Our Van Story: "The Dramatic Twist"

(Part 1)

In April 2007, Owen was about eight months old and we had owned our van for about a year.  We decided to take a family day trip to the zoo on a Sunday.  My parents and two younger sisters joined us.  To avoid the city congestion, each family drove their vehicle to the train station and we rode the train into the city.  Before we boarded the train, we put a bank envelope containing $100 in the lock box under the seat.  As an afterthought, we threw in another loose $20 to save for dinner and tolls on the way home. 

The weather was beautiful and the kids had a lovely time, but when the day was over and we were riding the train that evening, we were exhausted.  As we pulled back into the station, my dad pointed out the window to the parking lot and said, "Let's see if we can see our vehicles from here." 

He found his truck right away, but the space beside it was empty.  We found that odd since we had parked side by side.  Our first thought was that he had pointed out the wrong truck, but, no, we were sure that was his vehicle.  So, where was our van?  Our next thought was that maybe we had been towed for illegal parking (though we had parked in a valid spot). 

The next few minutes were a blur as we gathered our things and hurried off the train to scour the parking lot to be sure.  There was my dad's truck.  And there was our empty parking space. 

In a bit of shock and confusion, we went back into the station to find an employee.  They knew nothing of our vehicle, but they offered to call the state police.  By this time, the kids were asking a lot of questions and were teary and tired.  (So was I.)  The police arrived and confirmed what we feared-- our van had been stolen, most likely by a local gang.  They took our name and number, but gave us a bleak outlook.  Many stolen vehicles were never recovered and the ones that were found were stripped or badly damaged.

Blissfully unaware

We hitched a ride home and the despair sunk in.  How were we going to afford another vehicle?  We had some cash saved, but not enough for a vehicle of equal value.  Could we make do with one car that barely fit us all together?  Was it wise to spend money on a temporary car or should we save for another van or should we take on a car payment?  For days, we agonized over this decision.  Friends and family chipped in money and replaced our car seats.  We took Brian to and from work (about a 30 minute drive each way) if we needed the car for the day.  Still, we struggled with questions of why God had provided for us and then took it away 12 months later.   

On Saturday afternoon (6 days after our trip), we were sitting on our front step watching the kids play when the phone rang.  We had invited company for dinner so we expected a call from them.  Brian answered the phone, but his expression changed.  He jotted down some information and then hung up the phone.  Our van had been found abandoned in a shopping center parking lot, just five miles from the train station.  We were given little information other than it needed to be towed home and that we would be charged for each day it stayed at the impound station.  We scrambled to make arrangements to bring it home.  My brother, Ryan, offered to use his AAA membership to get free towing.  

Early Sunday morning, Ryan and Brian set off to retrieve the van.  After they signed the paperwork, they walked around to look check the condition of the van while they waiting for the tow truck to arrive.  As they rounded the corner, they glimpsed a vehicle of the same color with the roof completely smashed in.  They looked at each other in astonishment before they saw our "real" van.  The lock on the passenger door was bent, the ignition had been severely damaged (it was hanging down from the steering column), and the gas tank had been emptied, but otherwise, the van appeared unscathed.  The car seats, the kids' stuffed animals and toys, and even the Twizzlers we had brought for a snack were all where we had left them.  The last check was the lock box.  The lock had been bent and broken, but the thief had only managed to jar the box open about an inch.  The loose $20 had been removed, but the bank envelope with $100 was lying untouched!

You know that temporary panic you get when you come out of the grocery store and don't see your car and can't remember where you parked?  We feel it every time because we remember what it's like for that to become a reality.  I know the experience helped me to not take my van for granted.  I also know firsthand that God takes care of His children and He has proved that care to us. 

God's Provision: The Story of our Van

In the spring, I shared the story of our quest to buy a home and how we saw God's hand in every step of our seemingly-long 2 year journey.  Not long after I published my series of posts, my friend, Lu, shared her own home story.  In great contrast to mine, her search was a whirlwind, but just like my story, Lu's story illustrates God's perfect hand.  My friend, Suzanne, and her family have just set off on a journey to find a home. They need their journey to be a whirlwind, too, since they have a time deadline. I'm praying for her and I can't wait to read her miracle story.  It is easier to see God's perfect hand in a completed journey than one you are in the midst of walking, but we rejoice in knowing God promises that if He cares for the birds, He surely cares for us. 

January 2006

Though our home story is of a grander scale, the story of our van is also a testimony to the Lord's provision.  I found out I was pregnant with our third child around Christmas in 2005.  At the time we had two cars: a 1984 Toyota Camry that Brian drove back and forth to work and a 1995 Nissan Altima that served as our "family car."  Despite their age, both cars were dependable, but neither was large enough to hold three car seats.  In the spring of 2006, we began our search for vehicle that  1) was large enough to hold our family of 5 and 2) was within our price range, preferably inexpensive enough that we could pay cash for it.  We also had preferences on make and model, but we knew we couldn't afford to be too picky.

We scoured the classified ads for weeks.  Most of what we found had either high mileage or a high price tag.  One Sunday in April, we stayed home from our weekly dinner at my parents' house because Gavin was recovering from an illness.  Brian went out and brought home a newspaper, and once again, we ran our fingers down the classified listings.  Midway down the list, our fingers slowed and stopped on a listing.  An individual (as opposed to a car dealership) had listed a van in the exact make, model, and even color we had been hoping for.  The mileage was reasonable and the price was too good to be true.  We assumed that it probably was too good to be true and that something was probably wrong with the vehicle, but we decided to drive out (with our slightly sick child) for a look anyway. 

May 2006

A visual inspection of the van confirmed it was exactly what we had been looking for, but there was a slight problem.  We had most of the money to pay cash, but we wouldn't have the rest in hand until we received our income tax check in the mail.  We asked if they seller would accept a down payment to hold the van for us.  He agreed on the condition that we pay him the balance by Friday.  We prayed hard that the money would arrive, and on Tuesday, our prayers were answered.  We wrote out a check and drove the van home Tuesday evening. 

Before we could switch over the title and tag the van in our name, we needed to have it state inspected.  We were hoping that no expensive repairs were needed because money felt a little tight after such a large cash purchase.  Thankfully, a new set of wiper blades was all we needed to pass inspection! 

By early May, the van was officially ours.  We sold the Camry, figured out who would be sitting where in the new van, and installed the car seats with plenty of room to spare.  In August, Owen was born and we rejoiced that we now owned a vehicle that was large enough to accommodate the five of us together, but the story of our van was about to take a dramatic new twist. 

(Part 2: The Dramatic Twist)