Earlier in this trip we shared a story about how Christopher was awakened from his nap as the bus came to an emergency stop on the side of the highway (you can’t help but notice such a quick stop while riding inside the bus!) and was told by Anna that the bus was on fire. Everyone needed to get off the bus; it was quite the way to wake up!

What happened yesterday to Mom and Dad might even top that!

They were resting before the conference started, and we children were working at setting things up. They woke up rather quickly when we told them that the police needed everyone off the bus. And it was probably less than 60 seconds after the police had evacuated the bus when the shooting started. Not cap guns. Not beanbag rounds. Not pepper spray. Real guns. Even though we were safely inside the church, the gun shots were loud and startled some of the children.

But, let me back up to give you the entire story! Yesterday, after we completed our family Bible time, we began to unload the bus so we could prepare for the conference that night. I was talking with the pastor of the church, when John asked me to get my camera. I followed him out to see a raccoon in the hollow of a tree that was near our bus. We kept our distance while watching the little creature. Over time, it came out of the tree hollow and was walking (or trying to) around the grass by the bus. As we observed it, we noticed that it was acting very strange. The raccoon appeared to not have any balance, seemed to be delirious, and even seemed partially paralyzed at times.

With the conference being that evening, and the possibility of little children around the raccoon, we decided that something needed to be done with it, as we wondered whether it might be rabid. John called the non-emergency police number, and found out that the city did not have an Animal Control department. This was not a problem, though, because the dispatcher said that she would send some of “her men” out to take care of the animal. John hung up the telephone, and was walking outside when two police cars and three police officers arrived. They talked with the pastor of the church and decided that it would be best to put the animal down. The officers asked Dad and Mom (who were resting), and Christopher (working on his computer), who were all on the bus, to go into the church. The officers then fired two rounds, which quickly put the raccoon out of its misery.

Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father?”

Everyone, including the police officers, was sad to see this little animal suffer like this. But, we live in a world were sin and disease are pandemic. Everywhere we look there are results of Adam”s choice. The ultimate result of Adam’s disobedience is the fact that everyone, who has not accepted God’s free gift through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, will face hell. I pray that everyone who reads this blog knows where they will spend eternity.

Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now.”

In Christ,
Joseph