Since Friday, when 4 livestock guardian dogs got porcupine quills in their muzzles at 5:30 am and I could get no help, it seems my chores were way behind. I contacted yet another shearer to see if the sheep could ever get done. Already I had been creating a handling system on paper, I just needed help. And who would I ask? The folks I had lined up twice previously when the shearer cancelled both times, are busy now. What would I do? The new shearer said he could come on Thursday. I was already exhausted from late nights nursing hurting dogs and early mornings rescuing cows on the road and did not know if I could be ready for Thursday working on my own.
Then the answer to a prayer came in the form of God's workers. Two young missionaries came with the brother of a friend to bring a stock trailer to put Charka in. I must have seemed quite frantic and I said I needed help. They said they could help me and I teared up and nearly cried. Just when I was thinking it would not happen, help arrived unsolicited because I asked. It is wonderful how the Creator works for us.
So, the two young missionaries and two more showed up today ready to work. We were able to set up the pens for the shearing and tomorrow they will return and we will move the sheep and do some yard clean up too. On Thursday, shearing day, they will return one more time to help. I promised them a barbeque afterwards so I will go buy some potato salad and make some burgers and we will share a meal after a hard days work. I am so grateful for their labour and time and they do it as servants in their mission work. We often think of missions in third world countries, but why not here where much help is needed too?
We managed to even build a small handling system with a head gate, a system where a sheep's head can be locked in place to do medications or procedures. The sheep have keds, little biting wingless flies and we will treat them after shearing before releasing them. All the sheep have to be treated, but there are 5 meat lambs who cannot because the withdrawl for the pesticide is 90 days, so I am hoping they can be butchered immediately after shearing. A second application of the pesticide will be necessary 21 days after the first to ensure the pupaes that have hatched are also killed. I do not like to use pesticides, but the bugs are very bad and suck the blood from the sheep many times a day. A serious infestation, which some of these sheep have, can make the sheep anemic from loss of too much blood and it slows growth down for lambs too. The sheep itch and scratch and bite at their wool making it useless as well. After this year I will treat any and every new sheep coming onto the property!
Thank you Creator for the small mercies you show us through simple things. Thank you for the help that came unexpectedly and is so very much appreciated. I am humbled and grateful.
Then the answer to a prayer came in the form of God's workers. Two young missionaries came with the brother of a friend to bring a stock trailer to put Charka in. I must have seemed quite frantic and I said I needed help. They said they could help me and I teared up and nearly cried. Just when I was thinking it would not happen, help arrived unsolicited because I asked. It is wonderful how the Creator works for us.
So, the two young missionaries and two more showed up today ready to work. We were able to set up the pens for the shearing and tomorrow they will return and we will move the sheep and do some yard clean up too. On Thursday, shearing day, they will return one more time to help. I promised them a barbeque afterwards so I will go buy some potato salad and make some burgers and we will share a meal after a hard days work. I am so grateful for their labour and time and they do it as servants in their mission work. We often think of missions in third world countries, but why not here where much help is needed too?
We managed to even build a small handling system with a head gate, a system where a sheep's head can be locked in place to do medications or procedures. The sheep have keds, little biting wingless flies and we will treat them after shearing before releasing them. All the sheep have to be treated, but there are 5 meat lambs who cannot because the withdrawl for the pesticide is 90 days, so I am hoping they can be butchered immediately after shearing. A second application of the pesticide will be necessary 21 days after the first to ensure the pupaes that have hatched are also killed. I do not like to use pesticides, but the bugs are very bad and suck the blood from the sheep many times a day. A serious infestation, which some of these sheep have, can make the sheep anemic from loss of too much blood and it slows growth down for lambs too. The sheep itch and scratch and bite at their wool making it useless as well. After this year I will treat any and every new sheep coming onto the property!
Thank you Creator for the small mercies you show us through simple things. Thank you for the help that came unexpectedly and is so very much appreciated. I am humbled and grateful.
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