My wife and I, along with a team of four others, had flown from Columbus, Ohio to Jamaica to conduct Vacation Bible Schools in six churches in the interior of the country near Montego Bay.
My former employer had donated over six thousand dollars worth of VBS material and had previously shipped it to the location where we would be teaching. Other suppliers had given us glue, scissors, and other items we would need to make the school a success in an area where things like these were not as available.
During the week we enjoyed a combined attendance of over 1100 students and local workers who we taught in advance how to use the school material. It was a wonderful experience watching the children, most of whom had walked 5-6 miles through jungle like areas or banana fields to and from the churches. We were amazed at the dedication of their attendance and desire to learn more about the Bible characters in each lesson.
On our return to the airport to check in our rented van, we had to detour due to a large crowd of people surrounded by about 50 police and military personnel. As we got closer we saw that a cow was tied to a telephone pole and was groaning loudly. I was still without understanding for the large gathering until I was stuck with the amazement that both rear hams and legs had been cut off of the cow. No wonder it was mourning in pain.
I later learned the cow had wandered into the street and was hit by a car damaging it. Since cows are not supposed to be loose, the driver of the car took the amount of estimated damages to his car from the animal fulfilling an unwritten code of the area.
As we flew out that afternoon the discussion surrounded the subject of the dying cow.
Nearly 2000 years ago there was another sacrifice on a pole. This was when Christ died to pay the price for the sins of the world. It was enough that the father in heaven accepted it as “Paid in full.”
Ephesians 5:2
“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”
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