Popcorn

Popcorn’s Heartwarming Journey: A Story of Hope and Healing

2023 unfolded as a year of relentless trials, a true battle for survival that tested the very fabric of our lives. As the kidding season began in April, joy quickly morphed into heartache as we faced the gut-wrenching loss of our kids, week after week. Each tiny life lost felt like a piece of our hearts being ripped away, leaving behind a profound sense of sorrow.

But the challenges didn't end there. By October, we were confronted with an even more harrowing tragedy. Our beloved herd, once vibrant and full of life, began to suffer from mysterious health issues. The symptoms varied, and each goat faced its own battle, but the outcome remained the same – they all succumbed to their ailments within the first three weeks of that fateful month.

As those weeks passed, the weight of grief grew heavier, and by the end of the third week, we found ourselves in a dark place, having lost approximately 15% of our cherished herd. It was a period marked not only by loss but by the struggle to maintain hope in the face of overwhelming adversity.

On the 13th day of October’s turmoil, everything changed. We watched helplessly as Popcorn, one of our first bottle-fed goats and a cherished member of our family, was nearing the end of her fight. Her health had declined so severely that she could barely stand. It was late at night, and my heart felt heavy, burdened with exhaustion. In that moment, I sat by her side, craving a miracle, knowing that darkness was closing in.

With tears in my eyes, I whispered to her, "Popcorn! What can I do for you? What do you need?" Desperation fueled my plea, as I realized I could no longer bear to see her suffer. "You won’t survive the night!" I cried. “Just tell me what you need!”

Then, I heard it – her voice, clear as day: “I want to go home!”

Home? I questioned, wondering if I had lost my mind.

Could I really hear my goat speaking to me?

"Yes! I want to go home!" she insisted, and in that moment of desperation, I chose to believe.

I lifted her fragile 35kg body and cradled her toward the only home she knew – our house, her sanctuary from the very first days of her life.

Upon entering the kitchen, I turned to our daughter, Lisa: “Popcorn wants to come home!”

With a smile, Lisa greeted her, “Hello, Popcorn!”

As I set Popcorn down, something remarkable happened. The instant her hooves touched the floor, her head lifted – a sight we hadn’t witnessed in days! Can you believe it?

She actually started to walk then!

Just moments before, she could barely stand, yet now she was taking tiny, wobbly steps toward her past, heading to the room where she’d grown up with her sister, Däumelinchen.

Next, she ventured to the new kidding station, her curiosity piqued by the bottle kids, before returning to the kitchen. I decided then to offer her some grass. To our astonishment, she began to eat – on her own, for the first time in ages!

And there it began – Popcorn’s healing journey. Under our watchful care, she spent her days alongside her friends in the garden, returning to her home every night. She always came back home.

It was a sight to behold – pure magic unfolding before our eyes.

And that’s where it all began… Popcorn’s healing, the enchantment of the goats, and the true birth of the My African Healing Centre.

A moment of pure magic, one that has continued to resonate ever since.