26/08/2026
This is an alpaca. 15 years ago today, i took this photo. I was the Headteacher of a large residential special school in the UK. It was in rural England, and was on a large former country estate. The previous headteacher had developed a farm as a vocational pathway for children. I lived on site with my young family, and during the holidays we provided much of the day to say care for the animals. I knew nothing about farming, and it was a brutal learning curve. Harsh winters mucking out and crazy long hours abounded, but it was a magical time for the children.
As i reflect on the things God has put in my life, I give thanks for humilty. I can remember thinking "I am a headteacher, i have trained hard for this, and i shouldn't be cleaning alpaca poo."
But i realise God was showing me that it is not about me and my career, my skills, it is about God's Kingdom and how we can make choices that shape it and nurture it, or we can make choices that harm it.
To live as God calls us is to understand that the journey is hard at times, but we learn together from the journey. And that just as God loves us, we are called to love each other and love God's creation...even stubborn alpacas!
