Ask anyone - I'm NOT a morning person and so it follows that I often dont make my most intelligent decisions in the morning. One particular early morning some time ago I realized that needed to go to the ATM to take out cash for a certain project I was working on at Home of Hope. Normally, we dont go on foot, but I needed the money that day and reasoned that nobody else would be out this early. So, I trucked off in my flip- flops the several blocks to the ATM. When I rounded the corner near the ATM, I realized instantly I was in trouble. There was no guard at the ATM stand and there was a group of thugs who divided and were about to pin me in. As I looked down frustrated that I had worn the wimpy flip -flops which made running a joke, I surrendered myself to thought I was going to get robbed and loose the money that I was about to pull out for Home of Hope. BUT then I heard a strange sound next to my leg. I looked down again to see a giant street dog with his tongue hanging out, panting and almost smiling at me. Street dogs in Bangladesh are mangy scrawny creatures that are shy of people and you should never touch BUT this dog came up to my waist and just sat down next to me neither leaving nor being aggressive towards me. Our not so friendly young muggers took off seeing the dog and the dog walked me to ATM. He sat outside the ATM until I was finished and then walked me back to my flat. As I walked in the gate I turned to see if he was still there, and he was gone. Dog angel? Who knows. Gods grace- for sure! Bangladesh is land of paradoxes: love and hate- hospitality and violence. I dont know why sometimes God protects and sometimes he allows loss, theft, and harm. But I do know He cares for usfor me, for you, and for each and every child at Home of Hope even when it seems He is nowhere to be found. So moral of the story: 1. Dont wear flip- flops to ATMs 2. Dont be afraid to look for Dog Angels because He cares for you no matter where you are.
-A Bangladesh intern