Sign from above says to put sign in yard

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) -  

Ril Beatty, Jr. is the pastor at Mountain Top Ministries in Dayton. His church supports many youth programs that take in troubled kids and have them plant gardens, mow yards and maintain the Gettysburg Lake, which the church runs. Fishermen pay to fish at the lake, and in turn, the church shares the profit with the youth. Beatty says it gives them a sense of accomplishment, and some extra spending cash.

"A number of the kids in the community rely on the money that we give them. Not only to buy gym shoes, but also to help their families in these tough economic times," said Beatty.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources had just granted the church money to buy a brand new trailer to haul the yard equipment the youth program needed to function. But one morning when Pastor Beatty came to get the yard equipment from Gettysburg Lake, it was gone.

"The chains to the gate were cut, chains on the trailer were cut," he said.

The trailer held two riding lawn mowers, three self-propelled mowers, a tiller, a generator, two wood chippers, a weed cutter, a dolly and a gas can.

"The amount of equipment that was stolen from the program is just hard to handle," said Beatty.

Nearly everything the program owned was taken.

"It was devastating. Absolutely, totally devastating. It's hard to believe that someone would steal a trailer that has 'Youth Works' on it, and knew that it was a church trailer because it had Mountain Top Ministries on it," Beatty said.

Pastor Beatty was beside himself. Until he got a message from above.

"I woke up one morning and it was like the Lord said, put up a sign and you'll get your trailer back," said Beatty.

So he did. But still, there's no sign of the equipment. Pastor Beatty says he's still holding out hope, and he has a special message for the thieves.

"No questions asked, just bring be the trailer. Bring me the equipment and all will be forgotten and we will forgive you," he said.

If you have any information that could help Pastor Beatty get his equipment back, call Crimestoppers at 222-STOP, or Pastor Ril Beatty at 937-287-8183.