Flashback

A peaceful puppy sleeping on my lap as I write. Suddenly, a dog barks outside. It is a common occurrence here, with the number of dogs in the neighbourhood, but things had been quiet for some time.
A single bark. That’s all it took to shift Cosette from deep sleep to wide awake, staring toward the door in fear.

A single bark from her, and a single reassurance from me to remind her that she is now safe, and does not live on the streets anymore. She has no need of fear.

I think back to the half-starved, more than half-starved little puppy I found not so very long ago, and the look in her eyes as I came toward her. So much fear for such a young dog. Nothing that young, be it animal or human, should know that much fear.

More than just fear though, there was hope in her eyes; something you don’t often see in the eyes of older street dogs. She wanted to trust someone and be loved and taken care of. And when she finally had someone to put that trust into, she fell headlong, not waiting to see if I earned that trust.

In spite of scary dog noises outside, Cosette remembers that she’s safe. It doesn’t take her long to fall back into a sleep so deep that she is completely limp in my arms. Rolling onto her back, all four legs splayed, she invites a belly rub. It is the most vulnerable position a dog can put itself in, but she is entirely unafraid.

Even now that she's not a tiny puppy, Cosette still likes to snuggle when she sleeps. She and I sleep like this most nights :~)

Coincidence

We had our last Wednesday night watching of Dr Who with the boys the night before the semester ended, though it was a bit fancier than usual. And by fancier, I mean we had more food. Banoffee pie, apple cake, s’mores tart, sweet corn, and papaya. The boys were pretty much in heaven. There was also a farewell for the dorm’s IG Harry, and me.

I had plans to spend the next day out of town with a friend, so I told the boys it was our final goodbye, as they would all be leaving while I was out of town. So they said their goodbyes to Cosette and me. It was a fairly emotional farewell. We’ve meant a lot to the boys, and they’ve meant a lot to us.
The following day though, I realized that I had far too much to do to go on a long bike trip. So I decided to change our plans to another day, and stay in town on Thursday.
Before I started to accomplish my list of tasks, I took Cosette to the school so she could spend the day outside. I also hoped to get a photo of one of the dorm boys, with the picture of Cosette he drew for me.

We had to wait some time for him to return to the dorm, but when he did, it was well worth it. He had been somewhat apprehensive about returning home, and as he walked down to the dorm, that was obvious on his face.
Cosette saw him from where we were sitting on a log, waiting. I turned her loose, knowing exactly what she would do. And she did not disappoint. She stretched out as she ran, the way she does only when she is super happy, and running toward someone she is very fond of. She was about halfway to him before he realized she was there.

The moment he saw Cosette, his face transformed into one of pure joy. He bent down, letting Cosette jump on his legs as he hugged and pet her. They only had time for a few minutes together, but I believe it was very much what he needed before leaving school.
It was only that evening when I learned that it was not merely my busyness and circumstances that brought Cosette and me to the school that morning. This boy had been praying all morning for one more chance to see the two of us. As much as Cosette has made a huge difference in my life, she has done the same for him. I love seeing the two of them together. Pretty sure he cares about Cosette almost as much as I do.
I was a bit bummed about changing my plans that day, but when I found out what an impact those five minutes or so made, I was perfectly happy with my choice. I would prefer five minutes bringing that much joy to one whom I care about than to spend all day selfishly doing only what I want.

I don’t believe it was a coincidence that Cosette and I ended up at Hebron that morning. I believe that we were prompted by God in order to be an answer to prayer. And it is a wonderful thing to be just that.