An encounter with a stranger
Monday, Apr. 21, 2003 - 6:48 p.m.
Dearie Diary,
I was walking under my flat school after my my Microsoft Frontpage test. Thank God that the paper was a manageable one. :) I had an encounter with a stranger. The encounter made me felt guilty bacause within a few minutes I actually lied more than 3 times. Let me tell you what happen...
I was walking into the lift lobby of my flat when a lady stopped me. She shouted (in chinese) from a distance, "Miss, miss!! I need your help." Natually, I stopped to attend to her. She continue to walk towards me until she was in front of me.
She is a young lady probably in her early-twenties. She was carrying a young boy in her arms. She told me the following things. (1) The boy she was carrying was sick and need a jab according to the doctor 2 blocks away from my apartment. (2) She live in my area and had only $10 with her. (3) Her husband is leaving Singapore by ferry to a place which she did not mention where. (4) Her parent are staying in Woodland which is very far away from my area. Based on the above 4 things she told me, she wanted me to lend her $15.
At the moment, I did not had that amount of money. I told her that. After that the conversation is filled with my lies to her. I did not know if she is a liar and nobody was near us.
Firstly, she asked me to go home and get the money. I lied and say no one is at home when I knew very well that at this time my mum will be at home. Next, she asked me to draw out the money from an ATM machine. I lied again by saying that I do not have ATM card as my mum do not allow me to have one. The truth is that I had one. In desperation, she asked me to borrow from my neighbours. This time I told the truth that I did not know most of my neighbour as all of them had moved in to my block for a short time. However, when I think about it now, it seems that they had moved in for at least 6 months. Shame on me that I still did not know them by name.
I gave her some suggestions. Eg: Ask the doctor if she can pay back later. Or borrow from the other patients in the clinc. Or borrow fro the near-by shops. She rejected every of my suggestion with some reasons (to me it seems like excuses).
Then I told her that I need to go. I lied yet again by telling her that I need the toilet ugently. She said she will wait for me. Then I lied once gain that I got something on when I got nothing important on.
Finally she asked me to follow her around to borrow money. She then spotted another lady. I followed her behind. After that, I told her that I really need the toilet and ran off when she is explaining the same thing (exactly as if it is memorised) to the other lady.
I told my mum everything and she concluded that the lady might be a cheat. I told mum that I thought so too. However I cannot help but feel guilty that I did not help her. What if her son died of super high fever? What if she is telling the truth? What if she saw the cross necklace I am wearing and see all christians as heartless? What if because of what I had done, other christians had difficult witnessing to her? I am sorry that I am thinking too much once again.
Above all the guilt comes from the lies I said.
Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for all the lies I said within the short time. Lord, please forgive me. I really did not know what to do. Lord, I am sorry that I did not cry for your wisdom to handle the situation. I knew I could have led her to the police, or go to the doctor with her, or... I don't know. Lord, please forgive me. Please. Help me, Lord to learn from this incident that I should always pray when faced with such situation. All these I prayed in Jesus' name. Amen!
-Shu Ling-
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