Daniel and I are in Sumy getting supplies for camp. As we are shopping, my phone rings. This is the conversation…
Alicia: “Hi Dad. Now I know that you hate it when we do this, and you don’t like it when it happens…
John: “What’s up? Are you ok?”
Alicia: “Yes, I’m fine. I am out on my bike…”
John: “Where are you at?”
Alicia: “Down the road from the camp, about 2 km away.”
John: “Ok, and so….”
Alicia: “Well, I was riding along and I saw 4 tiny little furry shapes. As I rolled by, it registered – those are kittens! I stopped. Dad, they are so cute, they are going to die if we don’t do something….”
John: “You’re right. I do hate it when you do this.”
Alicia: “We have to do something Dad” By this time her voice is getting plaintive, obviously assuming that I was going to be against the idea.
John: “Do you have a backpack or a bag?”
Alicia: “No” Hope is beginning to creep back into her voice.
John: “We are almost done here. We’ll be there in 20-30 minutes and pick them up, and then we will figure out what to do. But be very clear – we aren’t keeping them. We already have enough furry things running around our place.
So we pull up and there Alicia is sitting on the side of the road with 4 little kitties climbing all over her.
We pick them up, and head back to the camp. On the way, God gave me an idea. We fed the little beggars, and then drove over to the horse barn that isn’t far from the camp. There was a lady standing outside – we thought, she will have mercy. Nope. Too many cats already.
So then we head over to another barn that is nearby (this is the site of an old collective farm) which has a bunch of cows. As we pull up there are two very rough looking guys standing there, leaning on the fence. Both kids say, this is a lost cause – they aren’t going to be nice to some kitties. I got out and explained the situation. They just looked at me, and then one said “sure”. The kids were really surprised by how these to guys took the kitties, began to play with them and showed them tenderness.
Definitely a lesson of don’t judge a book by its cover.
