ALIVE Chapter 110, Toddling in Egypt

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:13-18 

Baby Jesus woke his parents up at the crack of dawn as usual. Joseph and Mary looked around the room and quickly remembered that they were in Egypt! Neither of them had ever left    their homeland before. They didn’t speak the local language. All they had with them was what they could carry in their satchels. But they felt safe and that was important.

“Let’s go for a walk.” suggested Joseph. It was time to get situated in their new home. 

Mary washed her face and hands and then cleaned up the baby in the bowl of water they were given with the room. The family dressed for their first outing. After Mary put the baby in the sling, they were ready to explore their new world. 

It is still the second day of Christmas in the compression chamber. From the time of the presentation in the temple to the third day of Christmas two and a half years have gone by. 

In this little Egyptian village foreigners, especially a family with a baby were very obvious. But babies are always a draw! First young girls came up to see the cute little face of the foreign baby in the sling. Many smiles and nods were exchanged. Some sneers. Joseph looked proudly on the scene as they soon became enveloped in a crowd of curious women and children. The young men and older men looked from afar, but were no less nosy. 

Joseph broke away from the group to speak with two of the most clean-cut men who were sitting at a table sipping their coffee and chatting with each other. They looked up at the foreigner approaching them. The older man said in his language, “Who are you? Why are you here? Why did you bring your wife and child?” 

His companion replied to him while Joseph looked on, still standing, but not understanding him, “Didn’t you hear that the Roman Herod went mad and is having all the baby boys murdered. These people must have escaped.” The old man looked at Joseph approvingly and smiled and nodded. Joseph replied with his own nod, not knowing what he was nodding about.

Then he said in his language loudly and clearly as if that would make it easier for the men to understand, “Is there a vacant house in this village?”

Joseph spoke so loud that a passerby recognized the language and approached the men. He replied to Joseph in broken Aramaic, but it was enough for communication. 

“Greetings sir. I understand that you are looking for a place to live. Perhaps I can help you. “

Joseph was relieved to have found a person with whom he could communicate. 

“Thank you.” Then Joseph gestured to the men sitting at the table with a nod and a wave, that he would join the other man with whom he could speak.”

“My name is Joseph. My wife and child need a home. Can you help?”

“I cannot, but I know someone who may be able to. Come.” 

“Thank you, first let me get my wife.”

They walked over to where Mary was still surrounded by women and children cackling to her and admiring the Baby. By then Baby Jesus had been removed from the sling, but Mary was still holding him tightly, and would not allow any of the begging women to hold Him. 

“I must go, my husband wants me. Thank you. We will see you again soon!”  And then she squirmed her way through the two layers of curiosity, and until she reached Joseph.

Joseph reached for the Baby, seeing that Mary needed to recover. Meanwhile, Baby Jesus was still calm and curious Himself. Then he turned to his new friend, and with a free arm, tapped his chest and said, “Me, Joseph”

The local replied with the same gesture, “Me  Mustafa. Come.”

Joseph and Mary, followed Mustafa to a home at the third level of the village. He knocked on the door. They waited, knocked again, waited more, and knocked more.

Finally, a man with three missing teeth opened the door. “Mustafa, what do you want?” 

Mustafa explained the predicament of the foreigners and asked if he knew of a vacant home, “How about next door to Fatima? Her mother came to live with her.”

“Good, thanks.” Replied Mustafa. 

Joseph sensed that a solution to his housing problem was being solved.

Mustafa signaled for the family to follow him. He walked briskly as a man on a mission. Mary struggled to keep up, but she thought that as long as she could see them, she was okay. The baby was being cooperative and quiet, eyes wide open bobbing up and down with Mary’s steps.

Mustafa stopped at a neat one-room block building, and knocked on the door. A gaunt woman wearing black, with a black head covering opened the door ajar and looked to see who it was. She quickly recognized Mustafa as a friend and opened a little wider. “Mustafa, how can I help you?”

Joseph stood back a ways, waiting for Mary to catch up.

Mustafa explained in their language the situation with the Roman in Palestine, and that these people managed to escape. They were looking for a home.

“Do they have money? “ she asked.

Mustafa turned to Joseph who looked up and went over to him. “Do you have money? Pay?” And with his fingers made the universal sign for money. Joseph nodded. Yes. He didn’t know how long the gold coins would have to last; then he remembered how the Lord would care for them. Surely the gold would last as long as he needed it to. He reached into his robe, and felt around until he found a coin he stashed there, and pulled it out to show the widow. 

Fatima perked up as if her prayers had been answered. A strong man, a baby, and a young  woman. Yes, this was a blessing that she never could have imagined. Fatima, asked them to wait as she shut the door. 

She returned several moments later with they key to her mother’s house. She squeezed out the door to keep it shut and weaved past Mustafa and Jospeh. She stopped at Mary and smiled and nodded bearing up to the jolt that stabbed her heart with the memory of her son who died in childhood. Indeed, except for her aged grouchy mother Fatima had no one in the world. She wanted to believe in a god, but how could she after all the suffering she had encountered?

The men caught up. By the time they arrived at the house Fatima had the door open. It was neatly furnished but very as dusty as a room that hadn’t been opened in a century. 

Mary quickly surveyed the space with her eyes and, being the optimistic person she was, she marveled at how much nicer it was than the barn, and roomier than the rooms she had been living in since coming to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Mary was so happy that she wanted to hug Fatima. She sensed the deep sadness in Fatima and looked forward to befriending her. 

Joseph thanked Mustafa, who decided that his role was over, at least for the time being and excused himself. Mustafa was wrong. Joseph and Mary needed an interpreter. Joseph handed Fatima the coin. She lit up. 

...

Indeed these years were the highlight of Fatimas life. Mary became the daughter she always wanted. Fatima cleaned and dusted the house, and then helped Mary go shopping for food in the village. Fatima did all the bartering. Fatima loved playing with the Baby. In fact, she was the first to watch Baby Jesus take his first steps. They all cheered as the toddler, who was clearly the king of the family as always the center of attention toddled and fell, and got himself back up again. Sometimes he cried from frustration but usually he was a cheerful little boy, just like his mother. 

Joseph soon found the local carpenter and befriended him. He watched him work and gave the man tips which he gratefully accepted. What he liked best was when Jospeh demonstrated new techniques. Soon, Joseph was getting his own projects and earning a living for his family. 

 Mary Jesus and Joseph blessed their home in Egypt with their presence, and were grateful and blessed for the safety, security, and love they received in Egypt.