Justine has two friends with old cars. Every time they turn the key, they say a quiet prayer, despite not having been to a church in quite some time. As much as they need their “wheels,” their cars represent a constant source of anxiety and fear. They fear physical harm, worry about expensive repairs, and experience anxiety because a car failure can mean losing a job.
Justine shares the same fears and anxieties as her two friends, but she has found an exception to facing these fears alone. Justine has made an adoption plan for her soon-to-be-born child, and as a result of that decision, she has received support from fellow Christians during the remaining days of her pregnancy. This support includes a connection to a couple of men who are car mechanics. These two men are aware of the good work being done to support Justine, her choice for life, and her plan for her child to have a brighter future through adoption.
These mechanics respect and honor Justine for her decision and have a commitment to the work of caring for the fatherless through adoption. They know the history of so many Christians working together for the past sixteen years to provide for children in need.
These two mechanics have already helped Justine with her own car issues. When she recently met her friends and the topic of transportation fears and anxieties came up, Justine confidently said, “Come and see.” Justine “knows a guy,” or rather, two good guys, and because of the kindness and compassion these mechanics have shown her, Justine had the confidence to “approach them boldly” and ask for help on behalf of her two friends.
The issue for both friends was the dreaded “check engine light.” For the young women, it meant facing another repair they couldn’t afford or the loss of another “clunker” car. Justine, like the friends who brought their lame friend to Jesus, was confident in the mechanics’ compassion and ability to help. Justine brought her two friends to these good men.
After listening to Justine’s friends describe the issue, one of the mechanics immediately knew what the problem was and provided a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution. He was so moved by their story, gratitude, and the trust Justine had in connecting them, that he called Dana to share the encounter.
This older mechanic has a couple of grown daughters, and he couldn’t help but imagine them in the shoes of Justine’s friends. Dana explained, “You see, this is the sadness of so many young girls who have never had a father to show them such simple things like ‘what a check engine light means.’ They don’t even have any guy in their lives who can or will help them.”
Sometimes “caring for the fatherless” simply means taking a call and explaining how to deal with a “check engine light.”
