I started this post quite a while ago to tell you about Angel, but hadn't finished. And now...well, I needed to think it through because it really hit me hard...so I finished this post. I wasn't sure if I should post it, but I decided to go ahead...I hope that's okay.
Sunday Morning - SEVERAL months ago - I'm not sure when:
Brenda and I were going to run at the causeway, but no one else wanted to join us on an early Sunday morning. Now, we know that for safety reasons more people is better, and so we usually only go if it's 3+ OR if we have a man with us...We really wanted to go running, but didn't want to be unsafe. We decided to go ahead...
In true Brenda fashion, we prayed BEFORE we left to run - something I never use to do, but I find it so wonderful and will definitely continue to do so. We prayed that God would keep us safe, and send us His angels to run with us.
We stepped out of the apartment and had barely started walking when this cute dog came out of some alleyway. She appeared to be a stray - very skinny and dirty - but yet was very friendly like a pet. We began to run, and she trotted along next to us. She barked at any dogs or men that were in near proximity to us AT ALL, and I remember in particular her barking at one drunk man who quickly stumbled the OTHER direction. She made us feel much better. We petted her to thank her, and I think from then on she claimed us as her owners. I can't remember who said it, but Brenda and I affectionately began to call her our "angel" on the run because we felt God sent her to keep us safe. The name stuck, and after we gave her a bath and pulled all her ticks out (YUCK!!!!) Angel quickly became the SDA dog. She followed the teachers everyday to and from school and would play with the kids at recess.
2 Problems:
#1: Marshallese dogs are not usually looked at as pets, and are not treated very well. Therefore parents and some teachers became very bothered by the dog in the school.
#2: Angel was a PEST! Since she wasn't trained, she didn't listen very well. She thought she owned the school, and did not hesitate to come upstairs, into the classrooms and chapel, etc.!! NOT OKAY.
We tried to train her, but no one wanted to become to attached to her, because we all know we are leaving at the end of the year! There has been talk of trying to get rid of her, but no one wants her, and on an island the size of Ebeye...well, she'll find her way back to the apartment in an hour no matter where you take her... The problems increased when she recently became pregnant. As the weeks went by, she has become more and more protective of certain people, and today it was too much.
Angel tried to bite a teacher, and in the end the police were called to come and shoot her. Well, I was very, very sad...we had to clear all the kids from the school right away after school, and when all the people were gone, the police came by. I stayed...maybe because I was afraid how they would kill her, I'm not sure. But they were afraid of her, and she was being pretty vicious to them - barking and growling. I think she knew something was up, and they were afraid to come inside the schoolyard. After about 10 minutes, I was feeling so bad for her, and knew we needed to get it over with. So what happened? This is terrible...
I calmed Angel down, and convinced her to come and lay down by the fence, and after some coaxing and a few tries, I got her to stay laying there by the fence, obliviously enjoying my petting and attention. I scooted away a few feet, and they put the gun through the fence and shot her head...I didn't turn away quite fast enough, so I saw. And...it really bothered me. What blind trust she had! What a terrible person I felt like! Yes, I'm really upset...
I couldn't watch anymore, so I quickly ran upstairs to gather my things and go home...when I came back down they had already wrapped her up and carried her out to the car to take care of her. By this time I had gathered myself together, so I told them thank you, waved goodbye, and walked back to the apartment with the one other teacher who had been there with me. He and I talked about it a bit, but quickly moved on to other things, as it didn't bother him quite so much...in fact, he was the teacher the dog had tried to bite.
So, why am I blogging about this? I'm really not sure...I'm sorry if it's a morbid! I guess I just want to share a few of my thoughts:
We so often seem to forget the value of life.
I think we are so desensitized! (yet..) We all have soft hearts that need connection and love.
Somehow we are often caught up in living our lives and forget what this life is really all about.
I cannot wait for Heaven, when we can be reunited with family and friends and best of all, our Savior!
I'm not sure how I got these thoughts from a dog...but this Kiru in Ebeye was definitely a blessing, a sweet dog, and someone that I will miss seeing around, too...
Sabbath, May 24.
So I am now posting this. I feel so bad, and I really miss having Angel around. One more thing that has changed this year. A very sad thing that weighs on my heart. Yes, it's "just a stray dog" but she was going to have puppies...and she was a sweetheart and she was created by God. I thank Him for the lessons He is teaching me this year, and the protection He has given. I hope God understands why we had to shoot her, and even though I feel bad for "helping" I know He knows that I did it so it so she would be calm and not fighting them to her death. She was completely unaware and blissfully happy, and I'm glad I could do that small thing for her.
Thanks for reading, I hope this (somehow) taught you something as well.
"Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." ~Luke 12:6, 7
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