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The Blue Elephant |
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The Blue
Elephant |
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A few weeks after my mother died and almost four months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed our house, Susan and I were walking on the beach near our former home. Hurricane debris was everywhere.
As we walked we
discussed our recent years together.
After three years in Indonesia, it became apparent that certain government officials were not cooperating to improve healthcare, and were actually hiding injured and dead elephants. Worse, they refused to change procedures proven to cause the deaths. After we documented a death rate of more than 85% among new captures, we went to higher officials seeking support for change. Rather than helping, the government began harassing us and we were compelled to escape to avoid jail or extortion (common in Indonesia). After returning to the U.S. and re-grouping, we still felt the compassionate need to help elephants. To best accomplish our goals, we decided to build Elephant Care International into an official non-profit organization. So here we were walking the beach in the small town we had come to love. Only now, our home, our town, all of our records, all of our elephant books, and much of our lives had been destroyed. Further, while in Indonesia, our simple thatched-roof hut in the Belize rainforest had also been destroyed by a hurricane. It was now December and we were still awaiting government approval of our non-profit status. We had not drawn any salary for the full year. "Perhaps we reached too far," Susan surprised me by saying, "Maybe we need to abandon our dreams and get jobs to try and recover our financial footing." As I searched for words to inspire her I looked over, and there, half-buried in the sand, was something bright, blue and somehow compelling. I walked over and pulled out of the sand a child's toy -- a wet, dirty, stuffed blue baby elephant! How often would one find an elephant on a beach in Mississippi? Her spirits lifted immediately! Afterward: This is a true story. The elephant above, after a trip through the washing machine and dryer, is the one we found, . Though the past months have challenged us, and there will be challenges ahead, we are proud of the work we have done for elephants and hopeful for the future. We have now been granted official non-profit status. The Alexander Abraham Foundation has made a large grant. Elephant Care International has been challenged, but we are stronger every day. With your help, we are building an organization that will help elephants today, tomorrow, and long after we are gone. Support the elephants by making an instant donation below through our secure site. Thank you. |
