Seeing The Potential
As a child I was born and brought up in a rural environment, fishing, shooting, ferreting etc was the norm and I learned early on the value of our native wildlife. To respect and preserve it, to abhor cruelty to any species, while at the same time enjoy a sample upon the table from time to time.
It was as natural for me to find a hare hanging behind our scullery door, as it would be for many to find a coat behind their door.
I can still remember vividly, in the spring of 1954, when I was allowed to net a fish, a nice trout, for my uncle Ronnie, now sadly deceased. It was an experience that has remained to this day as one of my most treasured childhood memories, and indeed only now can I appreciate the generosity shown to an excited 7 year old boy, in allowing me to perform the task, which as any fisherman knows, all too often can result in a lost fish.
I am tempted to pursue the subject of my country upbringing, for it holds many memories for me, and lies very close to my heart.
However, a more important subject is the main theme of this article, suffice to say that like most others of a similar background, I have an inbuilt regard for habitat conservation and for the continued welfare of our natural heritage, so that others may enjoy what I took for granted in my childhood.
But to the subject
When Irene and I were finishing our house in the bush of Ukambani, Eastern Kenya, I had a plan in mind for water conservation and recycling. Using the natural gradient upon which the house is situated I purposed to separate our waste water and plumbed the house accordingly.
"Clean" waste, sinks and showers, I directed via a small pipe, to a thorn bush 15 metres below our veranda. Just under the shade of the shrub I formed a very small and shallow pond with a piece of plastic for a liner and some cement to create the desired shape. The pond is replenished each day with a bucket of clean water, while the shrub is kept green and growing from the recycled water.
A few bougainvillea plants from Nairobi sited at the base of the bush, and now just 15 months later, a strong young acacia tree is flourishing while the bougainvillea has climbed in wild profusion through to its uppermost branches to make a very pleasing oasis of colour in an otherwise dry and arid landscape.
I saw the potential and I have not been disappointed with the results.
But that is not all, my pond has now become the gathering place for hundreds of birds, as well as many wild animals.
In the early morning, and late in the afternoon whole flocks come in the dry season, while through the day a constant variety of species are to be seen. Hornbills, wagtails, sunbirds, weaverbirds, starlings, whydas and many species of dove, while a pair of speckled pigeons have taken up residence under my solar panel and have managed to produce a brood of two offspring.
Our small pond is a birdwatchers paradise, a conservationists dream, a success story in miniature of the potential of creating and preserving the right environment if we wish to enjoy nature's grand display of variety and beauty.
The same is true of course in things spiritual, to achieve the utmost from our evangelistic endeavours we must prepare the ground, we must provide the environment, we must make a place where the Gospel has the very best opportunity of taking hold in the hearts of humankind.
At the risk of being repetitive I will say again that many years ago I saw the potential of evangelism through humanitarian means and I have not been disappointed with the results.
Our clinic is our pool; it has become the very centre of all our activities.
Not only do the sick flock to it as a matter of necessity, but our clinic has provided the impetous, the opportunity for our Child Evangelism, our Sunday School programme, and now the new Girls Christian Academy.
We have created an environment that has proved so very productive for the Gospel seed. Evangelism is not a matter of chance, seeing the potential is vital to its success.