Our church property is surrounded on two sides by large, private vegetable gardens. Many people, especially elderly people, keep gardens in Russia, but it is a little unusual that we are wedged in between two gardens due to the fact that our property is positioned just a smidgen south of the very center of town. As in most good sized cities, it is fairly rare to find a vegetable garden near the center of town since most available spaces that would work for a garden have already been occupied by office buildings and apartment complexes. In fact, right in front of our property (and in front of the gardens) stands a large, 9-story apartment block. I like to think that God supernaturally reserved our plot of land just for us including the two gardens. Most people are amazed to learn that our prime property was not developed earlier. What they don’t know is that in the spirit realm there is a huge “Reserved for Fountain of Life Church” sign hanging over our land.
It truly is nice to have gardens on either side of us, sometimes our neighbors bless us with fresh produce, but there are drawbacks too. For one thing, these vegetable gardens provide paradisiacal conditions for vermin, including large, Norwegian rats. If these rats were content to not only eat of the fruit of the gardens, but also live there, all would be well. Unfortunately, our pesky foes choose to eat out of the gardens, and then maliciously run over to the church to sleep, congregate, and reproduce in our basement.
Just yesterday, one of my assistants, Vassya, told me that he happened to hear a gnawing sound come through one of the open windows in the church. He went outside to investigate and was amazed to see a gargantuan rat perched on the window sill gnawing at the screen and preparing to boldly enter into our office. In fact, it had already gnawed a sizeable hole in the screen when Vassya startled it and scared it away. What surprises me about this is that the rat behaved so boldly in broad daylight. Usually, they work in the dark, hidden from view, but not this time.
I told the staff that we must get that rat(s) at all costs. The exterminators are on their way. Everybody has something blunt and heavy sitting on their desks within easy reach, and as for me, well, my pneumatic air pistol is ready and loaded should a rat suddenly appear on my sill.
