THE ADVOCATE

'Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains.' JJ Rosseau

'still there is freedom in the midst of the chains... just ask even in the most silent of whispers and he will heed your call' E.W 2015  


         

GWEN


All Gwen wanted deep inside of her was freedom from the shackles that bound her. She ran until her breath couldn't carry her any longer. She was weak. On the street corner, she sat down shedding painful tears. 'would I ever be free? Is this why you made me?' she asked as she looked up to the sky. She sat looking up ahead for a long time. it was evening already and she began to feel very cold. The whether was changing. She just wanted to feel safe. Then it began to drizzle and soon the drizzle became heavier. It rained so hard and yet Gwen just sat there. She saw passersby looking at her awkwardly. It was something she was used to anyway. Maybe this time the rain would make her clean she thought or she could just sit there and life would be over before she knew it.

Suddenly she remembered Judy. Judy whom she didn't even know had hope. A hope that she would never have. One night while she was at the hospital, she woke up and saw Judy holding her hand and praying. Something stuck in her mind from the prayer she heard..."father may your grace be sufficient for her and may your strength be made perfect in her weakness. Therefore Lord, may she glory in her infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon her'. She hardly knew Judy and yet she had shown her more love than she could ever expect from a total stranger.

Just then thunder roared and then it occurred to her in that instant that she must go back. She must look for Judy. Like a Zombie, Gwen stood up and from whee she sat shivering in the rain and began to run like a crazed person back to the hospital. As she ran shivering in the rain and cold, the voice in her head began to speak
'you'll just disappoint her trying to change.Don't waste your time going back.' Suddenly she began to feel that she needed to smoke but then again there was this strong urge to look for Judy. She felt this aura of peace around Judy and she wanted to be a part of it.

She turned around again taking step after step each one more determined that the last.
'do you really think that she would take you? come back to us, this is where you belong.there is freedom in the streets'.
Now desperate for help, just as it was about to speak again, she screamed .
'leave me alone. I want to be free...Lord save me..Jesus Jesus save me..As the words tumbled out of her mouth she fell on her knees crying...shivering still calling His name...A name she never thought she would need in her life. She called Him and the voice in her her head stopped just at that very moment. By now she was on her knees in the rain weeping.

From somewhere up ahead, she heard someone shouting her name
'Gwen! Gwen!'
'she looked up and saw Judy running towards her with a man behind her'.
Judy must be an angel she thought.
'Gwen, are you alright? we have been looking for you...please don't run away next time, we were so worried?' She was on her knees now with Gwen.
'Judy...' she answered with tears in her eyes. 'you are an angel'.
Judy held her for a moment each shedding tears that the other may never fully understand then Judy spoke, 'I am not an angel Gwen. I am your sister...'
Gwen looked up at Judy each registering the others emotions in their eyes.

'Ladies, we need to leave the rain. I have a cab waiting to take us back to the hospital'
'Thank you Charles. We will go now.' Judy replied remembering then that she was looking for Gwen with Charles. Gwen stood up with Judy and entered into the cab that Charles directed them to riding in silence back to the hospital.