Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife/ One of the nicest streets in Haiti
"I tell you the truth, whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matt
25:40 NIV)
Did you know that hundreds of orphaned bear cubs are
shot every year, just to keep them from starving to death? Ever since the white
man has encroached on bear territory, orphaned cubs have become a huge problem.
Many mother bears are either hit by cars or shot by hunters each year, and
because bear cubs are totally dependent upon their mothers, orphaned babies are
left to the mercy of the wild. Most will either starve or fall victim to
predators, and even to other bears.
Veterinarian Ken Macquisten had a burden on his heart
for these cubs. He theorized that if orphaned bear cubs could be given a safe
wilderness home to grow up in, with little or no human contact, they could be
released back into the wild. He suggested that a three-strand electric fence
could be stretched around approximately two acres of wilderness land rich in the
food elements necessary for the survival of bears. Inside the fence, the bear
cubs would be protected from predators while they learned to forage for food. He
decided to test his idea with two orphans, Coola and Grinder.
Coola was found wandering aimlessly in Bella Coola,
British Columbia after his mother was hit by a car. It isn't known what happened
to Grinder's mother, but he was discovered alone and near the point of
starvation near the Alberta-British Columbia border. Ken took these two orphans
under his care until he had built their wilderness habitat in the Grouse
Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife near Vancouver, British Columbia, and
then he released them into this area.
Unfortunately, by the time the experimental area was
ready, Coola and Grinder had been with humans too long to ever be released into
the wild; however, the experiment was a total success in every other way. When
the cubs first arrived in their new habitat, they both weighed about 7 kg. ("By
way of explanation - because there was no government authorized program to
release captive raised orphan grizzlies at the time that Grinder and Coola
became orphans, these two bears had no chance of being releasable in any event."
Dr. Ken Macquisten)
By the time their first winter
arrived, Coola weighed 78 kg and Grinder 61 kg. They had both learned how to
forage for food and how to do all the other things that bears need to survive.
Most importantly, they proved that Ken's idea would work. Thanks to this
successful experiment, the Canadian authorities now have an alternative for
orphaned bear cubs.
It only took one man to make a difference in the
survival of these abandoned cubs! Just one man!
Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the Western
hemisphere, has an infant mortality of 7.6%! Because of a baby boom, almost half
of its population is under 14 years of age, with the median age being 17. The
average life expectancy is 51. If you ever visit this country, you will be in
for a major shock. Crowds of people live either in the streets or in shacks that
aren't fit for human occupation. Water mixed with human waste flows freely in
the streets. Disease rampages out of control.
What can one do in such conditions?
Hands and Feet, an autonomous ministry founded by
members of Audio Adrenaline and Flicker Records, came to the rescue of Haitian
orphans to provide hope to future generations in Haiti. Their philosophy: "When
we impact the lives of these orphans, we impact future leaders of communities,
cities, and a nation. Touch a child and you can rescue a nation. It begins with
the children. They need love, hugs, and a caring family - a home. Together we
can change their world through God's love."
One little thing, yet what a difference it makes in
the lives of those kids.
My question: What am I doing to make a difference in
this world?
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:12 NIV)
May we learn to depend on God and let Him lead us in
being part of His love-revolution. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he
will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13 NIV)
"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also." (Matt 6:21 NIV)
Where is MY treasure?
It only takes one dedicated person to make a
difference in this world. Will you be that one?
Rob Chaffart
P. S. For more information about Grouse Mountain
Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, go to
http://grousemountain.com/adv_wilref.cfm
For more information about Hands & Feet ministry, go
to http://handsandfeetproject.org/
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.