THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER...

Two tales were told me this week, which absolutely fascinated me... more than that, they were no mere tales, but actual happenings, which makes it even more fascinating, uplifting and worthy of sharing with the rest of the world.

I will only tell you the one today... the one about the elephant whisperer...

This man lived here in our beautiful South Africa. He was an animal lover, especially loved elephants and spent a lot of time with them. He was so well acquianted with the wild elephants, their habits and nature that people who knew him named him the "elephant whisperer"...

Well, I heard of his death  through a radio broadcast the other day.  The fascinating thing is that two days after his death, 31 wild elephants arrived at his home. According to the radio broadcast his wife was said to say that there had been no elephants near his house for a long time... and yet, two days after his death, the time it must have taken these 31 elephants to walk from their home environment to his home, they arrived and circled his house, standing there for two days and two nights without eating or drinking anything. Were they mourning, do you think - paying their last respects to a single homo sapient who had taken the trouble to get to know and understand them, to offer them friendship, love  and understanding across all barriers separating their species...touching their lives with tenderness and compassion? I do believe so. They are known to mourn their own dead as well...

It brought a marshmallow softness in the middle of my chest, and a glint to my eyes, to understand that here was further tangible, unequevical  evidence of the existence, love, grace, mercy, wisdom, power of Almighty God who could install in an wild animal in the veld the ability to understand, appreciate and reciprocate the love and understanding that it had been afforded by a single human creature; the tracking ability possessed by them to know not only in which direction to search but to pinpoint and find the exact location of his home!!! What a performance of displaying grief and respect with quiet dignity when they could instead have performed with violent aggression or even a powerful display of their destructive power. What a joy to know that God cares so very very much, even for the animals... how much more then, will He, who is indescribably wise and compassionate, not give to us, whom He called the crown of His creation,  the same gifts and show us the same mercy and grace....

                          "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal
                           power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from
                           what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Rom. 1:20

Thank You, Lord, for reminding us, through the love and compassion of our fellow human beings, as well as the animals who tread the earth, of your power and invisible qualities. May we strive to honour you by displaying likewise Your nature in extending mercy and grace to all around us.