Stolen Trailer Returned After Prayer

When something gets stolen (in this case, a trailer), we can pray, take practical steps, and watch the good results.

By Marjorie Foerster Eddington

Categories: Loss

We were having work done on our home. Our contractor had brought his trailer as a favor for us to use and then kept it in front of our house for a couple days so he could use it. One morning, he asked me if my husband had taken the trailer because it wasn't there.

I called my husband. He had not taken the trailer. We checked with the garbage collectors, since garbage collection was that morning. They hadn't taken it. We checked with the police to see if they had impounded it for any reason. They hadn't.

The trailer had been stolen. Our contractor talked with the police and gave them all the details. The police said it would take about a month to find his trailer – if they ever did.

Our neighborhood has a community watch. We had just moved there, so we weren't on the email list. My mom and a friend circulated the information, and everybody was on the lookout. Our next-door neighbors came over and showed us a picture they had with a car parked in front of our house, wondering if that could be a lead. Our contractor talked with several of our neighbors. He also called his insurance company and learned that his deductible was about the same price as a new trailer.

The missing trailer wasn't the best or the newest. In fact, it had a hole in one side. But it was his, and it was useful, and our contractor needed it. It just didn't make sense that someone would steal his trailer, especially since it wasn't in the greatest condition.

So my family prayed. Our contractor is not only excellent at what he does, he's also kind and generous – both with his time and his possessions. His work was blessing us. He should be blessed, not ripped off. The trailer belonged to him – not to anyone else. We prayed to see God's man – to see people as God had made them – in God's image and likeness (Gen 1:26), as upright and honest.

Within one week, the police called our contractor. They had found his trailer not too far from our house. The chain was cut off of it. They had taken excess wood that our contractor was going to dump and added different garbage. It was rather bizarre. But his trailer was unharmed. We were all so very grateful. We took practical steps, and we prayed. We refused to accept loss.

We were active in following justice and in praying to know that good was in operation. Our prayers were answered.