This story was originally posted on Facebook but I wanted to put it here to preserve it…not that it’s a good memory, but now it’s a part of family history. As the story developed, I added to it in the comments under the original post; I’ll add those comments in this post, in order of the events…

I’m not sure where to start with this story, I guess where I entered it: So I’m sitting on the couch expecting Holly, Julia and Heidi to get home any time. They had gone to a service at another church on the district with people from our church. The weather had been bad, really rainy with limited visibility. I assumed that’s why they were later than I expected. It only briefly crossed my mind that they may have had some trouble on the way home, like an accident…until the sheriff (or one of his deputies) showed up at my door.

I heard the door bell and thought it was Holly or the girls, wondering why they didn’t just come in, but when I opened it, it was the sheriff. Since I sometimes have to go along with death notifications as a chaplain, my first thought was that he was here because something had happened to my family…my stomach dropped.

He asked me if I had a girl here. I said I have two daughters but they were with my wife at a church service in Ava and I asked what happened. He said there was a 911 call from here, which confused me. I asked when, saying they left before 5:30, He said it was about 10 minutes ago. I asked if it was a landline or cell…He confirmed my address then called someone on the radio. I hear *my parents road.* Great, now I’m thinking something happened to my parents! I ask him if it was *my parents address*, he said “yes.” I explained my parents live there but their mail comes to our address.

Then he begins to tell the rest of the story…a girl was grabbed at the Kum & Go, the one by the hospital he thought, last night. Evidently, she got away tonight and went to my parents house. She called 911 (which is how they got my parents address) but when mom or dad gave her an envelope with an address she gave them our address. So the sheriff came here, Lebanon police went there. While waiting, the State Police also showed up at my house…all the time the dogs were going crazy in the garage!

In a few minutes, the sheriff at my house got confirmation on the radio that they picked up the girl from my parents and she was OK, then the sheriff and trooper left.

I began trying to call my parents to check on them. Busy. I try again, busy. Finally I get through and heard from them that the girl came banging on their front door. When they opened it, there she was, her clothes had been torn off. Mom gave her a robe as she told them “he said he was going to kill me”! They let her use the phone which brings us to the beginning of this story.

Holly and the girls finally got home a little bit after the sheriff and trooper left my house…

What a night! I’m just glad the girl got away and that she picked a safe house to go to. But now we’re thinking: This happened in Lebanon? Does the guy who grabbed her live somewhere near our other house, where my parents were? Is he still at large? Is he going to be looking for her…or another girl? Come soon, Lord Jesus!

…a little later…

(about 1:00 a.m.) And the saga continues! It turns out that in moms rush to the door, she hit her leg on something. When I talked to her soon after the police left, she didn’t say anything about it and she seemed fine on the phone. Dad called about an hour later and said I needed to get right over there, that mom hurt her leg. When I got there she was groaning in pain and there was a good size swelling bruise on her leg (pain at 9 on a 1-10 scale!). I wouldn’t be able to get her in a wheel chair then the car so we called the ambulance. So, here we are now, about 2:30, in the ER, waiting for an x-ray!

…a little more later…

(about 3:00 a.m.) Just found out that it’s not broken. Still hurts, though.

…some time later…

(about 4:30 a.m.) I finally got mom home and settled in. She is still in pain but hoping that the pain medication will kick in soon. Okay now, let’s see, I’m teaching a class at 8:30, I should be home by about 5, do I want to sleep or do I want breakfast?

…a while later…

OK, it’s over now (except for the healing and recovery of the victim) but that night could have gotten much uglier. The reports say she ran to “the nearest home” which means the perpetrator wasn’t very far away. Had he followed her to my parents house, who knows what could have happened? I’m thankful for God’s continued presence and protection!

…a long time later…

Newspaper articles indicated that the perpetrator confessed so will be doing jail time. Relief for all.

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