My Brother's Keeper | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: My Brother's Keeper | Previous Challenge Entry
By c clemons
10/19/06
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This was the third time this week that Sherry had seen the police next door. Her neighbors the Jones’ were a young couple that had moved in about six months ago. They had a couple of children and a dog, the typical suburban family. When Sherry spoke to the wife over the back fence she seemed nice enough, although she appeared a little withdrawn, she always had on sunglasses even on cloudy days.

When Sherry had voiced some concern about their new neighbors to her husband Rob, he had said, “mind your own business.” Rob was always telling her that, he thought she spent too much time looking out the window and being concerned about what was going on in the neighborhood. Sherry thought he was trying to say she was nosy, which was not the case. She had attended a neighborhood meeting a couple of months ago and the police officer there had recommended a neighborhood watch group. He said it was a good idea to know what is going on in your neighborhood. Everyone there thought Sherry would be perfect to head up this venture because she was home during the day. So, she was sort of elected as the unofficial president of their subdivision watch group.

Now with the police showing up three times in a week at her neighbor’s, she did not know whether it was cause for concern for the neighborhood or just a private matter that really was none her business. She decided to pray about and it and let God direct her.

The next day Sherry was outside gardening when she heard a sound like whimpering coming from next door. Her neighbor was sitting on her back steps quietly crying and rocking herself back and forth. Sherry went up to the fence and said “Is anything wrong? Is there something I can do?”

“No, there’s nothing anyone can do.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t even know your first name, mine is Sherry, what’s yours?” Sherry asked.

“Megan” she answered flatly.

“You know it’s awfully hot out here, I think I will fix myself some ice tea. Megan would you like to join me?”

“No, I can’t, but thank you.” Megan said as she turned to look at Sherry.

For once she did not have sunglasses on but her eyes were the saddest eyes Sherry had ever seen. “Father, please give me the right words to say” Sherry silently prayed.

“Megan, I have some good news for you. Whatever it is that you are going thru, just know that you are not alone. There is someone that loves you no matter what. Here I have something for you.” Sherry reached into her smock pocket and pulled out a card that had the 23rd Psalm and a phone number on it.

“What’s this?” Megan asked.

“It’s the 23rd Psalm, a psalm in the Bible that will give you strength and the number on that card is to a twenty-four prayer line. I don’t know what your beliefs are, but this I know, prayer does work and it changes things. Will you give it a try?”

Megan looked again at the card and she looked at the sincerity in Sherry’s eyes and for the first time in a long time she felt hope stir and she said, “I think I will, and if you’re still offering I’ll take that ice tea too.”

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