Page 32 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 5 June 2024

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A LOVE STORY

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

t’s not the first time it’s happened, but this time,
saying “no” wasn’t as easy. Huge dark eyes blinked
Iup at me, one look derailed all rational capacity.

“Take her home for your children,” urged my friend.
“Perhaps I should,” was my first thought, followed
sharply by “how can you think like that?”

I’ve turned down adopting a rabbit before, but a baby
rabbit, this baby rabbit, just a bit bigger than my
hand, put a whole new spin on things. We found her
in the Church garden, and within minutes, everyone
in the office was scrambling to provide water, food
and whatever else we could think of to make her
comfortable and secure.

I was still arguing with myself. “Gus the cat is going to
eat her and leave the kids distraught”, “it’s going to
escape” and “it will destroy our garden”, but just when
I had myself dissuaded, I looked at her eyes and that
little twitching nose, and had to start all over again.
After a few calls to possible foster-owners, we took
a trip to the pet shop to buy a bag of gourmet bunny
food. They offered to take her, but after we discovered
some freshly clotted wounds under her fur, that was
no longer an option. More people got involved, texts
and calls were flying and finally late in the afternoon, ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
a couple told us about an animal rescue facility and www.familychurch.online
provided a cash donation. By God’s amazing grace, I DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
got there just in time to catch the vet who only visits
the facility once a month.
one insignificant little bunny - from those who found
The rabbit’s wounds matched owl claws. The vet (who her, fed her, donated money and got her to the vet, to
has a particular fondness for bunnies) surmised that the vet who treated her free-of-charge and adopted her.
she had struggled free from an owl’s grip and had Why does Manna’s story so warm and encourage us?
fallen, quite miraculously, into the Church garden Perhaps we love a rescue. Perhaps somewhere deep
where she managed to hide away until we found her. down it resonates with our soul.
Having fallen for the rabbit, the vet not only treated her,
but insisted on adopting her and naming her “Manna”. Think about the lengths that God went to, in becoming
human in the person of Jesus, and giving His life to
Why did a bunch of people go to such lengths to save rescue even the most insignificant of us, so that He
could adopt us as His own.
There’s a parallel.

I wonder if that’s why we’re so desperate to extend the
same kind of love, even if it’s to a bunny?
What do you think? Let us know at
family@4waysunited.org.za

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