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Stolen Computer an Answer to Prayer
CHICAGO, IL (June 30, 2005) - Rob Reed was worried that he was spending too
much time working on his computer and not enough time with God.
So Reed, a Covenant missionary to Spain, asked God for help.
And a few weeks later, someone stole Reed's computer. It was an answer
to prayer, though not exactly what Reed had in mind.
Reed's was preaching at a Chicago church two weeks ago, when his
computer, PDA, Spanish Bible, and other items were stolen during a break
between services.
"My heart sank when I realized that my backup was in the computer case
that had been taken," Reed says. "This represented probably thousands of
hours of work, our son Josue's medical records and other valuable
information worth much, much more than the computer itself."
The case also contained the notes for Reed's sermon for a second
service, this time in Spanish.
"I had but few minutes to adjust before having to preach in Spanish
without my Bible and notes," he says. Using a borrowed Bible and his
English notes, the service went well, followed by a powerful prayer
time, he adds.
The next day, he filed a police report.
"One police officer, though friendly, told me to forget about the
computer," Reed says. "I would never get it back."
But people were praying and a lead developed the next day that led Reed
to spend several hours searching various pawnshops.
"Through a series of extraordinary events I discovered who my computer
had been sold to," Reed says. "I was able to buy it back. The buyer was
an illegal alien who was planning to send the computer to Central
America for his family."
After paying for the computer, Reed shared his faith with the young man.
"Isn't it incredible-my computer had to be stolen and I had to buy it
back for God to get your attention to tell you he loves you," Reed said.
The missing Bible and other items were found in the garbage, miles from
where the computer was stolen. Reed's PDA was recovered by police in a
distant suburb. The church where he had ministered covered the cost of
buying back the computer.
Through this process, Reed says he learned a lesson.
"As valuable and useful as my computer is, I have been way too attached
to it," he says. "It had become a source of distraction from God beyond
being a useful tool for God. God is still teaching me to look to him and
less to things."
He also notes that, "The day that I recovered my computer was the very
day that our family appears in the Covenant World Mission prayer calendar."
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