I arrived at the corporate office to find Donna (our HR
Director) with a huge smile on her face and I was eager to know why she was in
such a great mood. Turns out, Donna was
getting to pick up her brand new SUV this week.
Her Nissan Altima was still working but had high mileage, a dent from
where she hit a pole and didn’t want to claim it on her insurance plus she
really wanted a vehicle with more room.
The new vehicle was beautiful and had all the bells and whistles. I
could tell Donna was in love. We
discussed all the miles and memories we had all the years of driving the Altima
for work trips. When I asked what she
was getting for a trade in, Donna hesitated then admitted she wasn’t going to
trade in the Altima after all.
Angie (our co-worker) and I immediately started to lecture
Donna about not having that old car just sitting in her driveway. Donna likes
to keep things longer than she should and we knew they would probably give her
$1,000 trade-in on it. Donna adamantly
said she couldn’t just trade in a perfectly good car because she knew there was
someone that needed it. “But you have to pick up your car in two days. How are you going to find someone to buy your
car in two days? Just trade it in,” I said.
Donna fired back, “no you don’t understand. My family friends sold me their older vehicle
to me for $250 when I was a single mom and that car got me to and from college
every day. I had a decent vehicle for
school, for my son and it was a blessing.”
Well I had to admit that was a great story and the car would definitely
help someone in need. Angie promised to
try to help her find someone to sell the car to and I told Donna to call me
when she was driving her new ride and it we left it at that.
Donna called me on Friday morning asking if I was traveling
towards Princeton, Indiana but I was actually heading in the other
direction. When I inquired why, Donna
admitted she still had the Altima and was going to have to drive it to Princeton
(she lives in Indianapolis), find a friend’s house to leave it at and pick up
her new car. I apologized that I
couldn’t take her but secretly was glad the old Altima wouldn’t be sitting in
her driveway. She promised to call after
she figured out what she was going to do with the Altima and was driving her
new car.
After about 4 hours into my drive, Donna finally called with
an update. Her friend Christy had
recommended she call her insurance company to see if she qualified for accident
forgiveness. She could pay her
deductible, get the car fixed and put the car on a local lot in Princeton that
will sell the vehicle for her and take their commission cut. I thought it was a great plan but I could
tell Donna still really wanted her car to go to someone in need. “Just go call the insurance company and see
what they tell you and call me back,” I bossed.
About an hour later Donna called back and said I would not
believe what all has happened. She called
the insurance company and did qualify for accident forgiveness which was
great. “I will only have to pay the
deductible to get the car fixed and Shelly (insurance agent) has someone who
needs my car,” Donna said. Shelly’s
young son and daughter-in-law have two children and share one vehicle that is
only a two door. The Altima is four
doors which would make it easier for them to get the children in and out. Plus the daughter-in-law just registered for college
courses at Vincennes University and they were going to have to figure out how
to manage with one car. Shelly then
asked how much Donna wanted for the vehicle.
Donna was only asking the costs of the deductible which when Shelly
looked was $250, the same price Donna paid for her first car. “Donna I just can’t believe this. God knew you wanted to share this car with
someone in need and he found a way just one hour before you pick up your new
car.” I was shocked. Donna said, “That’s
not all Holly. The couple getting the
car is Gabe’s cousin on his father’s side.” (Gabe is Donna’s son that was taken
too early from her in a car wreck as a teenager).
I couldn’t catch my breath.
Donna said she was in between awe and crying her eyes out. We hung up the phone and I started to
cry. Donna had no idea what she was
going to do with the Nissan Altima. She
just knew she wanted to give it to someone in need. But the amazingly cool thing is God knew all
along right where that Nissan Altima would end up.
The old Nissan Altima became a Christmas miracle to one
family and a Christmas blessing to Donna.
May your Christmas be full of giving and miracles!