The other day we happened to be at the right place at the right time. 

I was on the phone with Sierra, who is up in Seattle. Bear was inside paying our bill at the little local “mom and pop’s” café we like to frequent here in Ottawa, KS. As I was sitting outside on a bench by the front door visiting with our daughter, Bear exited the building and stood a few feet away from me as I finished up our conversation. 

From across the street, we noticed a man running around from the other side of his SUV and looking frantic. He ran to the driver’s side, grabbed something, and then ran around back to the other side which was blocked from our view due to his vehicle. Two ladies were also standing on the sidewalk by Bear, and they started pointing and talking excitedly between themselves. 

I told Sierra, “Gotta go babe, something is going on across the street!” and quickly hung-up, then grabbing Bear’s arm and saying, “let’s go see what is happening over there!” Whatever it was, I sensed it was an emergency. 

We ran across the street, and as we rounded the SUV, we saw a woman about our age lying on the sidewalk. Her knee was scraped raw and her hand was bleeding. The frantic man stood above with her purse and obviously not knowing what to do next. That’s when the mother in me kicked in. 

“Can you stand up?” I asked her.

“I think so.” She replied and little hesitantly. 

“Okay, let’s get you up and into the café so we can clean you up. Can you walk?” Bear and her husband gently supported her to a standing position. 

“Whew, I think so. I don’t know what happened! It was all so fast! I must have caught my foot on the curb and tripped. We were headed into the café anyway. Is there a pharmacy around here or somewhere I can purchase some Band-Aids?”

“I tell you what. We’ll go get you some bandages and antibiotic cream while you go on into the café and get washed up. They have a nice, large ladies room so that will be comfortable for you. We’ll be right back!” 

Bear and I briskly walked to the end of the block and crossed the street to the west side of main street where a small neighborhood pharmacy is located. Busting in and asking for immediate help from the lady behind the counter stating we needed large Band-Aids and first-aid cream… right now please! We got a “fall-victim” waiting on us! She jumped to our aid and helped us instantly. In a few precious moments, we were checking out at the cash register. 

After exiting the pharmacy, I told Bear that he should outwalk me and get these to her so she could stop the bleeding and get the wounds covered. He obliged. I walked not ran, on towards the truck and waited for him to return. 

In a few minutes he climbed into the truck and slid behind the steering wheel. 

“They were sitting in a booth when I got there. Her husband tried to pay me! Geez! No way was I going to take any money. They said they couldn’t believe that complete strangers would go out of their way to help them and then pay for their stuff too.” 

I smiled and said out loud to Bear, “Thank you Jesus for allowing us this opportunity to show a random act of kindness to a stranger.” And that was that. We went on about our day. 

Except for the next time we ventured into the little café a week or so later. 

“Hi guys! There’s a booth up there empty” motioned Holly, one of our favorite waitresses. 

After we finished eating, she was ready to give us our meal ticket but then hesitated. “Hey, did you get your gift certificate?” 

“Gift certificate?” we both repeated at the same time. “What gift certificate?” 

“Oh, let me grab it for you. It’s from that lady you helped last week. You know, the one that fell.” 

Again, speaking in tandem with each other, “We didn’t expect anything from her for doing that!” 

“Well, she did it anyway. Enjoy!” she replied as she laid the envelope down in front of Bear. On the outside was written “A Gift for You” 

“Oh, by the way, there’s a note inside the envelope too.” She winked as she walked away. 

I laughed. “I guess that means she read it? Small town. You gotta love it.” That honestly doesn’t bother us. I opened the envelope and began to read the note to Bear. 

“Thank you so much for getting me medicine and bandages after my fall! We moved to Fredonia, KS from S. FL [south Florida] a year ago. I am continually surprised at the kindness and generosity of the people here. You touched me. I cried. God bless you! Thank you. “

Laura Morse

This time both Bear and I teared up. Again, we just thanked the LORD for putting us in the right place at the right time to receive “A Gift for You”...perhaps more appropriately...A Gift from HIM…