Hope

Anyone who knows me… knows I am a serious animal lover.  

Like SERIOUS animal lover. 

 

At some point in your travels, I am sure you have seen the bumper sticker about stopping for turtles.  

Well, I stop for anything that is crossing the road that is not human.   

 

Wait!!  

That came out all wrong…  I stop for humans too….

They just aggravate me so much; especially when they walk out in front of my car and just assume I will stop…. But that is a story for another day. 

 

Back to the animals. 

 

Not only will I stop, but I will also not hesitate to do a u-turn to help a turtle across the road.  A little pep talk, fresh side of the street for the turtle, and I am back on the road again. 

 

I have rescued injured birds or more butterflies than I care to confess to at this moment.  

Yes, I just said butterflies.  The feeling when this delicate critter is able to take flight again.  There are no words. 

 

So, this next part of this post is going to come as no surprise.

 

Spring Break 2021

 

My week was coming to an end and my mind was going a mile a minute. 

I was on the phone with my mom sharing my grandeur plans for surprising Jason with dinner.  

When I swore, I saw movement as I drove past a deceased possum.  

As I tried to explain to my mom that I was indeed turning my car around to go see if what I thought I saw was really what I saw…. 

Reality check.  My vision is not as bad as I had thought.  

 

There was indeed movement in front of the deceased possum. 

I turned my car around again so that I could pull into the median.  

 

I ended the call with my mom and stepped out of my car not really knowing what my next step would be. 

Nothing within me would allow me to continue on after knowing that there was still life. 

. 

 

And then there she was….. 

With two fingers I reached down, scooped her up, and placed her in my shirt.  

I quickly scanned the scene for more signs of life and started back toward my car. 

 

Once inside, reality hit.

I was holding a baby possum!  

What in the WORLD was I going to do with a baby possum? 

Of course, my first thought was to send Jason a picture. 

His response was as to be expected…. Sooooo, you have a baby possum.

 

I assured him that I had already begun to reach out for help.

I knew this little friend could not just come home with me. 

 

I ended up reaching a representative from Greenville Wildlife Rehab.  

Arrangements were made and I began my journey to getting her to someone who could help. 

 

As I drove, this little life was clinging to my shirt. 

I remember praying, talking to her, and every so often I would rub her little body as I told her to hang on just a little bit longer. 

 

Once we arrived at the rescue, I surrendered this sweet little critter to a complete stranger and talked about the scene of the accident.  After our conversation, this nagging feeling left me worried that maybe I had missed something, so I went back to check again.

 

Thankfully I did… because there was another one. 

 

I put on my Harley Davidson riding gloves for this one because I was going to have to…. 

Well, you can just take it from there.  

 

Again, I scooped the little friend up, placed her in my shirt, and headed toward the car. 

 

While on the road, I prayed, I talked to her, and I rubbed her little back as I told her to hang on just a little bit longer. 

 

After I left the rescue, for the second time, in my mind I named them.  Hope and Faith. 

 

Hope was named because I truly hoped that her life would be better from this point forward.  

Faith was named because I would have to trust that God would know what was best for her as we discovered that both of her back legs were seriously injured. 

 

Faith passed away Saturday night.  Although I was extremely saddened by this news.  I knew in my heart that in her final moments on earth she was cared for and not alone. 

 

Hope continues to grow stronger by the day.  

Sweet and Sassy… I am told she is very much like the person who found her. 

 

I have shared this story with a select few.  Some have been receptive to Kerri’s love for animals, and some have questioned why I turned around the first time… let alone went back, after driving two hours, to see if there was another one alive. 

 

I can’t explain it.  But I can tell you that although this experience did not end as I would have wanted for Faith, knowing my role in Hope’s life has brought me so much joy.  

 

In addition, I have found a friend in the sweet lady who is caring for Hope until she is able to be released back into the wild. 

 

This week, while I was helping with morning arrival, I reflected on a conversation that a parent shared with me.  

 

Her son had commented how he was not good enough to be a child of the King.  

She reminded him that even if he was the only one, Jesus would have made the same choice to save him. 

 

I thought of Hope and Faith.  I thought of how much joy and love I have felt for these two… possums.  

 

When I thought Hope was the only one.  I was quick to turn around.  Her life had just been shattered. Her mom and siblings were deceased.  She was stuck in a median on a busy road. Let’s just be real.  She probably would not have survived. 

 

… And I would do it again. 

 

When I realized there was a possibility of a second one… I was quick to go back…. 

And even though Faith was damaged and ultimately did not make it…. I would still do it again. 

 

And then I thought about how our Heavenly Father must feel when a lost child chooses to believe and receive his gift of eternal life. 

 

The joy and love which God showed upon us when he chose to send his son to die so that we may live for the Hopes (even if there was only one) or the Faiths (those who are damaged and broken).

 

 

And when found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his should.  When he arrives, he will call together all his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.  In the same way there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God.” 

Luke 15:5

 

 

“His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, I am no longer worthy of being called your son….

….  for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but now he is found. 

Luke 15: 21 & 24

 

 

 

 

 

To support other wildlife, please consider donating to Greenville Wildlife Rehab. 

https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeGreenville/