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Genesis 1:21 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
21 So God created the large sea-creatures[a] and every living creature that
moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged bird according
to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
A favorite tourist spot of mine
on earth is the Ngorongoro Crater on the edge of the Great Rift Valley of
Africa. I have only visited there about three times, stretched over 35 years,
and I wish I could visit it far more often. The most recent visit was in 2003
when we attended the celebration of 100 years of Adventism in Tanzania.
We stopped at the Visitor Center
on the ridge of the crater and picked up a guide to accompany us down into the
crater. He spoke excellent English and was very knowledgeable. At one point
this giant volcano was probably the highest point in Africa. Then in a mighty
heave, the volcano blew the entire top of the mountain off leaving a crater
about 2000 feet (600 m) deep and 14 miles (22 km) in diameter. Over the years
since the explosion, Many of the African plains animals have made the tortuous
decent into the crater. They have apparently decided that things were better in
the crater than on the outside so they set up housekeeping there. The usual
predators and prey keep the crater population at equilibrium. To the visitor
this presents a veritable zoo spread over 400,000 acres (150 000 ha).
Because all of the animals are
wild the visitor is required to remain in the vehicle, except for particular
spots in the crater where picnic and other conveniences are provided. At one
point where we stopped, our guide urged us to make sure to not let monkeys into
the car when we got out. If they do get in your car, they immediately claim possession
of it and will fight to keep you out of it. Black-faced vervet monkeys were all
over the place. One jumped up onto our car and did its best to tear off the
windshield wipers. Since we were much bigger than they were, they didn’t try to
attack us as we walked to the restrooms.
Another spot, devoid of trees
and monkeys, had picnic tables. We got out to stretch our legs. A young Swiss
couple walked ahead of us towards the picnic tables. Suddenly Sylvia and I felt
a light brushing of feathers in our hair as a great hawk skimmed at high speed
our heads. It continued its power dive down in front of us. As we watched in
shock the hawk turned sideways, wings outstretched and shot directly between
the lovers ahead of us. The woman was carrying a sack lunch in her hand between
them. It grabbed the lunch in its talons as it zipped between them and back
into the sky. The poor woman was shocked almost to the point of a heart attack.
Of course, she had sensed nothing of the bird’s attack until it was over.
Neither one of the people had been injured, but they left the crater still
hungry. There are no snack shops in the crater. Where else on earth can you
drive among wild elephants, lions, monkeys and giraffes, and survive an
avian-Mafia attack, all in one afternoon?
In the promised Earth-Made-New
could a similar event occur? By God’s grace, I intend to find out! Will you
join me?
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