A Story of Kindness and Service
This is Priscilla. She is well-known in our community. Every day, she chooses to sit in an old, broken chair under a bridge. Her legs are swollen three times their normal size. She struggles with mental illness. If she doesn’t like you, she will curse at you, but if you’re on her good side, she is the sweetest person ever. Believe me, in the beginning, she called me the “B” word many times! I had to keep asking her not to, lol.
I check on her often because she has a serious infection on her foot. The skin is rotting, and bugs crawl inside the wound. I have called an ambulance for her several times, begging her to go to the hospital, but she refuses. She is stubborn, and I can’t force her.
The other day, I brought her Bactine spray to help clean her foot and keep the bugs away. She was so scared it would sting that she almost cried. I had to spray it for her. I also brought her Hot Cheetos and beef sticks, but she got mad at me for not bringing her pizza, lol. I adore this woman. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.
As I knelt there, cleaning her foot, a song came to my mind: “Who will be Jesus to her?” Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is against my police family. People call us names, wish us harm, and assume the worst. But behind the scenes, we are on our knees in the dirt, helping those who need love the most.
Moments like this remind me why I do this job. I have never felt closer to Jesus than when I wear my uniform and serve those who need kindness. I truly believe God put me on this earth to be a police officer. Even though we face hate and rejection, my heart is at peace because I know I’m doing what I was meant to do. And so are my fellow officers.
This is the side of police work that most people don’t see. This is what we do every day. Please remember—we are human too. We are here to serve, as well as protect.
Credit: Martha Ruth Lohnes