Between Wash Cycles & Ordinary Moments

Coin Laundry at its Finest

A few years ago, my husband and I purchased an A-frame farmhouse sitting on seventeen acres on the East side of Norman. We spent weeks planning the renovation with our contractor, making sure everything looked as planned while we carefully mapped out every detail, trying not to forget the important things. The property had two homes—our main house and a small guest house. We decided to renovate the guest house first so we could live there rent-free while the main home was being updated.

It took just a month to finish that little guest house, and when it was done, we were thrilled to move in. There was only one downside: we didn’t have a washer and dryer. What did that mean? It meant we became official members to the Coin Laundry Club off of East Lindsey Street—one of the rougher parts of Norman.

One laundry day, I gathered our clothes and made the drive into town to the “Coin.” As I was loading the washers, a middle-aged woman rushed in, visibly frantic. She was filtering through her purse and suddenly cried out,

“Oh no! I can’t even clean my clothes!”

Then she began to cry uncontrollably. In the next breath, she shouted,

“I’m done! I’m ending my life. No one cares anyway!”

I’ll never forget the way time seemed to stop in that moment. The manager, another woman waiting on her laundry, and I all froze—then, without a word, we ran out the door after her.

By the time we reached the parking lot, she had already started her car. The manager reached through the driver’s side window and pleaded with her to stop. The woman resisted, her hands trembling on the steering wheel, but when all three of us shouted together—“Please stop!”—she finally put the car in park, broke down, and wept.

Through her tears, she told us how hopeless her life felt. The manager offered to wash and dry her clothes for free, and in that moment, we were able to pray with her, share Jesus, and remind her that she was seen, loved, and not forgotten.

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But even as I replay that day in my mind, I feel a sadness. Because when she first ran out the door… I hesitated.

I don’t know why. Maybe I was afraid. Maybe I judged her. Maybe part of me just didn’t want to get involved.

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Are we ever at a place where we don’t want to get involved? Where compassion pauses, and convenience wins?

I can’t help but think about the Good Samaritan passage in scripture. In Luke 10:25-37, it shows a story about three men. Two religious men who didn’t get involved, but the third man did. He not only helped a man hurting, but he fulfilled the man’s needs by supplying a place to heal and clean up his wounds. That went above and beyond the call of duty.

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” - (Luke 10:25-37, NIV)

That day at the “Coin” still reminds me that sometimes God places us exactly where someone needs to see His love—right in the middle of a laundromat, between wash cycles and ordinary moments.

We never know when a small act of courage might help save a life.

From A Traveler Just Passing Through….