That's My Story and I'm Sticking To It: THE LEAST OF THESE

Friday, January 22, 2010

THE LEAST OF THESE

THE LEAST OF THESE

IN LEBANON

This is the last segment of the last three posts, which are below. I hope you have enjoyed it.

How do I reconcile the people we meet with radicals who hate us and terrorists who want to kill us? Before I came here, I thought the Hezbollah was a secret, criminal group. Here in Lebanon there is no secrecy about being Hezbollah. As days pass and we become more comfortable with each other, our escorts (even the Hajj) pose with us for photographs. The young men become friendly and playful. One proudly shows us his baby daughter, a dark-eyed, smiling beauty. And in this village, the Hezbollah is respected and loved -- the only group, as the villagers see it, which defended them during the attack on their home. “They are like America’s Minute Men,” remarks one of our team.

The genial young men keep a close watch over us, though. They NEVER leave any of us alone. In another village, the entire group, except for me, walks up a street and around a corner while I pay for my purchases. When I leave the shop, my escort drives the van slowly along beside me as I walk through the quiet village. I walk as quickly as I can, embarrassed and feeling like the First Lady of America being shadowed by the Secret Service. Still, the deserted street is a little scary and I appreciate the company.

I hear one of our translators replying to questions from one of our team, “America should help the weak nation against the strong one,” she states. “Israel is so strong and Lebanon so weak.” Asked about the flyers dropped by Israel warning the residents to leave the area before the attack started, she replies, “If you were told to leave your home and land and let someone else take it over, would you?”

We observe and ask questions, but we do not involve ourselves in politics. We can see the problems of the Lebanese people more from their point of view now, and commiserate with them in their suffering. Our mission is to demonstrate the gospel of Christ by helping others. We are here as Baptists, to succor the cold, hungry, and lonely for the love of Jesus, who said, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you do this for the least of these, you do it for me.”

END

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ALLIGATOR FACTS

FLOUNDER Is about 3 feet long. He is around 7 years old, so he should be longer, but he was kept as a pet in the early part of his life, fed incorrectly, and his growth was stunted. He should eventually reach his full growth. We assume Founder is a male. I think you would have to be a cross between a gynecologist and a proctologist to find out. Gender is on a "need to know" basis. With all those little teeth he has, we don't need to know. Founder eats mice, rats, etc.

ALLIGATORS IN THE WILD:

REPRODUCTION: The female gator lays 20 to 50 white, goose-egg-size eggs and covers them with vegetation which heats as it decays, warming the eggs. Throughout the 65-day incubation period, mom remains near the nest and protects it from intruders. When she hears the high-pitched squeals of the hatching babies, she digs them out of the nest.

YOUNG: The hatchlings are 6 to 8 inches long. They stay near the mothers for about 2 years for protection from predators, such as birds, raccoons, bobcats, and other alligators. Alligators grow throughout their lives. Males can be up to 10 to 15 feet long and females reach just under 10 feet.

FEEDING: In the wild, they eat fish, birds, turtles, snakes, mammals, and amphibians. Humans have been attacked; it's best to enjoy them at a distance.

TEETH: Lucky gators have roughly 20 pairs of 1-inch-long replaceable teeth on each jaw. No dentures needed. New teeth are stacked below the gum line and push up to replace worn or lost teeth.

BREATHING: Inactive alligators can rest underwater for several hours. Even when hunting, alligators can "hold their breath" long enough to drown many species.

COLD BLOODED: Alligators regulate their body temperatures by sunning themselves when they are cold and submerging into cool water when they are too warm. All their activity is dependent on external temperature. Sluggish when they are cool, gators are less likely to hut or eat.

They are also sluggish when they have recently gorged themselves. A guide in the Okefenokee Swamp demonstrated this by locating an 11-foot-long gator which had just eaten and pulling its tail INTO YOUR ROWBOAT for us to touch. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Did I say it was 11 feet long? Man!