Laura Meeker

A hummingbird almost landing on my shoulder the second I prayed for one to as a reminder of God’s love for me (I thought I’d heard a wasp and shooed the bird off before seeing him or her flying away), my pet bird Precious who had passed away telling me “Jesus loves you and angels will be singing when you die” (yes, it really happened and was definitely not my imagination), a dehydrated and hungry wild rock dove, Snowflake, shaking and nodding his head “yes” and “no” to my questions and smiling at me as a thank-you for saving his life, wild birds flying down from trees and bushes to listen to me talk to them, or looking down from a tree branch right above me and watching over me while I sleep under it, are only a few of the experiences in the past few years that have led to me wanting to help my feathered friends in return for the friendship that they continually provide me. Birds are guardian angels to me, sent by God when I’m feeling depressed or lonely, and needing friendship or reminders of His love for me. I want to learn all I can about birds so that I can better help those in need.

Someday, I plan to open a bird rescue/sanctuary center, where both wild and pet birds will be rescued and rehabilitated, and wild birds will be provided with plenty of food, water, shelter, nest boxes and materials, and improved habitats. I would also like to be a bird trainer, helping birds with their so-called “behavioral issues,” which are really just reactions to abuse, neglect, and other bad situations they have to go through—usually responses to the behavioral problems of those who have treated them that way. In addition to being a bird counselor/therapist and helping them overcome their fear and depression from past struggles, I would like to convince pet bird owners to treat their birds better, to pay more attention to them, and to not give up on them, and give them tips and advice on how to better care for them.

During my studies in Avian Biology, I will be learning a lot about bird biology, care, behavior, cognition/training, rehabilitation, conservation, and habitat creation/improvement/restoration.

I am hardworking, determined, refuse to give up on my dreams and goals despite any obstacles I face (I have been and continue to be teased, laughed at, called names, tormented, bullied, harassed, discriminated against, and lied/gossiped about for being an older student, for being "homeless" (I've got a forever home in Heaven-I'm just not there yet), and even for being a Christian--some evil cyberbullying anti-Christians harassing me online just for mentioning I was a Christian told me they were going to "follow me everywhere and make my life miserable," just for refusing to give in to their attempts to try to talk me into doing witchcraft, and for standing up to them and telling them how wrong it is, and now there are all kinds of lies started and spread to run people out of my life, and I know that's why God puts plenty of feathered and furry friends in my path, like a dog who looked into my eyes, frowned, and put her paw on my heart when I was needing someone to talk to and to get some things off my chest; and another dog telling me one day, "I love you!" even though I had never said it to her; and a squirrel once greeting me with a "good morning!" after I'd told the squirrel good morning every day in the flowerbed I slept in. Even with all the hard times I've been through, I refuse to give up or in to any hateful, evil people, and will continue to press on toward my dreams and goals on this earth and toward my future Heavenly home. As a little angel-birdie once told me, birds will be in Heaven if I love them enough. And until I get there, I will continue to help the ones in need who are still here on this earth.