I am sure that many , if not most, shrink away from her, do not look , certainly do not talk to her or engage her in any way. She is just too much to look at. Heavy make-up, odd attire, tattoos everywhere, strange hair colors (yes plural) piercings in her eyebrows, several in her bottom lip to resemble snake fangs and even in her cheeks, Her ears are gauged so far out... well you get the idea.

But she is somebody's daughter, some Mama's baby girl - sitting in the emergency room - ALONE.

I am there for other reasons, waiting - so I plant myself right next to her. I ask her name, how she is... and she just lights up the whole room with her smile! She is so beautiful under all that...just needing to be acknowledged. She just needed to be "SEEN" So I am lucky enough to get to know her a little. She is here from Virginia, going to Full Sail and graduates in November. She is scared, only 20 and has no family here. We visit a little more and the technichian calls her back to run scans.

WAIT!! I didn't get her contact info. I didn't get to pray for her/with her. Do I dare just go room to room in the Emergency Room and find her? YES! When I do find her I just go in and hug her, a big Mama loves you hug. I give her my phone number and ask her to text me and let me know how she is. I hope she does.

I am reminded that sometimes ministry is just a smile, encouragement, listening, a hug and love...i do all that pretty well!