30 Jul My Favourite Stories #165
Problem in Borneo.
The most dangerous animal in the world, the one that kills more people than any other living creature, is the mosquito. Some years ago the people on the island of Borneo decided to do something about their biggest problem, which was malaria, which is carried by mosquitos. It was discovered that DDT killed those insects very quickly, so the chemical was sprayed heavily throughout the island. The mosquitos were killed. But to keep the island rid of them, the government continued to spray, which was done from helicopters, over the villages and towns.
But all did not go well as a result. There are millions of cockroaches in Borneo. In addition, there are many little lizards called geckos that eat the cockroaches and keep them from getting too numerous. The DDT didn’t kill the cockroaches, but it made them sick and easy for the lizards to catch. So the lizards got fat. Then the DDT from the cockroaches made the lizards sick and easy for the cats to catch. Borneo had lots of cats, so they had a feast on the fat lizards.
But after a time, the cats, too, got sick – on the DDT that they had got from the lizards that had gotten them from the cockroaches. The cats began to die. With that millions of rats in the jungle had no enemies and began to overrun the villages and towns.
What could be done? The call went out to distant lands for cats. Thousands of cats were dropped by parachute throughout the island to eat the rats. Because the rats weren’t sick from DDT, the cats remained healthy. And since the other dead animals and bugs and lizards had washed away in the heavy rains, things looked better. That is, except for malaria, which was now back again because they stopped spraying DDT to kill mosquitoes, because they didn’t want to sicken the cockroaches that would kill the geckos that would kill the cats.
To Eve her act of sinning seemed like a beneficial deed. She was persuaded that she would be wiser and happier for it. But she and Adam soon learned how wrong she was, for sin has upset the whole balance of nature and it ends in death. Only Jesus can restore that balance, which he soon will do. Paul in Romans 8:20-22 says “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”
Billy and the Shipwreck
During the terrible years of World War II, soon after the German armies invaded Russia, it became necessary for large convoys of ships to take food, oil, and supplies to Russia. These ships left from Southampton and other ports in Britain and travelled through the icy North Sea right up to the Russian ports of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk.
Many ships were sunk By German submarines, and many lives were lost on these dangerous missions.But the supplies had to be taken through, and brave soldiers who had been rescued from sinking ships joined other ships and kept going.
Billy was only fifteen when he applied to join the Merchant Navy. He was so small and lightly built that he seemed nearer twelve. Men were needed so badly that Billy was accepted as a ship’s boy. He had no family, and the ship became his first and only real home. The sailors became real friends to him and he was happy.
Soon the convoy entered freezing waters. Great chunks of ice hung along the rails of the ship and formed on the decks and walkways, making them very slippery. Billy and everybody on board had sore hands and feet from the cold.
One morning the warning came that enemy submarines were attacking. Before they could help themselves, their ship with all its precious cargo was sinking, and men were floundering about in the icy sea. Some of the sailors died in that terrible cold.
As the Chief Engineer left the sinking ship, his lifebelt was somehow torn, and he knew it would not support him through the night. He swam around in the sea for almost three hours wondering what would become of him. Black oil from the sunken ship floated on the water, encrusting on his face and arms, making him an unsightly mess.
Suddenly, above the sound of the wind and the waves, the Chief heard a shipmate singing. Hardly believing his ears, he listened again intently. Who was singing? Who could be so happy on a raft as to sing of the hills and trees of his home countryside? New energy came to the Chief’s tired, waterlogged limbs as he caught the next swell and swam toward the voice.
In a huge old-fashioned lifebuoy, his feet in the water on one side, and his back against the opposite part of the inner ring, sat Billy, the ship’s boy. Balanced across his knees lay a small box. It held all he possessed, and he had been very proud of the box throughout the voyage. Now that was all over. Most of his friends had gone down with the ship.
“Billy,” he spluttered, when he saw who it was, “how can you sing? Not much to sing about.”
Then Billy moved over in his lifebuoy, saying, “Climb in Chief, she’ll take two. You see, it’s like this. If I didn’t sing, I’d cry. So, I’m just singing. Come on, Chief, join in!” So, the old man and the boy encouraged each other until they were rescued.
Many brave people have done that over the years. They sang when perhaps they have felt more like crying. Do you know the story of Paul and Silas, locked in prison, their lives in danger? Jesus and His friends had supper together just before He told them He was going to die. They all felt like crying, but they sang a hymn instead. (Matt. 26:30). Jesus tells us today to ask him to help us. He has promised to help, so that we will be able to sing, no matter what our circumstances may be. Did you know that singing each day for about ten minutes reduces stress, clears sinuses, improves posture and helps you live longer.
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