by C. Fennessy
Leah stared intently into Hannah’s brown eyes.
“All right, we’ll go to Bethany,” she agreed, “But how will we get there?”
“We’ll pray about it!” Hannah answered quickly, “Only this time, let’s be more exact about where we want to go!”
Leah burst out in a laugh, saying,
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want to end up in Jerusalem or something!”
It seemed as if being very specific about what they wanted was a good idea, because the following morning, they learned that Ezra’s father had to go to get more leather for making sandals. He offered to drop the girls in Bethany on his way.
By noon, they arrived in the small town of Bethany riding in the old man’s wagon. He dropped them off and promised to pick them both up on his way back later that afternoon at the city gate.
The girls found their way to the temple. They asked several people there if they knew where Jesus was, but no one seemed to know. They kept looking, asking the merchants and the shopkeepers, but had no luck. By the end of the day, Hannah was feeling frustrated.
“We’ve come all this way and he’s not here! How could Ezra have been wrong?”
Leah shook her head in frustration. They were both tired and hungry, so they found a place to sit in the shade to eat the fruit that Ezra had given them.
Since it was getting late, they returned to the gate where Ezra’s father would meet them to take them back to Jerico. Neither of them spoke, both silently wondering why their prayers had not been answered.
Finally, Ezra’s father arrived and they climbed up on his wagon.
“You didn’t find him, did you?” he asked, “That’s because he’s no longer in Bethany. He moved on to Jerusalem. I heard all about it from some travelers on the road. There was a great crowd to greet him there, all waving palm branches as he entered the city. Do you still want to try to see him?”
Both Hannah and Leah cried, “Yes!”
“Well, then, we shall go to Jerusalem!”
Hannah threw her arms around his neck and hugged him gratefully.
“Oh, sorry!” she apologized, realizing how inappropriate her behavior must have seemed.
The old man smiled, “That’s all right. We shall travel on to Jerusalem tonight because it isn’t very far. I have relatives there who will give us lodging for tonight.”
The girls hugged each other in excitement as the cart passed through the gate, headed for Jerusalem.
Chapter Six: Arrested
Jerusalem was crowded with people. Small herds of animals were driven behind caravan carts heavily laden with goods, moving slowly along in the traffic. The foot traffic kicked up dry dust, filling the air.
They arrived at the home of Ezra’s relatives and were surprised when Ezra greeted them at the door.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, excited to see them.
“We should ask you the same question!”
He invited them inside and introduced his cousins, Philip and Anna. Ezra’s aunt and uncle told them to sit down and rest while dinner was being prepared, giving the girls a chance to speak with Ezra.
“My cousin Philip came to see me today in Jerico and asked me to come home with him for the evening. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, so I came. I’m staying the night and will travel home in the morning.”
The girls told him of their efforts to find Jesus in Bethany, and how they hoped to find Jesus in Jerusalem.
“Then you must not have heard the news,” Anna said.
“What news?”
“Jesus has been arrested.”
“What!” both girls cried, “But why? What has he done?”
Philip answered, “They’re saying that he is the king of the Jews, and the chief priests say that he is speaking against God. He is being questioned by the high priest.”
“That’s not fair!” Hannah cried bitterly, “He hasn’t done anything except heal people and preach to them! Why are they doing this?”
Ezra shook his head, “Who understands anything those men do? They are priests and they don’t like it that Jesus has won the hearts of their people.”
“But why not?” asked Leah, “Has he said anything against the law?”
“No,” Ezra admitted, “But he has spoken of God as his Father, and the one who sent him. I don’t imagine the chief priests liked hearing that very much!”
Hannah and Leah looked at one another in disbelief. To have come so far and to miss seeing Jesus again was the last straw. Leah, tired and overwhelmed, dropped her head and began to cry silently. Hannah put her arms around her and tried to comfort her.
“I’m so sorry,” Hannah said quietly, “I’ve dragged you all the way here for nothing.”
“No,” Leah sniffed, “It’s not your fault. I wanted to come. Somehow, I believed we would see him and that I would be healed. But it just didn’t work out that way. I guess God wants me to stay the way I am. And I must learn to accept it.”
Hannah wanted to cry out in protest, but the words stuck in her throat. After what they had been through, she couldn’t offer her friend another false hope.
As she lay in the darkness later that night, Hannah could not sleep. She kept thinking about the hope she had for helping Leah. They had both prayed to God for help, and help had come with Ezra and his father. But now everything seemed confused. Hannah had felt so certain before that Leah would see Jesus and be healed. But now she wasn’t sure. Perhaps it was all just her own imagination. She wondered if perhaps God were punishing them for leaving home.
Tomorrow they would return home and have to face the consequences. She could imagine her father’s fury. When she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed that he was chasing her with a large stick, intending to beat her severely.
Leah also had a hard time getting to sleep. She knew her parents would be worried about her, and she felt guilty for putting them through such torment. She realized she had made a bad choice in leaving home. She had been selfishly hoping to be healed, without thinking of the difficulties she was causing for everyone else. She began to pray earnestly for forgiveness, but she was so exhausted, that she soon fell asleep.
Chapter Seven: The Cup of Water
In the morning, they had a small breakfast and went out to the marketplace to hear the news of Jesus.
“He’s been found guilty!” a man shouted among the waiting crowds.
“He was taken to Pilate, who said that he will be crucified!”
“He’ll be crucified on Golgotha today!” shouted another.
Leah, Hannah, and Ezra were shocked by the news. They joined the other followers who were waiting. The crowds, filled with anger and despair, grew thicker,.
Ezra went back to his cousin’s house to tell them the news, but the girls stayed with Jesus’ followers with the hope that they might get a glimpse of him.
By mid-morning, the sun was beating down mercilessly, and the girls grew hot and thirsty. Ezra gave them food for their journey and Hannah still had his wooden cup.
“I’ll get some water from the well,” Hannah said.
Leah nodded and watched her leave.
Hannah found a public well nearby where many people were drawing water. She waited in line a long time for her turn to use the bucket, and filled the cup to the brim. She took a small sip and headed back to where she had left Leah.
Suddenly there was a roar from the crowds surrounding the governor’s palace. The huge crowd surged forward, cutting Hannah off. She covered the cup of water with her hand to prevent it from spilling and tried to push her way through the crowd, but the mob was yelling and squeezing into a tight mass.
The crowd moved to her left, shouting, “Jesus! Jesus!” as they followed the road towards the eastern gate. She dashed ahead of it, hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by. Passing the crowd, she was soon at the edge of the road paved by worn stones. She peered around the mob and spotted the scarlet uniforms of the Roman soldiers who were pushing people away. B
ehind them, she caught a glimpse of a man, stooped and covered in bloody robes. Upon his head was a crown of thorns. Behind him, another man dragged a heavy wooden cross.
“Jesus!” the crowd cried. The Roman soldiers moved forward, shoving and yelling at the crowds, “Get back! Get out of the way!”
Hannah’s heart pounded furiously in her chest and nearly burst when she saw Jesus approaching. His head was bowed, and streaks of fresh blood flowed from the thorn punctures encircling his head. Sweat trickled down his face, but his eyes held neither sorrow nor hatred.
“Jesus! May God help you!” Hannah cried piteously, feeling her throat constrict tightly. She began to cry at the sight of the man who had healed so many people, who was now bloody and being taken to be crucified.
A Roman soldier cracked a whip, but Hannah didn’t move back. She didn’t care if she was whipped. She looked down at the cup of water she held in her hands and knew what she wanted to do.
She waited until the soldiers were face to face with her, and stared at one of them in defiance. His squinting eyes bore through her but she didn’t flinch. He looked away.
In that instant, Hannah held out the cup of water toward Jesus.
“Here! Take this water!” she shouted through the crowd, holding the cup out as far as she could.
Jesus paused. Seeing the cup, his gaze slowly traveled up to Hannah. Their eyes met, and in that instant, Hannah felt such love and compassion as she had never felt before. His eyes locked with hers and his lips moved, but she could not hear what he said among the noise. He reached out his hand. But just as his fingertips were close enough to touch her, the crack of a whip snatched the cup from her hand.
Hannah cried out, as the cup went flying. It bounced and disappeared under the feet of the crowd, spilling its precious contents over the dry, hard stones.
The angry crowd surged toward the soldiers, but they pushed them back, using the whip.
“Keep moving!” shouted the soldiers.
Hannah was driven back into the crowd, shut off from Jesus where she could no longer see him. The crowd moved along like a giant tidal wave, pushing her back.
Angry and frustrated, she screamed at them, but no one heard her. Hannah stood sobbing into her hands, feeling as if all hope was gone. How could they do this to him? He had done nothing to deserve this treatment! It was so unfair!
A few minutes later, the crowd had disappeared around the corner. It became quiet and Hannah opened her eyes. Her face was streaked with tears and she sobbed quietly.
The place was nearly deserted, except for a few other people like herself, so overcome with grief that they could not move. Some women held onto each other while a few men sitting beside the road were weeping openly.
Hannah sniffed and wiped her face on her sleeve. It was then that she noticed an angry-looking red welt where the whip had hit her hand. The throng of people had moved on, and she stood alone.
She looked around and saw her cup lying on the road.
Hannah picked it up and headed back to the well to draw some more water. But as she was about to pour water from a bucket into the cup, she stopped.
There was something inside.
She looked closer, thinking that some dirt had stuck to the bottom. But when she held it up to the light, there was a reflection from something dark and shiny.
Reaching into the cup, she touched it with her finger. It felt wet and sticky.
Hannah withdrew her hand and stared at her finger. There was a bright red dab of blood.
Her heart lurched. Blood inside the cup? But how had it gotten there? She had rinsed the cup clean before putting water in it. She thought back to the moment when it was knocked from her hand. It had been full of water. How had the drop of blood gotten inside the cup? She looked at her own hand, but it was not bleeding.
Gazing into the distance, she tried to imagine how it could have happened. The cup had been knocked to the ground, spilling the water. The only one who had been bleeding was Jesus.
Hannah’s hand flew to her mouth in shock. She dropped the bucket back into the well and ran. She had to find Leah!
Leah was still waiting for her, leaning against her crutches. Her eyes were red and she looked as though she had been crying.
“Did you see him?” asked Leah.
“Yes! Did you?”
Leah sniffed sadly, “No. The crowd pushed me down.”
She looked down at the bloody scrape on her knee.
“Leah, look!” Hannah cried, holding out the cup. Leah glanced at it and looked puzzled.
“Is there no more water?” she asked.
“No! Look what’s inside the cup! It’s a drop of blood!”
Leah took a closer look, asking, “How did that get there?”
“I don’t know! I had it full of water and I tried to give it to Jesus but the soldier knocked it away! Afterward, when I found it, there was blood inside!”
“But whose-“ Leah stopped, and her face became pale. She stammered, “B-But how—“
“I don’t know, Leah! All I know is that it must be his blood! Leah, come with me to the well!”
“What?” she mumbled in confusion, but Hannah didn’t reply. She grabbed Leah’s arm and led her away.
There was a long line of women waiting at the well, and they got in the end of the line.
A woman who had just filled a large jug was passing by. She stopped when she saw the girls and smiled at them.
“Are you waiting for water? Is that cup all you have to fill? Here, take some of my water.”
Hannah held the cup while she poured, filling it to the brim.
“Thank you!” the girls cried.
Hannah held it up to Leah saying, “Drink….Drink the whole thing.”
Leah was about to protest, but when she saw the look on Hannah’s face, she did as she was told.
Hannah peered into the cup. The blood was gone.
“Now let’s pray!” Hannah said, holding onto her friend, “Pray for Jesus that God will help him. And we'll thank him for this drop of blood.”
“And we should tell God we are sorry for leaving our parents,” Leah added.
Hannah nodded, “All right.”
They stood together, their heads bowed as they mumbled their prayers, holding onto one another. When they finished, they looked around.
Everything seemed just as before. There was still a line at the well. People were milling about; and women were carrying jugs of water.
They looked at one another, both waiting for something, but nothing did.
Finally, Hannah took Leah by the arm, saying “Let’s go home.”
They headed back toward Ezra’s cousins’ house, walking slowly though the crowded streets. But after only a short distance, Leah stopped.
Hannah turned and looked at her friend.
“What’s wrong?”
Leah’s face was as pale as a ghost. She looked down at her legs.
“Are you all right?” Hannah asked worriedly.
“Hannah!” Leah whispered in a shaking breath.
“What is it?” Hannah demanded.
Leah slowly straightened up. Her face wore a look of rapture. She looked down at her feet, and then she took two small steps.
“Look!” Leah cried.
“What’s wrong?” shrieked Hannah, now panic-stricken.
“Hannah! I can walk! Look!”
Leah let her crutches fall to the ground and took a step, and another, and another. Even her back was straight and her shoulders were even.
“And there’s no more pain!” Leah cried, “Praise God! I have been healed!”
Hannah drew in her breath sharply, “What?”
Leah began taking bigger steps, “Look! I can walk again!”
Hannah grabbed Leah’s arms, shrieking, “Are you sure?”
“Yes! Watch!” Leah cried, starting to run. She leaped and twirled around in a circle without falling. Both girls held onto one another, jumping and screaming with exc
itement.
“You’re healed! You can walk!” Hannah cried.
Both girls hugged each other tightly and cried.
“Praise God! Praise Jesus!” sobbed Leah.
“Let’s go tell Ezra!” Hannah shouted, picking up the crutches.
The two girls ran through the busy streets. Leah darted around the crowds, running as if she’d never been crippled. When Ezra answered the door, he looked at Leah, standing up straight without her crutches, and his mouth dropped open.
The girls told him how Leah had been healed by drinking from the cup with the drop of blood. He reached out and hugged them both.
“I am so happy for you! We should go to the temple and leave a sacrifice to give thanks to God!”
“Yes! Let’s go!” they cried and ran with Ezra to the temple.
Chapter Eight: Home Again
Leah’s father had heard that the man called Jesus was to be crucified on the hill called Golgotha, in Jerusalem. After getting directions, Isaac started on his way. Nothing mattered now except finding Leah and Hannah. He prayed that he would find them and bring them home.
When he reached the foot of the temple steps, he saw a pair of crutches lying there, reminding him of Leah. Then he heard a familiar voice and looked up.
There was Leah with Hannah and a young man. They were smiling and laughing, and then he noticed that Leah was not using her crutches.
“Leah!” he shouted.
Leah and Hannah gave a shriek when they saw him.
“Father!” Leah yelled, running toward him.
“Leah!” he cried in disbelief,“ Leah! What has happened to you?”
She threw her arms around him and hugged him, crying.
“I’ve been healed, Father! I can walk and run! I feel so strong now! Jesus did it, Father! I was healed by Jesus!”
“What?” cried her father, who stared with his mouth wide open and his hands on his head as she twirled around and jumped up and down in front of him. He took her into his arms and whirled her around in a circle.
“Praise God!” he cried,“I in the temple was praying that I would find you! And now this! I can’t believe it!”
They introduced Ezra to him and quickly told him everything that had happened that morning.
“But how did you ever get here?” asked Isaac.
“With God’s help, Father,” Leah answered. She put her arm through his and said, “I’m so sorry if caused you worry. Please forgive me! I’ll tell you everything on the way home. But first, we must make our sacrifice and thank God for what he has done through Jesus.”
