New Friends

As I am sitting at my local Starbucks enjoying a cup  of brew I am blessed to have some great friends who serve God through working for the city and the Police Department. Last week I had an e-mail from an Officer volunteering to help out. He had seen something in a local publication talking about New City – Barrio Nuevo.  I was totally surprised when he called me and then showed up at Pecos Pool while we were swimming. Little did I know how timely our connecting would be.

This last Sunday one of my single moms was being harassed by one of her siblings. She actually had to call the police on him to get him to leave her premise. This then forced us yesterday to spend more than four hours at the court house attempting to get Protection Orders against this single mom’s siblings who have been harassing her the last few months. I quickly e-mailed my new friend, Officer Ben, who responded immediately and found the incident report for my friend’s issue with her brother.

This morning I come into my Starbucks and low and behold another good friend who is a Phoenix Police Officer comes in as his shift ends. I quickly connect and ask the obvious questions for my single mom friend. What is the real definition of harassment? How do we serve an order of protection without knowing someone’s address? Is there any way to control her siblings’ ongoing crazy harassment?  I can’t fathom having a sibling turn off my power, my phone, my cable and my gas? I can’t believe that someone would do this but they have. Yet, as we sat in court for an hour it was clear the judge didn’t consider this to be serious enough to grant an order.

I am continually amazed at how God brings the right people across my path as I do my normal routine. I need the help, support and counsel when it comes to dealing with real brokenness that exists in my neighborhood. I was totally blessed to have a friend who is a server at Coco’s choose to come to our Job’s Life –Skill Group on Wednesday Nights. I am thrilled to have my good friend who manages this Starbucks be willing to reach back to my teens and make a difference.

As I wrap up this blog I’m listening to a group of Officers who are finishing their shift and getting ready to go home and collapse and have their family time over the next 3 days. Sure I do cringe on occasion when I see a Police Car with flashing lights fly by thinking that maybe I didn’t stop totally or ran a yellow light that become a red light. It is amazing that God is the one who has established the system of government that has built in protection for me.