MIRACLES  HAPPEN!

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us...."     Ephesians 3:20

Ask anyone around Nassau if they expected to see my car come back to me in one piece and the answer was "no".  It is nothing short of a miracle that the car came back with only minor damage.  You see, the history with car theft in the Bahamas is that Honda's are a hot item and usually when stolen, are stripped of their parts.  God has indeed  proved his word to be true To HIM who is able to do far more abundantly than I could have asked or thought.......  A modern day miracle!

First of all, a big thanks to all who have sent kind words of encouragement and support during this short trial.  While I would prefer to reply individually to each of you (which I may get to eventually) I simply do not have the time or energy as I am fully emerged into summer camp which is the busiest by far and most exhausting time of the year.  I will give an update on how that is going at a later time, but for now, thank you in advance for understanding and my sincere thanks for your support both financially and prayerfully during this time.

Now for the details on the car recovery:

2002 Honda Domani (before being stolen)

Friday June 19th, I received a phone call that my car had been recovered and that two suspects were found driving the vehicle and had been arrested.  I went into the police station that afternoon to identify the vehicle and to give a statement.   It would appear that the suspects were using the car to do other thefts because we found a gas can and another car battery in the trunk.  From a quick glance, the needed parts for the car to function were still in tact but we were unable to touch the vehicle at that time until final processing of the vehicle had been completed.  

  

Thursday June 25th, Bob Balson, Maintenance missionary for Adventure Learning Camp, came with me to pick up the car.  With his screw driver in hand for starting the car (thieves had ripped out ignition  lock and hot wired it) he tried to start it up and found that there was no gas in the tank.  Could it be possible that the car ran out of gas when the thieves were driving it and God put a police officer in the right place at the right time to catch them?  Perhaps someone jumped the fence into the yard and siphoned the gas out of the tank.  I will never know.  What I DO know is this, they were found!  Some may call it luck, but I prefer to believe that it was the providence of God to orchestrate the timing of the recovery and justice to be served to both of the thieves.

Minor damages:

It is hard to see in this picture, but the white piece hanging down beneath the steering wheel is the ignition.  The thieves had ripped out the ignition lock.  At this point in time I have to start the vehicle with a screw driver.  Any of my mechanic friends have an idea what it would cost to fix this?

This is more of a cosmetic thing but they busted up the top right  hand corner where the hazards light button is.  Not sure what they were trying to get at there???  The hazard lights still work.  Some might think that they stole a stereo from the open space that you see but I had actually bought the car like that already.  The air conditioning still works just fine which I am thank ful for!  This time of year, that is IMPORTANT! :)

Since there was no indication of broken glass, I believe that this is the point of entry when they got into the vehicle.  This piece of molding was ripped off and somehow they pried the door open.  This is the area of priority that I want fixed so that it does not become an eye target for the next thief that wants to break in.

Before the car was stolen I had three factory made Honda hub caps like what you see on this front tire.  The fourth had already been missing when I bought the car.  When I got the car back, there was one Honda hubcap, and three others that were store bought.  They were smart enough to change the look of the car that way........

as well as to put on different license plates.  Though the car is now in my possession, I have a couple more hoops to jump through before it is legal to drive again.  I have to write a letter to licensing and registration stating that my car had been stolen and that it was recovered by the police.  In the letter, I need to request new plates.  Once I bring that letter to the police, they retype the letter onto police letter head and stamp it with police approval before going to licensing and registration to get new plates.

Although the outside of the vehicle was altered a bit, the thieves still were found driving the vehicle and not only that, but they were found driving the vehicle with my name still attached to the windshield.  (In the Bahamas it is required that the registration information is adhered to the inside corner of the windshield.)  It does not appear that they even tried to scrape it off.

The only two items of value that were in the trunk of the car were both of my tennis rackets.  One was a 150 dollar Head racket that was maybe 5 years old.  The other, more of sentimental value, was the racket that I went to state with in High School.  Both I had kept in the back of my trunk hoping to get back out onto the tennis court.  Due to some joint pain and swelling recently I hadn't been using the rackets.

Requests:

With the majority of the repairs appearing to be minor.  (I am having a mechanic look at the car more thoroughly this coming week), I am hoping to invest in a car alarm system.  I haven't had the time yet to research what is available on the island.  The purpose of this picture is not to advertise the exact alarm system that I want but only to represent my goal in putting an alarm system in the car.

I've also been told that a "club" is also helpful.  God has not given us a spirit of fear,  but of love, power and a sound mind. I am not living in a spirit of fear,  but I do want to be wise about securing my car especially since Hondas are targeted most.

Pastor Moss approached me to ask if I would be willing to share a testimony of how God worked this out.  Being a part of a church community is about caring for one another by weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.  This church family had lifted me up in prayer the Sunday that the car was found stolen.  The prayers among my friends, family, and church family both at home, here in Nassau and all over the world was  that the Lord would miraculously return the car to me, or to miraculously provide the funds to replace it.  Prayers answered!  Thank you church family here in Nassau, brothers and sisters from Grace Community Church and Fairview Chapel as well as all other friends and family!  Love you all!

 Interestingly enough. the very weekend that the church here in Nassau was celebrating  25 years of ministry, with the theme being "God's Faithfulness", I had the opportunity to give testimony  to God's faithfulness in my life.  And so I thank my God who has once again proven his steadfast love and faithfulness to me.   The words from a familiar song...... "How deep the father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give his only son, to make a wretch his treasure.  While I wander and many a times sin with my heart and attitude, He so graciously extends his mercy and grace to me and has revealed himself to be the only God who saves, AND the only God who is relational and caring for the details of my life.

I trust that this experience has grown me in my faith and that God is glorified in all that He has done!

Thanks again for joining me in this journey!

Blessings,

Jen