It was the biggest tragedy in Pastor Dave's life. Kathy, his daughter, had always been a problem child. There were medical problems. There were behavioral problems. Life was not easy with this daughter. And then one day -- when she was 23 years old -- Kathy simply disappeared. She was gone and no one could find her.

Weeks went by. Pastor Dave was racked with worry. Months went by. Pastor Dave was sure that she must be dead by now. What chance did she have in the world all alone? She needed her medicine. She needed care. Years went by. Pastor Dave felt like he had been through a wringer. He had prayed more than he had prayed in his whole life. He tried to turn the matter over to God. He tried to have this burden lifted from his shoulders. Nothing worked. Kathy's disappearance left a pit in his stomach and a grief in his heart. It was awful.

And then one day, ten years after Kathy had disappeared, the telephone rang at Pastor Dave's house. It was the State Mental Hospital in another part of the state. "We are making an inquiry here," the voice on the line said rather matter-of-factly. "We have a Jane Doe in our care. We have no idea who she is. She has no idea who she is. But we have her Social Security number and we believe her name is Kathy. She thinks she remembers her parents' names. We've cross-checked the records in our state and you folks seem to fit the information we have. Do you have a missing daughter?"

Pastor Dave was speechless. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ten long years! Could it really be that his daughter, now 33, was still alive? Had God heard their prayers? "Well, yes," he finally answered, "we do have a missing daughter named Kathy." As they spoke further on the phone Pastor Dave was quite sure that it was, indeed, his Kathy who had been found. Arrangements were made for Dave and his wife to come to the hospital as quickly as possible in order to identify Kathy. They made the trip in a state of excited anticipation. And it was true! It really was Kathy. The lost had been found.

Having found his daughter Pastor Dave and his wife could instruct the nurses on her medical history. Kathy seemed to respond quite well. It wasn't long before the hospital was ready to release her. Pastor Dave drove across the state once again for the last time since Kathy was found. He could still hardly believe that after ten lost years he was actually going to pick up his daughter. But it was true. Pastor Dave arrived at Kathy's room and helped her pack her few things. He carried them out to the car. After signing the proper release papers Pastor Dave and Kathy were free to go. They got in the car for what was to be a joyous ride home.

As the car pulled out of the hospital grounds no words were exchanged between father and daughter. The only sound was the sound of sniffles as tears flowed down both faces. Finally, a couple of miles down the road, Kathy spoke. "It's kind of like the prodigal son isn't it, Dad? Except that I'm a girl."

"That's exactly what it's like," said Pastor Dave choking back his tears. "And you remember the joy with which the father welcomed his son home? Well that's just how I feel today. Welcome home, Kathy."