The Brookfield Zoo in Chicago has a gorilla named Binti Jua. In the Swahili language, Binti Jua means “Daughter of Sunshine.” One day this gorilla lived up to her name when she saved a young boy’s life and brought sunshine to a mother’s heart.
The gorillas are housed in a big building at the zoo. Visitors can walk around the balcony overlooking a large living area where, looking down, they can see a group of gorillas from Africa. This living area has rock formations, trees, vines and running water. Visitors can see these interesting animals living and acting just like they might in the wild. They can see the large, male gorillas, weighing nearly five hundred pounds. The older males don’t move around as much as the other gorillas. Zoo visitors might also see the females caring for their young. The females are usually about half the size of the males. Probably the most fun is watching the young gorillas play. They climb trees, swing on vines and chase each other.
Two visitors, a mother and her three-year-old son, paid a visit to the gorilla house. The boy was so excited to see the gorillas and their activities that he could barely stand still. “Look Mom,” he said, pointing to a young gorilla that was climbing a tree. The mother took her eyes off her son just for a moment to watch the gorilla. In that moment, the boy climbed up the bamboo-like railing, leaned over the edge, lost his balance and fell headlong into the gorilla living area about twenty feet below! When he landed, he bumped his head on the hard floor, which knocked him out.
The startled mother saw her son crumpled on the floor below. Upset that she couldn’t reach her son when he was hurt and terrified of what the gorillas might do to him, she screamed for help. All the visitors in that part of the zoo stopped what they were doing and came running to see what had gone wrong. Some of them began recording on video cameras what was taking place.
Gorillas have much more strength than a person has. If a zookeeper went into the area to rescue the boy, it might make the gorillas angry enough to hurt someone. Since the zookeepers didn’t want to upset the gorillas, they were trying to figure out how to rescue the boy. Suddenly, Binti Jua helped them out. She was a mother gorilla and had a baby of her own. Her baby, named Koola, had its arms wrapped around her neck and was riding on her back. Binti Jua, with her baby, walked over to the boy. It was a tense moment for everyone watching. Would Binti Jua hurt the boy? Nobody knew.
Each one of us has fallen deeply into sin, and only the Lord Jesus can save us from our ruined condition. He is able and willing to save you the moment you put your trust in Him. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). Because of His death on the cross, sinners who believe on Him receive the gift of eternal life. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). The moment a sinner believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her very own Saviour, the blood He shed on Calvary washes the sinner completely clean. How wonderful it is for any person to come to know God’s love through Jesus Christ. He knew our fallen condition and, because He loves us so much, He came to save us.
Although it is unlikely that Binti Jua loved the little boy, she seemed to understand that he was hurt and needed help. With Koola still clinging to her neck, Binti Jua picked the boy up and cradled him in her arms. Another female gorilla came close, but Binti Jua signaled this other gorilla to keep her distance by growling softly. She stroked the boy’s back gently with the wrinkled, dark fingers of her hand. When the boy didn’t respond, she carried him slowly across the gorilla area to a steel door the veterinarian sometimes used. She carefully laid him down on the ground close to the door, and then walked several steps away.
A zookeeper, seeing the opportunity he had been anxiously waiting for, opened the door, hurried out, and brought the boy to safety. They rushed the injured boy by ambulance to a nearby hospital. He spent three days recovering from the bump on his head before he was well enough to return home.
Only the Lord Jesus can save us from our fallen, sinful condition. He is willing to save you the moment you put your trust in Him. Will you believe on Him, the One who loves you, died for you, and rose again so that you might be saved?
Videotapes of Binti Jua saving the boy were played on news stations all over the United States. Zookeepers rewarded Binti Jua with thirty-five pounds of delicious bananas. Overnight she became a celebrity. Many people made the trip to the zoo just to see this special gorilla.
This is the story of how Binti Jua brought sunshine into a mother’s heart and lived up to her name. Have you believed on the Saviour so that the sunshine of God’s love might shine into your heart? His name “Jesus” means “Jehovah is the Saviour,” and if you believe on Him, He will always live up to His name!
ML-07/15/2007