Scammed

My son and his wife recently moved into a new apartment, and I was surprised at the cost of rent. Before they moved, I did some research just to see if I could find them a fantastic deal. They actually did fine on their own! But I responded to an an ad from Craigslist for a lovely townhome advertised at $800 a month. A "pastor" from San Dimas represented himself as one who had been called to the mission field in Africa, was very grateful for the chance to serve overseas, and wanted to rent his property to a Christian family who would take good care of it.

I am still surprised that it took me some time to figure out he was not being truthful. I Googled the address he finally gave to me (along with professional photos of the property he provided) and found the very property offered for rent from a reputable company at double the price he was asking. He wanted me to give him first and last month's rent, which would have totaled $1600.

Here is a copy of our last exchange after I found out I was being deceived. I felt God gave me the words to say to him. My pastor is always emphasizing that God is a perfect balance of love and justice, and I pray that came across to the man who tried to deceive me. I sense it did. Forgive his expletives.

(My e-mail to the man who represented himself as Rev. Drotman)

Apparently the home you claim to own is owned by someone else and is being rented out at the rate of $1600 a month.

I'm so thankful truly to God for allowing me to recognize your lies before I told my son and daughter-in-law about the property and before I gave you $1600! Wow. I wonder what you think of Americans. Do you think $1600 is nothing? That would be more than a month of my income that I would give to you hoping for a rental property, and I would receive nothing. You would then have $1600 that you had to lie and cheat to obtain. Also my son and his wife would have been so excited, only to be disappointed right when they were having their baby. They would have given up their other apartment and been left w/out a place to live. Sin always affects more than just one person.

I contacted the FBI, who told me to contact my local police. We have been unable to talk, and I realize there is not much they can do to you for breaking our laws because you are neither in nor a citizen of this country.

I notified the owner of the website that you stole the information from. And I will notify Craigslist as well.

Bottom line is that I do not know whether there will be any consequences to you for being found out.

Please keep reading, as I need to say this: While I am angry and surprised that someone would do what you have attempted to do here, I have concern for you as well. Is there not an honest way to make a living in your country? Do you really believe in God? He will take care of your needs if you trust Him to do so. He offers so much forgiveness and cleansing. He has had to forgive me of much in my life. He restores me and helps me to walk in ways that are pleasing to Him. I don't know where you got all the right words about God and His mercy, but if you have any knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Spirit will convict you in your heart, forgive you if you confess, and make you whole! Maybe He loves you so much that He allowed you to get caught to steer you out of living your life like this.

More than wanting to see you punished, I want to see you receive God's forgiveness.

Please write if you have any questions or any way I can pray for you.

As of now, no police have your phone number or your e-mail address. I wanted to nail you when I saw you were misleading me, but I believe God wants me to tell you the truth about Him, about how right and true and just He is but also about His huge mercy and love.

Diane Mann
HERE IS HIS RESPONSE TO ME:

Hello Diane,

Thanks for your message. At this point, i guess i have to tell you what the truth is. Life here is so hard for us and we are looking for away to sort ourself out. A friend of mine initiate me to this s**t.......... i beg you for your forgiveness and i want you to help me to pray to God for forgiveness. I'm a student and a citizen of Nigeria. My real name is Oluwaseun. I only some amount of money to pay my bills and school fees. I only need help and no one is ready to help. And i went to a friend and he promise to help me. He posted the craigslist ad and the stuff. At this point, i promise you that i will quit this s**t. Thanks for your time and care. I hope to read from you soonest.


Thanks.

Oluwaseun.

The First Time I Held You

As you are placed in my arms
I must tell you now
I've never been in such awe of the One who ordained life
I keep thinking to myself, What have I done to deserve this precious baby?
God gently whispers back, "It's a gift."

Another thought comes to me as I gaze upon you,
My newborn child
As I realize God has entrusted me to care for
One He loved enough to die for
I'm overwhelmed, knowing I am inadequate for the task
"Depend on me. Count on my grace," I clearly hear Him say.

And I try to hold back the tears as I realize
He gave His only son for me, for you
Then loudly, joyfully He declares, "I love you!"
I guess I really never understood His love
Quite like I do today
The day I received you, my child, my reward, my gift from God.

I just thought you'd like to know what I felt
The first time I held you in my arms.

Diane Mann
1994

Your Legacy

A Song For My Father

This is what you taught me

This is what I know

Cling tightly to what always lasts

Hold loosely to what won't
Things don't really matter much
At least not things you see
Love is what you taught me
It's what I'll carry with me


This is what you showed me
What I know to be true
God has a plan, a perfect plan
Laid out for me and you
All things work together
When we don't know how they could
This is what you taught me
To know that God is good


This is where you brought me
To places God has made
Outdoors in the loveliness
Of all He did create
Pointing out the majesty
Savoring the sights
This is where you brought me
To teach me of God's might


This has been your legacy
A gift that I received
Handed down by how you lived
And all that you believed
This is what I'll pass on
To those God's given me
I'll share with them your gift of love
Your life, your legacy


And I thank you for your gift of love
Your life, your legacy


Diane Mann 1998

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will see a baby being born.
Last weekend I viewed through a telescope a star cluster that is not visible to the naked eye.
Last December I watched magnificent whales splashing in the waters off Maui.
Just a month prior to that I witnessed a launch of the space shuttle.

Certain things I've seen expand my mind in a new way. At these times I see God bigger than I previously had.

I expect tomorrow will be life-changing, hearing the first cries, seeing the first struggles, watching the first breath of my newborn grandson.

I just cannot wait for tomorrow!

A Good Work

Each week my friend Mary comes faithfully to my house to help me organize my life. Sometimes we just freshen up the environment, put things back where they belong and just make my home a more nurturing place for me and my loved ones. Other times we attack projects -- wall painting, picture hanging, window coverings. One very gratifying aspect about my time with Mary is that she loves to see a work finished to completion. About three-fourths of the way through laying floor tiles in my bathroom, when we discovered half the tiles we had purchased did not match the other half, I was sure the task would have to be put off until the next week. But no. We drove over to Lowe's, exchanged the tiles and plodded through the rest of the job. Surely enough, when she left, the floor was completed.

As I spent time with God today just pouring my filled-with-concerns heart out to Him, He gently brought to mind this part of His word: "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." I spent time savoring and absorbing each aspect of this much-needed and precious promise. Fully capable, putting the earth into orbit, holding all things together God Himself began a project right here in me, in my life! He will not fail to finish all that He began in me. I am the work of His hands, and He does not walk away from what He starts.

Oh, God, Thank You for this reminder that it is always You at work in me. I'm not my own project, thankfully, but Yours! You are everything I'm not -- consistent, faithful, loving, completely true and right and, of course, all-knowing. You do not give up on me and see me as a hopeless cause. Have your perfect, complete way with me, my Father.