by C. Fennessy
Leah watched as Hannah hurried off toward the market stalls. She hobbled over to a shady spot beside a wall and sat down to peel an orange, hoping Hannah would soon return.
Hannah spoke to several stall merchants. Some ignored her, and others were no help at all. But one young man, a sandal maker, smiled and told her where Jesus was.
Excited by this, Hannah told him that she needed a ride.
“Its’ only a mile or two. Why don’t you just walk?” he asked while removing leather pieces from a basket.
Hannah told him about Leah.
The young man’s frown softened and he said, “Yes, this man Jesus heals people. I can’t let you have my donkey today, but I will take you there tomorrow.”
“But that’s too late!” Hannah cried, “We have to get back home tonight or our parents will worry!”
“Home? Where are you from?”
“A small village, about three hours from here.”
The young man shook his head, “Your parents should have come with you!”
Hannah looked sheepish, “Well, they don’t exactly know that we’re here.”
The young man’s face hardened, “You didn’t tell your parents? You ran away without telling them where you are?”
“Please! It’s the only way Leah can be healed! We tried to tell our parents about Jesus but they didn’t believe us!”
The young man looked at her for a long time, and saw tears filling Hannah’s eyes. He said gently, “A week ago I would have told you to go away. But I see that you have hope, and I understand how you feel. I’ll take you there myself. My name is Ezra.”
Hannah’s face broke into a smile, “Oh, thank you! Thank you, Ezra! My name is Hannah and my friend is Leah. When do we leave?”
“As soon as these baskets have been unloaded,” he replied. But before he could say another word, Hannah was helping to unload the baskets herself. He smiled and chuckled.
It was late afternoon by the time they reached the craggy hills. Leah rode on Ezra’s donkey, and Hannah and Ezra walked over the hardened path. Even from a distance, they could see the multitudes of people upon the hillside; some sitting in groups; others standing.
Slowly, they made their way upward to the crowd of people, where they could get no closer.
“We must get closer!” Hannah cried.
“Be quiet!” several people warned her, “we’re trying to hear!”
They found a place to sit down and listen to Jesus
“Forgive your enemies,” he was saying, “Do good to them that hurt you…”
As Hannah and Leah listened, they were amazed at this man’s teachings. He did not tell people, ‘an eye for an eye’ but told them to turn the other cheek if they’re hurt by someone.
“Love your neighbor, and pray for those who hurt you,” he said, “If a man asks you to walk a mile, then go two miles, and give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.”
Hannah turned to Ezra, asking, “Is that why you agreed to bring us here?”
Ezra smiled, “Yes. You asked for a ride to see Jesus, so I brought you here myself. It’s what Jesus would have done.”
The more they listened, the more they realized that Jesus was not like other teachers. He spoke about God’s love for everyone, no matter who they were. And he told the people not to worry about anything.
“Consider the lilies of the field,” he said, “they do not work or make clothes. Yet your heavenly Father clothes them in such beauty that not even King Solomon was dressed so well. If your heavenly Father takes such good care of the lilies in the fields and the birds of the air, will He not take good care of you? Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about what you shall drink, or what you shall eat, for your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things.”
Jesus spoke until the sun slowly sank behind the mountains, and it became cool. When he finished, the crowd leapt to their feet and rushed toward him.
“Jesus! Wait!” Hannah cried, but she was too far away to be heard. In a moment, he was gone.
“Where’s he going?” asked Leah, as the crowd milled around them like lost sheep.
“No one knows. He comes and goes like the wind,” replied Ezra, “Come on. It’s getting dark. We should go back to town.”
All the way back, Hannah and Leah were silent, both feeling a crushing disappointment. They made their way down the hillside with the rest of the crowd heading back to the city.
When they reached Ezra’s house, he said, “You won’t find a caravan leaving here until tomorrow morning. You can stay with us for the evening. My father will fix you something to eat.”
The girls realized he was right. Now that it was dark, it wasn’t safe to be outside the walls of the city at night. Robbers and wild animals lurked along the road sides, ready to attack.
Ezra’s father was happy to give them a small supper and mats to sleep on. They talked a while beside the fireplace, and Ezra told them that his mother died several years ago.
“I was really lost after she died, and didn’t know what to do. But I found my life again when I first heard Jesus speak,” he said, looking happy.
Later, when the house was dark and they were alone, Leah asked,
“Hannah, what about our parents? They’ll be really worried about us.”
Hannah gave a shrug, “Your parents will. Mine probably haven’t even noticed that I’m gone. They don’t care about me. I’m just a girl.”
“That’s not true! I’m sure your parents love you just as much as they love your brothers!” Leah objected.
“No they don’t. They don’t listen to me at all. All they care about is if I do my chores. And if I don’t, my father hits me. I’m just a slave to them…someone to wait on them, like my mother does. All she ever does is work and wait on my father and brothers. And do they ever thank her? No, and me neither. The only time they’ll notice I’m gone is when they want their breakfast served.”
Leah was quiet. She didn’t know what to say. But from what she had seen when she had visited Hannah’s house, she believed it was true. Hannah’s father and her brothers seemed to rule the roost, while her mother kept quiet and did as she was told. Perhaps she too was afraid of being struck by Hannah’s father, who had a violent temper.
Leah was grateful that her family was not like that. Her father valued her and her mother as well as her sisters. Her parents never argued or raised their voices in anger to one another. Leah couldn’t imagine what it was like to live in a family like Hannah’s. She understood why Hannah always came to her house to play. For her, it was an escape.
“Leah?” Hannah’s voice called in the dark.
“Yes?”
“Do you really think what he—Jesus—said was true? Do you think that the Lord will take care of us no matter what happens?”
Leah’s voice came through clearly, “Yes, Hannah, I believe it.”
There was a long pause, and then Hannah turned over.
“Goodnight, Leah.”
“Goodnight, Hannah.”
Chapter Four: Dangerous Journey
“I will strangle that girl when I find her!” Hannah’s father yelled the next morning. “She’s nothing but trouble! All the time! Why can’t she be like you?” he cried fiercely to Judith, “She should know her place by now! This is all your fault! You haven’t taught her properly!”
“Saul! Please! Calm down!” pleaded Judith, setting down a plate of breakfast food before him.
“How can I be calm? Our daughter has run away! What was she thinking? She couldn’t have been thinking! She’s totally brainless!”
Joshua, one of their sons, added, “She’s probably been captured as a slave by now. Or lying dead on the road to Jerico.”
“Don’t say that!” Judith cried in horror.
“I haven’t got time to find her!” Saul bellowed, “I have work to do!”
“I’ll find her!” Judith exclaimed, “I promise you, I will!”
“We
ll, good luck! Come on, boys, let’s get going while the fish are still biting.”
Saul stood up and his sons followed him out of their small house. The last one out of the door, Abe, was the youngest. He turned to his mother with sorrowful eyes, and said gently,
“Don’t worry, Mother, Hannah will come back.”
Judith gave her son a grateful hug and wiped the tears on her face.
“Go along with your father, now. Don’t keep him waiting.”
Abe nodded and left her standing alone at the doorway.
Oprah and Isaac, Leah’s parents, hurried to Hannah’s house to ask her mother if she knew where Leah was.
“No, I have no idea, except…”
“Go on,” Isaac prompted.
“Hannah was asking about a healer named Jesus the other night. She wanted to go to Jerico with Leah. I wonder if that’s where they have gone.”
Isaac and Oprah exchanged wide-eyed looks.
“Yes! Leah was asking the same thing! That must be where they’ve gone! But how would they get there?”
“They must have left with one of the caravans. I’ll leave immediately,” Isaac promised, “You stay here in case they return. If they do, send someone to the temple in Jerico with a message. I’ll check there every few hours. But I’ll keep looking until I find them.”
“They’ll probably be following that man Jesus,” Judith suggested.
“Then they shouldn’t be hard to find,” Isaac smiled, and bid Judith and Oprah goodbye.
It was after sunrise when the girls left Ezra’s house to find a caravan for home. He gave them a small bundle of bread and fruit, and a wooden cup for drinking. They found room on a cart for both of them, and Hannah gave the driver the last of their money.
While waiting to leave, the girls found a place to sit near the well.
A strong-looking young man came to the well and drew some water. He kept looking at the girls as they sat talking quietly.
Finally, he asked, “Are you going on the caravan?”
Leah smiled at him, “Yes, we are!”
The man nodded and smiled, “That’s good. Where’s your family? We’re about to leave soon.”
“Oh, we’re traveling alone,” Hannah boasted, “I mean, just the two of us.”
The man seemed surprised, “Really? Well, that’s quite an adventure for you, isn’t it?”
The girls smiled shyly and giggled.
“Well,” he continued, “I’m on the caravan, too. If you should need anything, just ask for Tomas.”
Hannah nodded and Leah said, “Thanks.”
Tomas picked up his bucket of water and smiled at them as he left.
The caravan soon departed and the girls rode on top of a pile of sheep skins. The hot sun beat down steadily as the caravan moved slowly down the road.
A few hours later, they stopped at a spring along the way to water the animals. Once again, Tomas was there drawing water from the small pond when Hannah and Leah arrived. Tomas smiled and waved to them in a friendly manner, and they waved back. Tomas turned to another young man who was rather attractive and spoke to him. His friend looked at the girls, and grinned.
“I wonder who he is,” Leah remarked.
Hannah looked at her and smiled, “Oh, do you like what you see?”
Leah’s face turned red, “Of course not! I was just….curious, that’s all!”
Hannah teased, “I could go ask him his name if you like.”
“Don’t you dare!” Leah cried, “If you do, Hannah, I’ll murder you, even if you are my best friend!”
Hannah laughed and Leah started to giggle.
The caravan was getting ready to leave again.
“Leah, I have to go before we leave. I won’t be long.”
“I’ll wait here,” Leah nodded.
Hannah found the place where the women were gathered on the other side of the caravan, behind some scrub bushes.
As she was walking back to join Leah, she saw Tomas and his friend standing behind a tall cart loaded with large clay jars. She wanted to say hello to Tomas, just to be friendly. But as she came near, she overheard them talking.
“That girl will fetch a good price,” Tomas was saying, “Trust me. Before we get to town, I’ll offer to give them a ride home. You take the crippled one and tie her up. I’ll take the other one and find a good slave buyer. Then we’ll get rid of the cripple.”
“What about their families?”
“They’re traveling alone. Just be careful no one sees you do it. Be nice to her and she’ll go along with you.”
Hannah’s heart pounded in her chest, hardly believing what she’d heard. She suspected that the two men were planning to kidnap her and Leah.
She ran back to Leah, still waiting on the cart, and grabbed her arm.
“Come on! We’ve got to hide!”
“What?” Leah cried in disbelief, “What are you talking about? We’re going home!”
“We can’t! I’ll explain later! Just come with me, as fast as you can!”
Hannah told the cart driver that they would be going with some friends on another cart. The man shrugged indifferently as they hurried away.
They circled the pond and crouched down among the tall grass under the date palms. While waiting until the caravan moved out of sight, Hannah told Leah everything that she heard Tomas say.
“Oh no! That’s awful!” Leah cried, “Now what will we do? We’re stuck here in the middle of nowhere…with no money and no way to get home!”
Hannah sighed heavily and shook her head, “I don’t know. All I know is that we had to get away from those men!”
Leah looked worried.
“Someone’s bound to come along eventually,” Hannah encouraged.
Leah gazed at the surrounding by the desert and lonely road. She wondered how long it would be until someone came. How would they ever get home?
Chapter Five: The Search
The afternoon sun scorched the dry, rocky ground as the girls sat in the shade of the date palms. Occasionally, they drank spring water and ate some of their food. But the hours dragged on and on, and Hannah began to wonder if she had done the right thing.
Leah suggested that they both pray for help, and Hannah agreed. They knelt under the shade of the palms and said a prayer.
Afterward, they kept watching the road from Jerico, hoping to see another caravan arrive. There was little relief from the heat of the sun, even in the shade.
Hours later, when the afternoon sun slid toward the horizon, Leah pointed up the road, shouting, “Look! Someone’s coming!”
Hannah spotted the slow moving donkey cart and two camels headed their way.
“But they’re going the wrong direction…back to Jerico!” Hannah groaned.
Leah shrugged and sighed. She was just glad to see another person.
The small party of travelers soon arrived: a man, a woman, and several young children who came to draw water. The girls came out of their hiding places and approached the woman.
After hearing their tale, the woman said, “You must come with us to Jerico. It’s getting dark and there will be no more caravans heading the other way tonight.”
“Thank you for helping us,” said Leah.
The woman smiled and told them to join her and the children in the wagon. As they were climbing into the wagon, Hannah turned to Leah.
“The next time we pray for help, let’s say exactly where we want to go!”
Leah could not help but smile.
They reached Jerico just after sundown and returned to Ezra’s house. When he opened the door, his eyes popped open.
“What are you two doing here? I thought you went home!”
They quickly explained and he invited them inside.
“You must be starving! I’ll get you something to eat. Just sit down and rest.”
The girls gladly accepted his offer, taking seats at the table.
“My father isn’t home yet, but I’m sure he won’t mi
nd if you stay another night.”
“Thanks,” Hannah replied.
“You both must be very worried, but try not to be. I’ll see that you get home all right, first thing tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Ezra. You’re a good friend,” Leah replied.
Hannah sighed heavily, “I just wish we could have stayed in Jerico to see Jesus today.”
Ezra set two plates and a loaf of bread on the table, saying,
“I heard that Jesus has left town for Bethany.”
“Bethany! But why?” Hannah asked.
Ezra shrugged, “He keeps on the move, preaching and healing everywhere. Did you hear about the man he raised from the dead right here in Jerico?”
The girls stared at him in disbelief and shook their heads. Ezra put the rest of the food on the table and told them the story while they ate.
“Two women here in town, Mary and Martha, have a brother named Lazarus. He died of some illness. Four days later, Jesus came here. Everyone said he had come too late to do anything. But Jesus asked Martha if she believed in him, and she said she did. So he went to the tomb where Lazarus was laid to rest. He told the people to open up the tomb. Then he said a prayer to God, thanking Him and saying that if they believed, they would see the glory of God. Then he cried out, ‘Lazarus! Come Forth!’ At first, nothing happened. And then… a man wrapped in strips of linen, like a mummy, came walking out of the tomb! Jesus told them to unbind him, and it was Lazarus! He had been raised from the dead after being in the grave for four days!”
When he finished his story, both girls sat stunned in total silence. Finally, Hannah turned to Leah, grabbing the front of her robe.
“Leah! We’ve got to see Jesus again! If he can raise the dead, he can heal you! We must go to Bethany tomorrow and find him!”
Leah bit her lip with uncertainty. She certainly wanted to, but thought about her what her parents must be going through.
Hannah turned to Ezra, asking, “How far is it to Bethany from here?”
Ezra shrugged, “A couple of hours.”
Turning to her friend, she pleaded, “Please, Leah! This could be your only chance!”
Leah was torn between doing what she wanted, and returning to her parents.
Hannah pleaded, “Wouldn't your parents want to see you healed if it was at all possible?”
