Angels in Uniforms Unaware (Handfuls of Purpose revisited)

Michelle showed up for church-in-the-park yesterday. (I woke up this morning with her heavy on my heart. Had to pray for her. Had to weep). The others seemed to know her but I do not remember ever having seen her before. It is easy to notice the women who show up because there are always so few of them. Statistics say homeless men outnumber homeless women 10:1 here.
I should have taken a photo of Michelle and plastered it here. I should have. I didn't. If I see her again I will. You need to get her face in your heart.
I met her as she moved through the line. I didn't notice her sitting during service. She might have been out on the grassy area then. Not sure. She just showed up on the line and she was quite out of it. I thought maybe heroine cause she kept nodding, plate tilting, kind of stumbling along. She wasn't at all out of order, not loud, and quite polite. I lost sight of her after that.
It wasn't until we were leaving that she came into the picture again.
I looked around for Jimmy because I noticed his guitar was by me but he wasn't. I spotted him out a ways talking with an officer. The police patrol the park on a regular basis. They know we are there every Friday and they are all for us so we are used to them showing up. It is not unusual for Jimmy to be hanging with them and talking so I walked over to them with Jimmy's guitar in hand.
I heard the officer ask how Michelle was doing today. I heard Jimmy say that she wasn't doing to owell today. Then came the story:
He noticed her there today and stopped by to make sure she was alright. She has cancer and is dying. If she wants to spend her last days drinking that is okay with him (officer), he understands. He is just concerned that if she lingers in the park after we are gone that she might get stopped for public drunkeness and bothered with being patted down and the whole process of being fined or jailed. Could we please see to it that her friends take care of her and make sure she leaves the park with them so that she can be safe. He cares about her being okay. He would appreciate our help.
Jimmy and I said we would make sure and we did.
Michelle asked me to pray for her, something about surgery on her hand coming up. I asked her if she would like me to pray for her right now. She said no, just when I think of her this week. I promised I would.
Her picture should be here. The officer's face should be here to.
Her eyes say she is lost.
His eyes say she is loved.
I wish you could see what I saw.
I wish ...
God loves Michelle a lot.
He has angels out there watching out for her.
I don't even think that officer was aware of the part he is playing in this stuff of the Kingdom of God.
His hands were full of purpose that morning.
I have to believe there is a plan in the works for Michelle's salvation and well being.
Pray...