Stalked!

*Note* The pictures I have added to this blog were obviously taken after the fact, but in the same location. Bare with me and enjoy them anyway! Special guest appearance from our new little staff kitten, Joash (that's what I call him anyway since he thinks he's the young new king on campus). Look close for him, he's tiny!


Getting back to Bethany from Paruima after a month and a half took longer than Michael and I had hoped. But we made it back safe and sound and got back into our regular duties in no time.

The day we returned Michael talked to Gilbert about all that had been happening while we were gone. They chatted about the wood shop which had become operational in our absence, about the building project that was coming up in Mashabo, and a little bit about bee keeping. As they conversed about the latter, it didn't take long for Michael to realize that the bee hives had been grossly neglected ever since the little bees had come to live at BMMC. Michael decided to go check them out that night.

He was prompted to check the hives immediately because they happened to be resting on top of the large, wooden structure that housed the school's water pump. The water pump seemed to be broken, leaving the whole campus without water. Naturally they wanted to see what was wrong as soon as possible. But no one would go close to those bees so it had been put off. Though there was no bee suit available on campus, Michael was confident that the bees wouldn't be too aggressive since they tend to settle down after dark.

Michael took Andre, one of the students, with him and they went to go lift the hives and get them safely away from the pump. As they walked down the steep incline to the creek, Michael heard something that made him slow his steps. It was a low, guttural sound coming from the distant darkness. He couldn't really tell what it was or where it was coming from, but it put him on his guard. When he heard it again, louder and closer he stopped dead in his tracks. There could now be no mistake that this was the growl of a large jungle cat. Andre was oblivious that anything was wrong until Michael urgently grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his side, alerting him of their perilous situation. In the dim light of Michael's headlamp two glowing orange eyes appeared stalking purposefully toward them. Feeling uncomfortably vulnerable, Michael started to back away, keeping a close eye on the cat. Andre, on the other hand, bolted back up the hill totally abandoning his companion. Michael, not particularly interested in lingering either, followed close behind, peering over his shoulder as he went.

The cat seemed content that the intruders were gone. It remained in the peaceful shadows of its banana grove by the creek. Needless to say, the breathless Michael and Andre didn't move the bees that night. They ran hard toward the Sisson's house laughing their heads off. The people in the house saw them running and thought for sure they were being chased by angry, stinging bees. When the rest of us heard what had really happened, more than one of us were just a bit jealous at their exciting fate. However, you can be sure that I said an extra special prayer of thanks when Michael returned to my arms that night without a scratch.