"As the director of an animal rescue organization, I receive calls constantly in reference to dogs. But I knew this one was different."

Larissa Kaye Batten (llbeara@aol.com) writes "Soul Food," a weekly column for SpiritSite.com.  

Larissa is a prolific writer whose work has been featured in several publications.  

"Hey honey, you got a message," my husband Dan said.

"Okay, did you write it down?" I asked.

"Yeah, I left a note on the counter. It was some lady who wanted to talk about dogs."

I laughed. "Alright, thanks," I said as I searched around the kitchen counter for the note.

I found the yellow post-it note, glanced at it, and stuck it on the telephone so I would remember to call her back on Monday.

The woman called again Monday, before I even had a chance to return her call.

"I’m calling about dogs," she said in her message on my voice mail. "I need help."

As the director of an animal rescue organization, I receive calls constantly in reference to dogs. But I knew this one was different. The voice on my machine was elderly, and her message sounded urgent.

Crying. "I need help," she said in her message." More crying. Sobbing, actually. "My dogs. I can’t keep them. I have to move." More crying. She managed to leave half of her phone number before she sobbed even harder and hung up. Fortunately, I already had her number.

"Hello," I said when I finally reached her on the telephone. "This is Lara Batten from Miracle Animal Rescue."

Crying.

"I want to help you. Please tell me how I can help."

"I have to move," she sobbed. "I’m 75 years old. I have to move into an apartment where they won’t accept dogs. My social worker called the Humane Society. They’re full. I need help." She sobbed and sobbed.

"Okay, I want to help you," I said gently. "Why don’t you tell me a little about your dogs, so I can try to help them find homes."

She cried and talked, cried and talked. She told me about her dogs, her worries, her story, and her fears. Then she gave me the phone number for her social worker.

"Hi Mr. ___," I said to her social worker when he answered his telephone. "My name is Lara Batten, and I’m calling from Miracle Animal Rescue."

Silence.

Uh oh. I’m not good with silence on the telephone.

"I bet you have no idea why I’m calling," I laughed, my attempt at humor really an attempt at making us both more comfortable.

"No, I don’t," he said. "But I can guess."

"It’s about Mrs. ____," I explained, mentioning the woman’s name.

"Yes," he said, "That’s what I thought."

"I really want to help her."

The ice was broken. We had something in common. We both wanted to help her.

Her social worker filled me in on the missing pieces so I could put her whole story together.

The woman’s husband had died. She was all alone, and couldn’t afford to stay in her mobile home with her dogs and cat. Her electricity would be cut off days before Christmas, and she would have to find subsidized housing.

"She’s a very nice woman," her social worker said. "It would really be great if you could help her dogs. I am so grateful to you. I will say prayers for you."

"I will say prayers for you, too," I said. "I really want to help her," I said.

"This is a miracle," the social worker had said at the end of our telephone call. "Thank you so much for being willing to help."

"Well, we’re called Miracle Animal Rescue," I laughed. "It’s such a gift to me," I said. "But you already know that. You’re a social worker. I bet you know what I’m talking about. It feels so good to give."

"Yes," he agreed. "It does."

I called the woman again.

"My social worker called to tell me he spoke to you." She cried again. "I don’t even know how to move. I don’t have anyone to help me move."

"When you need help moving, you call me," I said. "I will ask my friends to help. In the meantime, I will try to help your dogs find good homes."

I pray I will be able to find good homes for the dogs. I pray the woman will find a new home for the holidays. I pray her social worker will continue to do his good works.

And I pray, as each of us scurries about during this busy time of year, that we will remember what it really means to give.

Please, if you really want to give a gift this holiday season, find someone who needs help. Help him or her come home for the holidays.

I am not sure there is any better gift to give – or a better gift to be given.

Amen.

back to "Soul Food" index ->