Service... and Suspected abuse...

Last night I went visiting teaching and the message I gave was on serving others. In General Conference one of the brethren spoke on service (I can't remember which brother) and he said that we needed to go out of our way to help people. For instance when visiting teaching, you aren't just supposed to ask if they need something but to do acts of service.

I park my car at my parents house instead of parking at UVSC because I don't want to pay for a parking permit. Anyways... I was going down the hill by the Majors house and I drove past a little girl (about 11 years old) walking up the hill, in shorts! I was taken back, shocked. I didn't really know what to think so as I drove past her I slowed down just in case she gave off any sign that she needed help. I passed her and another car was going up the hill and also passed her, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw her kind of give a little "help me" wave. I turned around and headed back toward her. She was walking up the side of the road that doesn't have a sidewalk (the left side) and I pulled up on the right side, rolled down my window and asked if she needed help, or if she was going to Lakeridge and if she wanted a ride, of course she said yes. She was wearing shorts and a little windbreaker jacket type thing, her lips were extremely chapped and her skin was bright red from the cold. I would have said yes too. Before she got in the car I told her she shouldn't normally get in the car with strangers. (This world isn't very safe anymore, and it sucks). She got in and I asked her why she was walking to school, she told me her mom was making her walk. I asked her why she was wearing shorts then, and she told me it was because she didn't have any pants. I didn't really know what to say. As I took her to Lakeridge she told me that she lived across the street from the church and that her dad was in Iraq. I told her that I used to play nightgames at that church and she told me that she still does (in the spring and summer) and her mom lets her go play night games to "get her out of her hair". We got to Lakeridge and I dropped her off in front. I asked her if that was alright and she said she had to call her mom as soon as she got to school so it was good to be in the front. I was still in shock that the girl was wearing shorts and walking in the freezing cold weather this morning. I wasn't really sure if I should call someone or who to even call. I decided to call my mom and tell her the story. The girl had told me where she lived and I asked my mom if she knew anyone who lived there. She told me she thought it was the house that has foster children but she wasn't sure. I also told the story to Tanner and he said I should have gone inside Lakeridge and told them what happened, and maybe I still should... I'm not really sure. I just thought it was crazy. Some of the things she said and again, being outside in that cold of weather, IN SHORTS!!!!! How could any mother do that, and not drive your kid. I understand that she may not have been able to take her to school, and she may not be able to afford pants, but there are ways to take care of your children without that much money. I just kind of needed to share this story.