Mrs. Carpenter

One day as I was going home from the store, I saw this odd looking lady walking along the road. She had a turban on her head and a long shabby dress that went almost to the ankles. It was such a hot day and I felt sorry for her, walking in the heat. I pulled along side of her and ask if she would like a ride. She said, "Yes, It is so hot!" She told me her name was, Mrs. Carpenter.

That started something, as from then on she would walk to my house every day. She lived about two miles from me and I found out that she walked every day and would stop at anyone's house that would give her something to eat, and something to drink. Few people would not answer the door, as they didn't want to be bothered. She was retarded and smelled pretty bad. The reason she wore the Turin was because she had a carbuncle on the top of her head, and her husband wouldn't take her to the doctor. He would take a dirty shaving brush and scrub her head. It's a wonder it didn't kill her. One day she told me she was sitting in a chair and the carbuncle burst an it filled her apron. "She said, maybe it will heal now and Mr. Carpenter won't have to scrub it, because he hurts me so bad!"

He was very cruel to her, and only married her to make a workhorse out of her. I felt like crying for her. One day he had her working in a cabbage patch, and she was bitten by a Rattle Snake. He would not take her to the doctor and her arm swelled, and she was screaming so loud that a neighbor went to check on her. The neighbor took charge, and took her against Mr. Carpenter's wishes. They treated her and admitted her to the hospital. Mr. Carpenter went to the hospital made her get out of bed and took her home, the second day. The neighbor told me that he had her back out cutting cabbages the following day.

I would witness to her about Jesus every time she came, but didn't get across to her. She had a good voice and would sing parts of songs. Mostly religious. She had gone to "Holy Rolly" churches, as she called them. She would say, I would listen to them speak in tongues and go home and get behind the door and I could talk just like they did!

Her husband wouldn't let her drink coffee or take aspirins. She would beg for Aspirins from anyone, and took about a half of a bottle a day. Lived to be 91 years old!

She told me her birthday was on Oct. 17th. So I decided to bake her a cake and invite my Mother and a couple of neighbors over for a surprise Birthday party. Well, that started something else, as each year for the next 17 years, she would remind me that her birthday was coming up. From then on she would come over all dressed up, expecting a cake and some gifts. She would sing and have such a good time. Just like a small child.

Mr. Carpenter belonged to a cult Religion, and when I tried to talk to him about Jesus he would walk away. But he wrote me a letter and told me to stop trying to convert him as He had his beliefs. He said, "You can talk to my wife all you want to, but leave me alone!" So I did.

Years went by and the small Baptist Church, where my Mother went, would allow Mrs. Carpenter to sing a special, every Sunday. The Pastor didn't want to hurt her feelings, even though some of the members laughed at her, or complained. She would sing parts of songs, the same ones every Sunday. No one wanted her sitting by them, as she smelled, dressed different, and talked loud, as she was hard of hearing, but my Dear, kind Mother would say to her, "You come sit by me, Darling." Mrs. Carpenter was in Hog Heaven, when just the least bit of attention was shown to her. She didn't even realize that anyone was shunning her, or making fun of her. That was a blessing as otherwise she would have had her heart broken many times.

One day when she came to my house, I decided to get her to make a decision , one way or the other, as every time I tried to talk to her about accepting Jesus, she would change the subject, or not give a straight answer. While she was eating a sandwich and drinking some coffee, I sat down at the table with her. I said, "Mrs. Carpenter you know that I've talked to you about accepting Jesus for years now and you just give me the run around. I want to ask you once more to pray and ask Jesus into your heart. You are not getting any younger, and you are not able to walk here anymore. It's hard for me to have to go pick you up and take you home. You go to church, you sing about Him, and expect Christians to be good to you. Now tell me, do you want to pray the sinners prayer, so that you can go to be with Jesus in Heaven when you die, or do you want to go to Hell!"

She had big tears come into her eyes, and she said, "Mrs. Blume, you know I don't know how to pray the sinner's prayer."

"Would you show me how to get saved?" I told her that she could repeat after me, and ask Jesus to forgive her and come into her heart. So she stopped eating and we prayed together. She seemed to understand and even thanked me after we finished." She went back to eating, as if nothing important had happened.

I told her that she needed to tell her husband as soon as she got home. She said, "Maybe he will get saved?"

Several months went by, Mr. Carpenter came down with cancer and was soon bed ridden. One day when I went to pick Mrs. Carpenter up, I decided to go into his bedroom and see how he was doing. I talked to him for awhile and just as I was going to leave I said to him, " Mr. Carpenter would you like for me to have prayer with you before I leave?"