We were walking side by side. Chatting about what we were going to do next. We were in the parking lot joking about whether or not we would find where we parked the scootie. I watched her as she stepped through the glass doors as I continued toward the scootie. I reached it before she did. Ha, I thought, I win. One minute passed, I thought, haha Faye Faye you’re funny. Then it was five minutes. I began praying, Lord I trust You. I’m sure she’s fine. Seven minutes. Worry began to set in. I pulled out my phone to call someone and have them pray with me. No service in the basement. Ten minutes had now gone by. We were just walking together. She should have been here. Where is she?
At 12 minutes I left the scootie and walked back into the mall keeping my eyes on where we had parked praying that she would show up. I needed to get a hold of my squad leader who was at the mall. I couldn’t breath. Where is she? Images of her getting kidnapped ran through my mind. Not my friend. This can’t be happening.
No service. I can’t get the phone call to go through. I decide that I have to take the elevator up. I HAVE TO GET SOMEONE TO HELP ME. It’s been 15 minutes. If she has been taken that’s too much time. There’s no way we will find her.
Panic has set in. Tears are welling up in my eyes. I take the elevator back to the parking garage. As I step out of the elevator I see her. I see her walking towards me. She’s alive. She’s healthy. She’s here. She’s with me. At this point the tears are flooding from my eyes.
The reality is that this happens to people everyday. Loved ones get taken. They get trafficked. They walk through a parking garage with their friend and when they turn around and they are gone. And they don’t come back. It happens in a matter of minutes.
The trauma that I faced was too much. And she came back. I get another day with her. I get more time. I can’t imagine what people go through when their loved ones don’t come back. What I learned is this; it could be me, it could be you. At the end of the day I have to choose to trust God. To trust that even when I can’t see or understand, He sees and He knows. My heart aches for those who have lost loved ones due to the brokenness of our world. I rejoice that I have another day. Another moment.
