The following was submitted to my local newspaper, on behalf of our China rescue, Bridget

Dear Marshall Trinity UMC Members and Pastor Zoila,

           Last week, my owners saw an announcement in the Marshall Advocate that Trinity United Methodist Church was providing a Blessing for Our Pets event in the church shelter on Friday, June 25, at 10 a.m. The article explained all people and pets were welcome, with dogs leashed, cats in carriers or birds in their cages. Also welcome were pictures of pets, and even images on cell phones could be brought.

           As some of you may know, I’m Bridget, a street stray from China. I was a mangey, starving Chihuahua-mix found tied under a bridge in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. My rescuer named me Bridget and it stuck.

           At that time, American Connie Wieck, an English teacher at China’s Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, saw me advertised on the Internet and thought I’d be a great candidate for adoption. She took care of my health issues, prepared all my flight papers and I was brought to Marshall as a companion for Connie’s mom, Priscilla. In fact, my 3^rdyear anniversary as a Marshall citizen was this past June 25th!

        When I saw the announcement of Trinity Church’s pet blessing on my special day, how could I not attend? Not only that, but giving this special blessing to me was yet another immigrant to America:  Trinity’s Rev. Zoila Marty. She and her husband, Rev. Pablo Marty (serving at Paris First UMC) are originally from the Dominican Republic and have been citizens in this country for many years. 

     At the event, Pastor Zoila laid hands on me and gave me a tender blessing for my life and the lives I’ve touched here in my American home.  It was so meaningful and I felt very loved.

        Parishioner members gave me lots of pets, too.  

        I was lavished with so many treat bags that I decided to share with my American brothers and sisters in the Clark County Animal shelter. Those were picked up by shelter volunteers who likewise swung by the Marshall Community Swimming Pool to pick up abandoned towels to be used as animal bedding. 

         Every treat bag had the following Bible verse attached: “So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.”  Genesis 2:19 NLT

       Thank you so much, Trinity United Methodist church members and Pastor Zoila, for offering this unique spiritual gift to me, a lost little dog whose home is now such a happy one here in this country and smalltown community. I will be back again next year, and bring friends! 

         Love and licks,

         Bridget (as told to rescuer and owner, Connie Wieck)