SA Red Kettle Fund Drive. Part I - Martha

It had stopped raining when we arrived at the Century Plaza. The autmnal sun was playing hide-and-seek with the cumulus clouds. Scattered leaves were blown about by a chilly wind. They swirled and eddied round the parking lot. An elderly lady from our church had the solo watch of the red kettle at Gottchalks from 11 to 1. Her name was Martha. Although we go the same church, we had not met before until this past Saturday.

Ten minutes went by since we donned our red aprons and started our bell ringing duty. Martha still had not left. She stood aside and waited. I had to ask.

"My daughter is going pick me up. We are going to a wedding." She said.
"When is the wedding?" I inquired.
"Two O'Clock." She casually replied.

Martha was not attired to attend a wedding while she did her two-hour stint bell ringing at the Gottchalk. That much was certain. I was piqued as to why she didn't seem perturb at the possiblity of missing the wedding ceremony.

"I think you had better call your daughter." I offered Martha my cell phone.
"She is still not readied." She concluded after talking with her daughter.
"Could I drive you to the wedding instead?" I was getting a bit anxious for her.
"Actually, I don't want to go to the wedding. I want to go home." Martha explained.

As it turned out, Martha was not acquainted with the bride and groom, much less received an invitation to attend the wedding. They were her daughter's friends. She depended on her daughter to take her home after the red kettle Christmas fund drive. The latter was Martha's transportation home. The plan was for Martha to go to the wedding first, then home.

I offered to drive Martha home, while Irene continued her duties at the red kettle. Martha was relieved that I would drive her home. She didn't want to go to a wedding not invited.

During the 10-mile one way jaunt to her home out in the country on Paradise Road, I came to know more of Martha and her family. They have lived and worked in Modesto since the 1950s. Both she and her daughter are widowed. They and a granddaughter now live in the same house.

The round-trip back to the shopping center took about an hour. It was a blessing for us to come to know Martha this day. We'll give Martha her red kettle bell ringer picture next time we meet.

God has a purpose for everything.