RV (Rat Vehicle)

This story is just too wild to believe, but I am sure that you might find in this that God has a sense of humor.

In the beginning, November to be precise, we began to hear the pitter patter (more like scratching and scraping) of little rat feet in the walls of our home. While I was bemoaning my situation, I heard the doorbell ring... it was the Terminix man making his quarterly rounds. "Got any bugs I can kill for you today, Mam?" he asked. "No, but I got some rats coming in from under my house and climbing in my walls can you take care of them?" I responded. The Terminix man was more than happy to put out some bait to snag the varmints.

I, however, began an ethical debate about whether I really wanted to kill the rats or if I just wanted to see them move out. Moving out seemed reasonable, but the rats didn't speak English so I couldn't figure out how to give them their eviction notice before they ate the poison that lied their in waiting. Before three weeks was over, there were no more sounds of the traveling rodents any more so I gave up my moral dilemma and conceded that perhaps some had moved out, but I also saw some of the carcasses in my lawn so I knew that some were not so fortunate. Oh, well, it is over.

December came and before Christmas, some new families had moved in. Maybe they were the ones who moved out before and came back with friends after vacationing. We began to hear the familiar crawling in our walls. Up the wall and over the ceiling doing who knows what, but seemingly dancing all the way. Once again, I call the Terminix man; surely he can help. Again they come and they bait. Noise subsides and peace rules the house once again.

Then, one day my husband Kenny goes to the travel trailer parked in our driveway to get a tool he had left and to make sure that there was sufficient heat to keep things from freezing during the winter when lo and behold, some of the rats that moved out had moved IN to the trailer. They had started to make a home in the holding tanks and redirected some of the heating ducts to keep them toasty while they munched on a box of Scooby Snacks they found in the cupboard. One of them thought that some Gulden's mustard would be a good compliment to the Scooby Snacks so they ate through that. When thirsty; no problem, the water lines are a great source for a drink.

For fun, they thought they would also eat the wiring to many of the little gadgets and meters Kenny had installed and the air conditioning unit as well. While there is a rest room in the travel trailer, they preferred to use the space under the couch and in the heating. The last straw was when they chewed the stuffing out of Tigger (the stuffed mascot we had for our trailer, because Tigger loves to bounce).

We went to trapping the destructive little beasts. At this point, I am feeling much less humane. I want the rats gone and I do not care how. I call Terminex and have them come again to deal with the little trolls. Kenny in the meantime sets some traps and some poison and catches one 18" nose to tail (the size of a miniature cat). Later he traps two more from the trailer. Terminex picks up a few more carcasses from the yard.

Kenny files an insurance claim. They ask questions like, "Do your neighbors have rat issues?" Well I don't talk with all my neighbors, but I did speak with a few and they did not seem to have issues. The insurance company commented that normally when there is an infestation like this, it has been where there is construction nearby. Well there is no construction going on in my neighborhood that I am aware of; it is an older and more settled neighborhood. The insurance company totals the RV and hauls it away.

Neighbors don't have issues, but we do. No construction and yet we seem to be the target. Kenny and I revisit some of our Crown training about how God is sovereign in all things and he gives us our wealth and He takes it away if it suits his purposes. I ask Kenny, "Do you think that God may have sent the rats in order to take away our trailer from us?" He replies, "Perhaps God sent the rats to give me a new RV."

I am more and more convinced that God may very well have sent the rats specifically to us. I still don't know his plan fully, but I know Kenny's plan. A new RV is on order and awaiting delivery as I write this. I pray that even in this God will have his perfect way and receive all the glory and that we will know more of his character in the end.