When life doesn’t go to plan

“Maybe you don’t understand why this is happening to you. Maybe you wonder where all your buddies are and what they are doing. Maybe the foreignness of it all doesn’t make sense. And, to be honest, we struggle with this too. But one day, this will all be behind you, and something far greater than you could have ever imagined will find you.” 

Skoda, you see, is a sweet little lamb—the sweetest of sweet she is proving to be. She came to us as an orphan at around one week of age. She, too, came with a nasty case of scabby mouth. In veterinary circles, this condition is better known as “orf” or “contagious ecthyma”.

The latter explains why Skoda has been living a life in isolation, apart from the many other little lambs who have found sanctuary with us. Although self-limiting, scabby mouth is highly contagious. Given the chance, it can run rampant through sheep flocks. 

It causes sores on the mouth and lips, often nasty in kind and appearance. And sometimes even further afield on the face and legs of its victims. Easily spread between animals, our biosecurity is heightened to prevent any spread. 

However, what this translates into for dear little Skoda is a life temporarily devoid of her kind. But most certainly not our kindness, as we seek to make up for this deficit. And the good news is it looks like Skoda is coming out the other side. Touching wood, though, we are not letting our guard or biosecurity down.

With the sun no longer a stranger to her, it kisses her soft and curly wool. It warms her spirits as it does ours. She gambols about beneath its warm rays as our hearts dance with her. We breathe a collective sigh of relief—this unfortunate illness has left no scars on Skoda’s enthusiasm for life. 

Skoda’s journey from orphaned and ill to hopeful and heart-filled carries an important message. She teaches us that even when life doesn’t go as planned, something greater can emerge. For her, it’s the safety and peace of sanctuary.