‘Much sadness’: $6,000 in change stolen from Christian children’s home

Photo from Mountain States Children’s Home website

Who would steal $6,000 in change from a Christian children’s home?
That’s the question facing Mountain States Children’s Home in Longmont, Colo., after a recent car burglary in Seattle.
James A. Maxwell, minister of the Holgate Church of Christ in Seattle, alerted me to the break-in and asked fellow Christians to help recoup the lost funds.
Randy Schow, the children’s home’s executive director, shared details with The Christian Chronicle:

Of about 35 brotherhood children’s homes in the United States, Mountain States Children’s Home is closest to the Northwest. The churches are few and far between and usually small in numbers. Each year we have a number of churches in the Oregon and Washington area who participate in a Change Can Drive, and many of the Idaho churches collect food. This year we were invited to participate in the Legacy Conference for women in the Seattle area, at which Mountain States Children’s Home received the inaugural Legacy Award for its ministry of helping children.
My wife, Janice, was able to introduce a video about MSCH, and two girls, who are currently in our care and are from the Seattle area. The girls shared their story about the changes they have made while living at the children’s home. It was an outstanding conference, well organized and spiritually uplifting to all the women who attended, including our two girls who spoke.
During the stay at the hotel, our vehicle was broken into, and about $6,000 of change from our Change Can Drive was taken, along with a projector, DVD player, computer and some groceries that had been collected for MSCH. I had been so careful to park the vehicle close to one of the main entrances where traffic would be, rather than being isolated, and double-checked the locks. I usually stay with members of the church when traveling, parking in residential rather than commercial areas, feeling that it is safer, but this event required the hotel stay. I had covered the change cans and any electronic devices so as not to draw attention.  Our vehicle was the only one broken into that evening. It would have taken someone a considerable amount of time to tote off about 800 pounds of change and groceries.
I filed a police report and checked with our property insurance about any coverage with no determination at this time. The hotel made a report but has not made any determination.
This loss has brought much sadness and feelings of responsibility on our part. I am so sorry for this misfortune and for the inconvenience it has put upon anyone. I know there were many adults and children who worked hard to save their change for it to go to a good cause. I hope that it does not discourage anyone from helping with our future Change Can Drives. The loss does affect our operational budget and will need to be made up in other ways. This effort has been very fruitful for the children’s home and has been such a blessing as we care for children in need.
I hope this information is helpful. Our prayer is that God will work good out of the bad. Thanks for your help.

Donations can be made online or sent to 14780 North 107th Street, Longmont, CO 80504.

• Feedback
  Wouldn’t a break in like this be covered by auto insurance? I believe sometimes homeowner’s insurance covers certain things in a car. I don’t understand leaving thousands of dollars in money and equipment in a car in a motel parking lot. I worry about leaving my car.

  joe connell

  August, 18 2011

  My wife�s cell phone was stolen at church last Sunday! We suspected the lady who sat next to her is the one who picked it and she might have done so while we were praying. The lady left before we were through with the service. She later denied any involvement in the theft. I don�t think it has anything to do with being careless � the thing is the devil is at work, even in congregational assemblies!

  David Marube

  August, 19 2011

  Covering up items in your car is good, but it sounds like there was so much stuff covered up that a thief looking into the car would guess that there must be a lot of valuable stuff in there. “Be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves.” We have to understand evil enough to not be naive.

  Clark Coleman

  August, 19 2011

  Cover it up or put it in your trunk just BEFORE you drive to a destination and park. That way you won’t be covering it up at your destination and possibly draw attention to the stuff.

  Eugene Maddox

  August, 20 2011

  WHY NOT LEAVE THE CHANGE AND VALUABLES AT HOTEL SAFE. THEY GIVE YOU THE ONLY KEY AND IT IS INSURED WITH HOTEL. THAT IS WHY THE HOTEL CHARGES A SMALL FEE TO USE THE SAFE. THIS IS SO SAD, LESSON LEARNED…. THE DEVIL IS BUSY..AND SOMEOME KNEW YOU HAD THE MONEY AND VALUABLES. I AGREE WITH THE OTHERS COMMENTS. KEEPING U ALL IN PRAYER.

  S SMITH

  August, 23 2011