Scott's Weekly Greeting, April 13, 2021

Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
April 13, 2021

Her name was Helen. She was a tough and feisty girl. She was picked up as a stray on the streets of Memphis, Tennessee rummaging around in dumpsters and trash barrels for food. She was blind and mostly deaf. The staff at the animal shelter told the rescue director that she should not pull Helen. They said that no one would adopt a dog like that. But the rescue director did not listen to the shelter staff. She gave Helen a chance at life.

Helen was fostered down south for several weeks before heading north to New England ... to us. Helen was a special case. She was aggressive toward other dogs because she had to fight and scrap for her survival on the streets, so there were gates keeping her separate from our dogs. Helen traveled the yard in little circles, like a canine Spir-O-Graph. Around and around she went. I tried to protect her from bumping in to things, but then I realized what she was doing. She was mapping out the yard in her mind. Once she had the yard mapped out, she could run around without crashing.

It took several weeks for find the perfect family to adopt Helen. She needed a family that would love her and be patient with her special needs. Helen was adopted by an amazing family with four human siblings to love her and cherish her.

Helen was the subject of sermons and Children's Messages. She won over the hearts of people wherever she went. This morning, those hearts were broken when Helen crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Tears were shed in her memory from Memphis, Tennessee to Saco, Maine.

As the saying goes ... it took a village. It took to give Helen a chance at life. People opened their hearts and their homes to save this precious life ... a life that had been deemed unworthy and undesirable. Although she was found in a dumpster, Helen was not trash. I am so grateful for everyone that gave that special girl life and the love that she deserved.

This is one story of one dog. Communities of caring people do this every day. They open their hearts and share their love with those who are considered to be the least. We know that is our call. Jesus calls us to offer aid to those who are considered to be the least among us. We are called to extend our hands and our hearts and offer love to those who may be unable to care for themselves because of their circumstances. Let us open our eyes and see the needs of the world. Let us open our hearts and share our love.

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