Reflections on life, mankind, suffering, purpose
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My wife and I had a very unusual adventure yesterday.
I arrived at work and began to settle down. The very first call I received was from my wife - she had spoken to the developer who built our new house. He had asked her if we had engaged a contractor to renovate our house. She told him we had not. "Well someone has broken down your back kitchen wall and extended your kitchen!"
So back on the train I hopped, and made my way back home.
After my son finished kindergarten, we had a quick lunch in the car, and then drove to the new house. The kitchen was a great mess, bricks and sand everywhere. The back window frame was bent like a gothic statue, but the panes of glass were neatly stacked in another room. The original back wall had been broken down, and moved back four feet so that a little concrete patio that was once outside is now inside. The toilet door had been moved. Unfortunately, the job was not complete - no plaster, no paint…
Of course, we needed to find the renovator, but how could we possibly do that?
Well, we began to act on the melange of contradictory advice our friends had, by this time, given us. After speaking with the developer and settling some other issues with them, we made our way to the nearest Police Station, arriving there about 3:30, where my wife made a Police Report. At the end, the lady asked us "…and what is the purpose of making this report?" A strange question. Finally she advised us that if we wanted the police to take action, we would have to drive to the next (larger) town, and speak to the investigating officer at the police station there.
So we arrived at the next town, where my wife made a "Statement". This is apparently a different thing from a “Report”. The Sargent was laughing and laughing at first, but after a while managed to control himself. He said in his 28 years as a police officer, he had never heard of anyone making an illegal forced entry for the purpose of doing renovations. We ourselves were not sure whether to laugh or cry by this time.
Eventually, he finished taking the statement, and told us to lead him to our house, so his photographer could snap a few shots. When we finally arrived again at our new house, the police had already taken all their photos. The Sargent then got busy in true Sargent style, quizzing everyone on the street (all renovators working on other houses) about who had been doing the work. Nobody had a clue. We were coming to the conclusion that the renovator had fled and hidden after realising their mistake, and we would have to pay a hefty bill to clean up and complete the job.
Just at that point, a cleanly dressed gentleman drove up calmly in an old car. He parked next door, and walk towards us and the police contingent with a bemused smile. The Sargent asked him the standard question - "Do you know who did this renovation on this house?" He replied - "Yes. They were supposed to do my house!". He pointed out the renovators advertising banner tied to the front of his house. This was the only resident we had seen arrive anywhere on our street the whole time we were there. And it happened to be the exact neighbour we needed to see.
Shortly after, a worried renovator got an even more worrying phone call. "This is Sargent so and so, from such and such Police station. Can I ask you a few questions...."
When the renovator arrived at the scene, it must have been rather trepidating for the poor fellow. His neighbour, three policemen, and the two owners of a house he had broken into were standing there. He bravely approached, and spoke to us. “Sorry, sorry" he said, and quickly offered to complete the renovations, extending our kitchen, at no cost.
My wife and I have been praying for months for certain things that are very close to our heart. God has not answered. It is like suffocating in a dark, airless tunnel of despair and desperate hope. Now, instead of the things we asked him for, He has arranged for us to have our kitchen extended for free. It is like a glimmer of a candle of encouragement in a dark place, peeking out from a corner we least expected. It begins to give hope that perhaps the things we are asking for – or more likely, the things we really want and need instead – will eventually be granted. Perhaps in as surprising a manner as this, so that we will know once again, as we emerge from our current dark tunnel, that God truly is in loving charge of every detail of our lives.
Reflections on life, mankind, suffering, purpose
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