen you around, how are you?". "Well", she said, " I'm a bit cold and just need to get warmed up for a few blocks, mind if I ride with you?" "No problem", I said. She says, " by the time I was 23 years old, I had six kids. I didn't have a husband or anybody else to help out, but I needed to look after my kids. I was getting welfare, but it wasn't enough, so I had to moonlight, if you know what I mean, to get the extra cash to feed my kids and pay the rent. But somebody squealed on me and they cut me off of welfare cause I was earning other income. Went to court and everything, but lost the case. I ended up with no support, no money, nothing. So here I am. I'm still looking after my kids though. That's why I'm here. Well thanks for the ride, gotta go back to work, I'll get off here." And out she went back to the cold night to make the money she needed to look after her kids. I was a little shocked she was so open with me, but I gained a compassion and understanding I had not had before, or even thought of. I actually gained some respect and admiration for this street worker. Not that I approved of her lifestyle, but her motives were not selfish ones. She was doing this for her kids. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I know one of the things God looks at is motives of the heart. I saw her one Saturday afternoon, she was not working, just walking along the sidewalk talking to people. She had many friends obviously. She stopped to talk with this one girl pushing a baby carriage, stooped down and was making a big fuss over the baby. I knew at that point that what she had told me was true. She loved kids, and this hardened street worker had a heart of compassion when it came to children. I was amazed . Debbie helped me to see her and others like her as people. Not scum, as some would describe them. Real people, in need of love, real love and they still had the ability to give real love to others. Considering the hardships they encounter every day. That amazes me. I haven't seen Debbie for a few years now. I hope she's OK and has found a better way to make a living. Do you think God answered my prayers?
Let's hope so.
This is an added thought. I don't know why, but I started thinking about Rahab the "street worker" in the bible who aided the two spies. She was a descendant of Jesus. Why do you think God would put a "street worker" in the lineage of the savior?

To be continued....................................................

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