Often the children have enjoyed the parables of the lost sheep, the lost silver and the lost son. This time the story was our very own.
We only became aware of the one-day saga when, on Monday morning, we discovered our two rabbits’ disappearance from their secure run. The chances of recovering them seemed poor. They would have been prey to any night predator.
Their absence was mysterious in that there was no obvious route of escape. We carefully examined the condition of their run and the floor beneath the straw. Then we realised that the guinea pig had gone from her separate hutch, as well. The bunnies had not ‘made a break for freedom’. It seemed that they had been taken. To add to the evidence, a cage used for transport was missing also.
The Sunday evening, the creatures had been fed at about 7 pm. The site had been locked and left for the night. By the morning, the animal food had hardly been touched. We concluded that a theft had been committed shortly after locking up. What we did not know at the time was that on Sunday evening, the animals had been found huddled together in the cage, and they had been taken home to keep them safe.
Once we had discovered the disappearance of our pets, Facebook posts were shared and seen by thousands. By the afternoon, information had been received through Facebook and telephone. Less than twenty-four hours after they had been taken, the rabbits and guinea pig were returned to us. Clearly, they were shaken but safely home again.
This modern-day miracle seemed too good to be true. The lost was found. Grief was turned to rejoicing, and tears to laughter. We were so grateful to everyone for support and encouragement, and to those who restored to us the creatures.
The Easter bunny will take on new significance from this year onwards. Here is a present parable of resurrection: the lost, found, and that mourned as dead, alive again.