ALIVE: Chapter 111, News by Camel and Angel

Joseph was focusing on an intricate carving on the back of a chair for the mayor of the village when Mustafa rushed into the workshop! 

More than three years had gone by since Joseph and Mary and their Child had come to the village. By now they were speaking to each other fairly fluently in a third language which was a combination of words from each, and through hands, eyes, and facial expressions.  The villagers had grown very fond of their Jewish aliens, and respected their diet and other rituals. Mary and Joseph tried very hard to be good neighbors by sharing their talents and culture. Neighborhood children loved playing with baby Jesus and toddler Jesus as He grew up. He was learning their language, better than His parents, but was also fluent in Aramaic. All was well. No strife, no hardship, no problems. Mary and Joseph balanced their longing to be in Nazareth with appreciation for their safety. They assumed that Herod thought he had successfully murdered the infant king, and had no tantrums since then, although he never knew for sure. How could he? No one challenged his authority. After three years had gone by in relative peace, he forgot about the whole matter. The mothers and fathers of the slain children never forgot, but being subservient could not retaliate in any way. They simply cried and prayed, and prayed more asking for God’s explanation for why He allowed this to happen, and cried because the answer never came, only the sense of loss that haunted them.

Mustafa was pleased with himself for being the bearer of news. Herod was dead!!! He rushed into the workshop to make the announcement, not thinking that it would mean the loss of their special immigrants.

Joseph looked up from his work to hear the news. Oh my! This means we can go back to Palestine! To Nazareth! Simultaneously Joseph remembered the dream he had the night before, when the angel told him of the death of Herod and that they could return. How strange that he had forgotten the dream until Mustafa reminded him.

Joseph acknowledged Mustafa, and the news, but then worked on absorbing the information into his mindset. It was another watershed moment that he was not expecting. Joseph realized that he needed to be flexible to God’s guidance. It was time to move again, just as he was finally settled into his new life in Egypt. He didn’t feel like his name sake, Joseph, he was no governor, but he definitely felt related. In fact he never felt more like a Joseph than he did in Egypt. He thought about Joseph’s mother Rachel, and how she longed to have a son, and that Joseph was the gift of many years of patience and faith. But how it must have broken his mother’s heart when he was lost. How the grief killed her. Rachel taught him that he must not demand to know God’s will immediately. Trust. Joseph continued to work on the carving while thinking and preparing for the next move. 

Just before sunset, at his usual time, Joseph put away his tools and swept the floor. He walked home as he did every day at the same time. He walked into his home, and greeted his cute Baby boy. Jesus looked up as He heard the door open and beamed at His father. Then he proudly demonstrate his ever increasing skill of running toward him cheerfully to greet his dad. As was his response to so much love, Joseph held his arms open wide for his little Boy to run into them. The he lifted little Jesus way up high and listened for his gleeful giggles. “More daddy! More Daddy!” Three more lifts was Joseph’s limit. Mary was at the stove, stirring her stew, oblivious to the news of the day. Joseph set Jesus down, and walked over to his wife. She received him lovingly and they hugged. 

Joseph wasn’t quite sure when to tell her the news. He waited until after supper. Even though Jesus was eating solid food, after supper, she washed him, and put on his nightgown. Then she laid down with Him while Joseph washed the dinner dishes. 

Once Jesus was fast sleep, Mary gently removed herself from the family bed, and went into the parlor to spend time with Joseph. 

“I have news.” he announced.

“0h yes? What?” Replied Mary. 

“Herod is dead. We can go home now.” Joseph looked at Mary for her response. She was quiet and pensive as she too needed time to process the news too.

“Well?” said Joseph after several moments. 

“Okay.” replied Mary. “Let’s talk about this tomorrow. Let’s pray now.”

“Good idea,” said Joseph.

Mary and Joseph went to their prayer rug, Joseph grabbed his books and the couple prayed, and prayed, longer than usual before getting ready for bed. Then, individually they tried to listen for direction. Joseph needed to finish the chair. Mary wanted to sort her belongings for what she wanted to distribute to her friends aNd what she wanted to take for souvenirs. Egypt had treated them well. The future was a mystery, and she had to prepare herself spiritually and psychologically for the great unknown. Do they know anything about Herod’s son? They couldn’t know until it was too late.

Jesus celebrated his 4th birthday in the village. Everyone came out for the event. Joseph amd Mary hosted the whole village. After the cake cutting they announced that they were going back to Palestine. By then, everyone in the village expected this, but were all very sad to see them go;  the family had been such a source of entertainment and benefit for the village. 

The day came, when their bags were packed and the donkeys loaded for the journey back to Israel.. Joseph said he was glad not to have to walk through the Red Sea again.  Mary poked him with her elbow at the bad joke. 

Hugs and kisses went around the village square as their Jewish aliens were departing. Some. tears fell, but there was more excitement than nostalgia on that day. Except for Fatima. Fatima was losing her lifeline. She had come to really love Mary and Jesus very much. She didn’t know how she could smile again without the joy that the little boy brought to her and the company and relationship with Mary who had been like a daughter. Fatima’s mother had passed away the year before. Mary encouraged her to reach out into the community and to find someone that might need her even more than she thought she needed Mary and Jesus. Fatima told her that she would try, but that it didn’t keep her from grieving. “Mary, there is no one in the whole wide world as special as you and your little boy.” 

“Don’t be silly Fatima. I will miss you too.” Just then Jesus ran up to her and climbed onto her lap to give her as big a hug as He could with His little arms. Fatima wept and hugged Him back. Jesus laid His little head on her chest. Fatima calmed down and closed her eyes to fix the feeling in her mind. Suddenly, a feeling of peace and warmth came over her such as she had never experienced in her life. She had a sense of comfort and optimism. She was able to let go, somehow feeling that her little family would always be with her in her heart. She looked at the little boy curiously, as if to ask, “How did you do that?”