Hi everyone, this is Courage & Little Missy, the new unexpected additions to our family. 🐶🐾
Unexpected, because over a decade ago when I lost my first dog, I was sure I’d never have another. I went to work at the hospital one morning, received an anxious text about his illness, and, between my trudging between patients trying to save their lives, his was lost.
I never got to say goodbye.
From being a dog lover, I became averse to them. I couldn’t even pet one. It’s been 15 years.
But there’s more.
Just before we left Singapore, our 7-year old was chased down by a huge dog, leaving her traumatized after she tripped over her scooter and bled from sheer fear. Our 5-year old would scream hysterically in the lift if she saw a dog merely waiting to enter.
But in Tanzania where we are, having guard dogs are a necessity for security. So when God led us to these German Shepherd mixes, born around the time of our departure from Singapore, what unfolded shocked us all—
Our girls, once terrified of dogs, overcame their phobia. I’d prayed that if we were meant to have a dog, that God would pick one for us and that it’d be seamless. Where we are, finding a dog can be a challenge of its own!
What were the chances that we were led to a friend we’d met last year to her fresh litter of pups, who were keeping them under wraps until she met the right family, who lived just 5 minutes away?
Courage, named by Cliff, is the biggest of the litter and quite the cool mafia. We’d planned to only get him. Little Missy, the crowd favorite, is the runt of the pack— because of her comical waddle on her short legs, I’d given her the moniker Little Missy before she would go to another home. But when her prospective owner ditched her and God opened our hearts for one more, our friend told us it was her prayer all along! And so the moniker stuck, yikes!
Another new friend showed up unannounced at our doorstep, to surprise us with a dog house he built just for us. It stunned us all!🏠
I laugh- I’d turned down a house previously because it had dogs— & now we have 2. 🙈
More than just dogs, I’m grateful God answered so many of our prayers this way- for community & joy. 💛