Tomorrow’s Hope #Covid-19 #faith #children

“I was just thinking about a friend of ours.” Bethany looks at her lion friend.

“Who is that Bethany?”

“Her name is Christine. Several of her children have attended our class.”

“Oh yes I remember her. The last time I saw her she was very sad.”

“Many of her tribe didn’t want the baby in the village; they said the baby was cursed.

A tear falls from Judah’s eye. “How can a baby be a curse?”

“It is our fallen world Judah.” Bethany holds his paw. “Broken people have little hope.”

“But there was one who came to give hope to the broken. His light breaks through darkness.The Gospel of John talks about light: “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.” John 12:35

“Judah, We need some of that light during Co-Vid pandemic. There are some families who have lost many people to the disease. ”

We can’t be afraid though: “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, Be strong, do not fear! Behold your God will come with a vengeance.” Isaiah 35:4

“No, Judah, you are right we must hold fast to Jesus, because our Tomorrow is filled with eternal hope. ”

 

So many of us are dealing with uncertainty. Are you afraid? Ask God to help you be strong. The Bible says God will come and be with you in your dark and fearful times.

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A Dark Day #goodfriday #bethanyandjudah

 

I am Bethany. In the Uganda village I am called  la fofo (is that the right way to say it Lawrence?) Judah was a very lonely lion. All of his pride (that’s a family of lions) had gone looking for water. They must have forgotten to tell Judah where they were going.

Judah wanted a friend, but all the animals would swiftly run away in fear.

Judah was out one morning on his regular walk when he found a most unusual thing. Judah you must tell this part.

“A hmm. I found something that looked like a package or a big seed. It looked dead and that made me sad. I could tell it had fallen from the tree above me. Then a voice whispered in the breeze “take it with you.” It’s hard to argue with the wind. I carried the dead seed back to my cave and set it in a safe place.

Each time I walked past the seed I said, “I will remember you as you should have been – alive and beautiful.”

“That reminds me, this is Bethany again, We are celebrating a day that was the saddest day in history. It is the day that God’s son Jesus gave his life as a ransom (that means payment) for my sin and your sin. The ground shook on that day. The sky was very dark. All of nature mourned his death. They placed his dead body in a tomb and rolled a big stone in front. There was no hope on his friend’s faces. Their master and teacher was gone.”

“How would you feel if you had been there?”

“I would have roared very loud with sorrow and then I would have laid down in front of the tomb to protect it. ”

“I think I would have tried to sing a song to him but it would have been through big tears.”

“As many of us spend some time today thinking about Jesus dying for us, please pray for people who are also suffering (many dying) from this Corona Virus. I have had many friends who have gotten sick and they are not feeling better yet.”

 

“Dear Jesus thank you for loving us so much that you died for our sins. There is nothing we can do but ask for you to forgive us and clean us up from our unrighteousness. What you did on the cross was the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. ”

 

We will be back on Easter day to finish the story about Bethany’s rebirth.

 

This is a continuation of a story that we told (with the Ugandan children helping) about a lion named Judah and his friend a butterfly named Bethany.

 

We wish you God’s grace on this day of remembrance.

 

 

The Lion and the Butterfly #poem

unlikely friends

need presses the issue

small sacrifice

generous rescuer

colourful child

king of all he sees

love conquers convention

our stories make children smile

 

What do a Ugandan cho and a la foufou have in common? They have found friendship in the Savanna when a lion rescues a helpless cocoon and gains a beautiful and loyal friend. The zoos and parks seem very responsible with their wildlife. This lioness will hopefully return to the wild when she is mature.

motherless child

lake doesn’t claim this baby

large appetite

 

Poets United prompt today is Animals in recognition of World Animal Day

The Girl With Many Kindnesses #atozchallenge #life’slessons #photography #fantasy

One day a little girl was sent on an errand for her mama.

“The road will be long but you will be safe as long as you extend kindness along the path.”

“Of course, mama,” the girl smiled knowing this would not be a difficult task.

In her head she recited the things she needed to buy: “Milk, butter, flour, and a ham hock for making soup.”

She met an old frail woman on the path. “Oh, she looks like she might trip and fall on that root.” The little girl rushed to aid the woman.

“Goodbye,” she waved after helping the woman to an even part of the path.

A little further along, she heard sobbing. She noticed a young woman with her head bent so low she might fall into the waters below. Without thinking, she bobbed over with a cheerful face and gave the young woman the bouquet she had been picking for her mama. “One so fair, let the beauty of the day drive away your cares,” She said as she skipped off.

Just outside of the village, a scrawny lad leaned against the tree. “He looks so hungry.” A tear formed in the girl’s eye. “There must be something… ” She remembered the bite size sandwich her mother had made for her journey. “I know it’s not much, but I hope you will gain  strength from my small lunch.”

“But what will give you strength little one?”

“I have plenty of strength to get me safely home.”

As the man at the market loaded a canvas sack, he noted that it was too heavy for the girl. “How will you manage?” he implored. He had knowingly added some medicinal herbs and a jar of medicine for the girl’s sick mama.

“Sir, I don’t know” her face showed concern ” I am suddenly feeling tired from my journey.” The man smiled “Eat this; it will be enough.”  As she ventured out, she knew she must be swift, her mama needed these things.

As she left the store, someone handed her a walking stick. “This may to you strength bring.” She smiled in “thanks” as the gift giver hurried off.

“I must be lost for I do not remember the huge tree in the way of my passage.” The tree tried to scoop her up. She waved the stick like a fly swatter and the tree shrank in size. “I hope the boy, who ate my lunch, is safe, ” she thought.

“The path can’t be right for there was no raging river in my way.” She looked and looked for a way around. She waved the stick and the river became a brook once again. “I hope the girl is free from the water’s pull.”

“I’m so tired,” the little girl huffed and puffed. There was a small donkey standing just up ahead. “I don’t remember you,” she said as she climbed gratefully on his back. “You are a wonderful creature,” she whispered in his ear.

A howling wind, accompanied by a blizzard, blocked her pathway home. “No you don’t,” she scolded as she raised the stick high. “We must get home to help mama.” The storm turned to a misty, much needed rain.

As she bounded into her small, warm home, she noticed her mother was pale and almost blue in color.

“Oh mama, take some of this that the nice man sent to make you feel well. I will make these herbs into a tea.” She raised the stick. “You have taken care of me. Please help my mama.”

The girl’s mama rose from her couch with her strength restored. As she gathered her girl into her arms, the little girl became a young woman, kindness beamed in her deep blue eyes.

“Thank you stick.” she whispered. She knew not that all along it had been her many kindnesses that had given the power to the stick.

Life’s Lesson: Remember to give a kindness today; you never know how it may be repaid.

 

Photography: “Walking Stick” copyright L. Moon 2013

I am participating in the A to Z month long Blog Challenge – Today’s letter “K”