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Simon
Simon
A dramatic novel that reaches from the heart of Africa... and Jerusalem... to your heart.
INTRODUCTION
Soon after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christianity quickly spread from Jerusalem, east into Ethiopia, into India, along the Mediterranean into Asia Minor, Greece and Rome, Spain and further north, along the sea into what is today known as North Africa. A strong Christian church sprang up in Egypt and all throughout Cyrene and across the entire North African coast. This was almost immediately after the ascension of Christ and was brought about by men and women burning with a message to preach and to tell about a Person they knew. Just as Ethiopia was used to describe a certain area and all unknown that lay south of it, so also was Cyrene. This novel covers a period in history where little is known about the way of life in deep Africa, south of the Sahara. Known life extended only along the border with the Sahara by the Mediterranean traders and was crossed by caravan, and was generally not quite so hot and dry as today. We do not know who Simon was, except what is found in only two verses of the Scripture. But we know he was from Cyrene, meaning that local area and all south of it,-Africa. His two sons were mentioned by name so they must have later become well known to the local church after the time of Christ on earth. We also know that he was compelled to carry the cross-it was not voluntary.
Through my personal experience in Africa and in research, I have sought to present an interesting, historical novel as a means of conveying the eternal truth. Though written about a man's search, struggle and experience 2,000 years ago, I believe it is entirely relevant to the present needs and interest of modern humanity and for the church today. Although a novel, this book is about someone else, whom when people meet, even today, they will never be the same again. This I trust will be the real experience of this book.
Arthur Blessitt
Written in Africa
"And as they came out, they found a man
of Cyrene, Simon by name; him they compelled to bear the cross
of Jesus"
Matthew 27:32
It was a dark night along the banks of the Great River, the sky split by flashes of light. Deep thunder boomed. A slow chant could be heard, mixed with the beating of drums and rhythmic beads. The lightning showed the small village of palm leaf covered mud houses, nested along the river bank.
The crying wail of women's voices was clearly heard through the jungle bush as they slowly danced and wailed their way into the village and around the open fire. Chief Ormo Ya was dead! His spirit must be fed, the evil spirits kept away. Surely the Gods were angry, as they split the sky and clapped their hands-there was no time to waste.
The chief medicine man stood erect and handed the bowl of secret mixture to the head of the chief's family. They began to pour the liquid upon the ground in a huge circle around the village. The drums were echoing the sound of fingers upon the stretched skin and bamboo sticks were beating in rhythm.
Ayo Bu stepped into the circle-every sound stopped except the boom of approaching thunder and the sound of croaking frogs and crickets. Every eye fastened upon him as he lifted a long slim knife toward the sky. Below him the small baby lay quiet. SWOSH! The sharp knife driven by a mighty arm, sliced the child in two.
"Hear oh Spirit! We offer this tender one unto you, be pleased with the offering. Oh, God of mighty thunder and flowing rivers." The blood was poured into the river and the lifeless body lay upon the open fire.
"The spirit of Chief Ormo Ya is pleased!" cried the priest who had stood by in silence until now. The drums blasted into rhythm, the voices of three hundred exploded in joyful sound and from the molded bottles they drank their fill of palm wine and danced through the night as water flowed from the heavens and light flashed through the sky.
Yet one man, Ayo Bu, sat alone on the high bank overlooking the flooding river below. His mind troubled, his thoughts confused. "Where has Chief Ormo gone?" "There are good and evil spirits but beyond the river and stars, is there more? In all of us there is evil! None of us escape it! Is this enough?" He looked at his hands covered with blood. For the first time in his life, Ayo shook with fear. The life of a child for a chief-is that enough? suddenly he leaped to his feet, ran into the village and grabbed a gourd of wine and drank it all. He stood for a moment then walked into his hut and fell asleep on the grassy mat.
"Wake up! wake up! We must be gone!" Ayo stirred slowly, sat up and said, "Meet you by the river bank!" He wrapped himself in the leather skin and slowly wiped the clotted blood from his knife. Strong and young, he was the leading hunter and warrior. He could well be the next chief. Tomorrow was feast day to celebrate the good harvest that the Harvest God had given. He must go today and get the food for the special occasion. It must be a crocodile! It was dangerous, yet the gods would be pleased.
Seven of the men set off through the jungle, a small path that was well used as their trail for a while, they then turned and began making their way through the dense forest. It was dark and so hot even with the tall trees as a shelter above them. A family of monkeys swung in the high trees and chirped at them. Soon they made their way to a huge rock with the sun shining on it. Below the sound of rushing water could be heard. Ayo leaped to the top and stood gazing down, first to the splendid falls, then a flat lazy marsh below it, and on the distant rock lay the crocodile. He clutched his knife and moved on. The men followed behind with spears and ropes made from vines and peeled bark. They would attempt to throw the mesh of rope over the crocodile, then attack and kill it. They could not afford to miss and also there was the danger of others attacking once blood was spilled. He slipped the knife into a cut on his leather belt, took one side of the rope net with another of the men on the other side, and slowly eased forward with a big rock hiding them from the sleeping crocodile. They must throw the net while the others tried to drive the other crocodiles off if they attacked.
The rock was slippery from splashing water and each step had to be made carefully. Finally, Ayo carefully looked over the rock where the largest crocodile lay. This one was huge and very near the water. He must be killed before he reached the water for if he got in the water the stream would carry them into the marsh where they could never escape from others attacking them. The men would have to stand up, run about twenty feet, throw the mesh rope trap and attack, all before the animal either ran or attacked. They both looked at each other, then Ayo rubbed the leather pouch hanging around his neck. The witch doctor had made for him a strong mixture for strength and it had been very good.
Then they both leaped to their feet and ran forward across the slippery rock and approached the crocodile, arms outstretched to throw the net. Suddenly, Ashie, his partner, slipped on the rock, falling into the edge of the flowing water. He screamed as he hit the rock with his head, then fell quietly asleep, half in, half out of the water. The other fellows rushed to pull him out, but the huge twelve foot crocodile was now awake and charging toward Ashie!
Ayo grabbed the net, it was heavy and part of it had fallen into the water. He could not leap and throw the net at the same time, but he must do something! With a scream he charged toward the on-rushing crocodile. Holding one end of the net high, he leaped just over the open mouth of the enemy as its mouth clamped shut. He landed on its back but half the net was over the powerful crocodile. The animal's attention was now turned to the man on his back as he swung around and beat his heavy tail. The tail crushed down upon Ayo's left foot and pain shot through his body, but the net was doing its job. Both front feet and its mouth were caught in the net. Three of the men attacked with screams, thrusting their spears into the sides of the animal. Ayo crawled upon the back of the clawing, raging crocodile and thrust the knife into its neck and then to the heart. He rolled off the fighting animal as the huge tail swung again, hitting his arm and sending the knife flying into the center of the swirling water just at the bottom of the waterfall. The crocodile soon lay dead but the most important thing, the knife, was gone! It would be impossible to get it and it was the only one of its kind, made from steel and with an ivory handle. It had come from somewhere to the north where strange people lived beyond the great waters of evil spirits. He had taken the knife in a village war with the nearby tribes. How would he get another? As they made their way back to the village with the prize, he was still troubled with the loss of the prized knife and pained with his injured foot. Ashie was fine and the crocodile was the largest in years.
Ayo had always wanted to see what was beyond the river. This was his chance to see from whence the knife came and where the skin was brown and some even white. He reported the loss of the knife to the tribal council and said he would go and get some others, not just one but many, enough for everyone. The council said, "We'll send someone else, the trip is dangerous, we are counting on you for our chief, you are the strongest bravest among us. You must stay here and lead us!" Ayo was hurt, his dream, his excitement gone. "No, I have questions in my mind I must find answers to, there is something more, I must find the truth! I will find it, then come back with something more powerful than a knife or an army! I must find the truth!" The council was shocked. Ayo was trembling inside. How could he have said that? It just came out. He bowed before them and slowly walked away. "How could I have said that," he thought, "to refuse power, honor, wealth and the opportunity to have many wives. Yet somehow those things truly were not as important as finding out about the truth about life and God.
After about an hour a messenger called Ayo to the council meeting. The "old man" stood to speak, "Young son, you seek the truth. It is your desire, more than wealth, power and fame. We seek the truth also, go and find it and bring it back to us. We shall send two men to help you. Go now and prepare to leave!"
Ayo was numb with surprise, then filled with excitement. Before him was a mystery, a darkness, yet the light would shine through.
The village gathered by the river bank, the drums beat, and Ayo, Jeu and Toyi set off across the river. Leaving the dugout boat until they returned, they waved goodby and leaped into the dark, thick jungle bush. They were loaded with dried meat and smoked fish. They carried spears, bows and arrows, along with some sparkling stones of diamonds and gold with which to exchange for knives when they found some. Every step had to be careful as this was dense forest with huge mahogany trees standing as mountains and below, the animals of the forest. Lizards dashed along rock and dirt banks, and an occasional "green mamba" snake, the most feared snake in Africa, could be seen hanging in a tree ready to strike. The air below the trees was hot and humid, almost stifling and their bodies were covered in sweat dripping to the vine and leaf covered ground. The rainy season was just coming to an end so the weather would be drier as the days went by. Besides they would reach the highlands where it would be drier still. For several days the forest was thick and the traveling difficult. At streams they often plunged into the cool water and bathed, splashing water everywhere and watching the monkeys swinging in the trees chirping with excitement.
This was tribal territory so they had no difficulty speaking to the people. Along the streams, the women were often gathering water in big hollow gourds that grew in the forest. With one end open it held water perfectly and would also balance on the head. As they neared a village they could hear and smell sounds of life. Smoke lay lazily among the dense trees and the aroma of roasting meat and cooking yams grew stronger as they entered the village. The sound of children playing or goats bleating could be heard. Often as they neared the clearing of swept dirt around each village the children would begin to run about hollering, "Welcome, welcome, stranger, our home is your home." The old men were about the village in the day while most of the younger men were farming or hunting. It had been a good crop year so there was plenty of "chop" cassava roots and the fruits were in piles near each hut. Babies were tied to their mother's back as the women pounded roots into powder or went back and forth into the forest carrying large bundles of wood on their heads. Each village welcomed them in style, asking about news from all the villages along the way and offering palm wine, juice from the palm tree fermented in the tropical sun. A good meal was often prepared-boiled rice with fish, squirrel, or rat, nut soup, cassava and fruit.
Often it was war festival time, a commemorative day of joy and worship to some god. Drums beat and the wind blows, and the people dance in splendid rhythm through the night. Time was rushing by and yet they had not reached the great trading center of Yabo, so each morning they rose early and continued on, past endless forests and animal life. Huge river hogs and bush pigs rooted in the soil and sometimes the remains lay where a leopard had feasted on his meal of the day. It was quiet in the dimly lit, moist and windless forest, but high above you could sometimes hear the moving of the wind in the high tree tops stretching up one to two hundred feet toward the heavens. Sometimes the sounds of invisible birds, the shrilling of insects, the yell of a monkey or the crash of a falling branch broke the silence. One could not see far in any direction as the foliage of ferns, shrub bush and dead tree trunks blocked the view. It was a kaleidoscope of colors and changing scenes, antelopes scurrying through the jungle bush, troops of huge gorillas up to 400 pounds charging through the trees, usually made up of an old male, several wives and many young. There were also troops of monkeys, baboons and apes, and even at times you could hear the heavy feet of elephants crashing through the bush. It was life, adventure and leading to the light of truth. Ayo's mind was constantly filled with wonder as he saw the life around him. "Who made it all? How can I know this true God? I can't be content to worship the creation. I must know the creator," he thought.
Weeks had now gone by and they arrived at the trading city of Yabo. He had never seen a village so large. The big path into the village had become crowded with hundreds of people going back and forth loaded with food and things for the market. As they entered the village it was huge in size! There were sheep and goats everywhere, chickens and hogs that were not running in fear. There was a huge market area and it was crowded with hundreds and thousands of people it seemed. He was shocked by things he had never seen before all about-cloth to make clothes, gold and silver bracelets and rings, knives and huge swords. There were traders speaking all languages and only some of the people could Ayo understand. Then he was shocked. Before him stood a new kind of man, brown of skin and with black hair, different-a man from the East he heard, a trader from the land by a great sea, a place of huge buildings, of great armies and learning. Ayo's heart leaped with joy. This was where to go, but first the knives!
In front of one of the trading stalls covered in palm leaves he spoke to a man to whom he told his needs. The man nodded and took him to the brown trader. The brown trader listened as the stranger spoke to him then turned and walked away. "Wait here", the African trader said, and soon he was alone in the crowded market. His eyes were filled with wonder and excitement. In a moment he was surprised to see both the men coming his way with four huge men in front carrying great boxes on their heads. They stopped and put them down. The brown man opened the boxes. "Oh", cried Ayo. He had never seen such! Great swords, big and small knives. He grinned. "How much?" Ayo said. "What do you have?" the African trader said. Ayo nodded at his brother and produced a leather bag containing half their treasure. The brown trader began to examine it carefully. "Do you have more?"
"This is what we have brought to trade." The trader reached into the box and produced six knives and handed them to Ayo. Then Ayo reached into the box and took out six more plus one large sword. "Thank you," he said and turned to walk away. The trader shouted and the four huge black men that had carried the box stepped in front with drawn swords sparkling in the light. Ayo calmly turned around and said, "I consider this a fair trade." The trader waved his hand and said, "Let them go." They then walked through the market, bought some beautiful silk cloth and feasted on roasted lamb.
They sat around a small fire talking and drinking palm wine. "I must go on, my brothers, you take the knives and cloth back to the tribe. I shall go north to the distant land beyond. Some day I shall return with many knives and great knowledge." They talked until the late night coolness could be felt then fell asleep under a small bamboo covering.
At early dawn the two companions bowed before Ayo, turned and started off through the crowded streets, south to the Great River. Ayo was gripped to return with them. Behind was the life he knew-before him was the great unknown, yet he also turned and started through the streets north, toward the great dry waste and mystery far beyond. Old women and young girls were dancing through the streets, it was "bundo" time, the initiation into the women's secret society-a time of great festivities for the ladies with the rites that were unknown to all men. Any man witnessing a ceremony in the forest was to be killed. After the ceremony, the young girls could then be married, often to men who had paid for them and supported the family since their birth. Women who bore many children, especially girls, brought great wealth to the husband; and women who bore no children were scorned and rejected as cursed.
The air was filled with excitement, drums and singing. A devil woman, dressed in black and waving a wooden black head, led the group carrying a huge string of beads. Ayo wandered through the streets until a hand slapped him on the shoulder. He looked around and there stood the brown trader grinning. He had white cloth about his head flowing down his back and a long multi-colored robe with leather sandals on. A huge long open knife stuck through his belt and he wore a full beard. "Greetings my friend. How are the Gods?" Ayo was surprised that the man spoke his language. The accent was not correct, but he could understand. "All the Gods are pleased, good sir. You speak to me as I understand. How?"
"Oh, young man, I am a teacher. I must know all things well, and I know you are seeking adventure, say, not?"
"Yes," replied Ayo. "I seek the mystery beyond the sea of dry death. I want to learn the ways of man and taste of the life beyond!"
"Oh, say now" said the trader sheepishly, "Another Solomon, the great king of Israel, who got everything, only to cry out, "Vanity, all is vanity. Give yourself to pleasure, wealth and adventure, and you have something, give yourself to truth, ah-it's only the game of fools! But the choice is yours. I need another good man to cross the desert wasteland with us. The way is full of danger and death. If you live you shall have everything you need by the sea."
"I shall go with you, but I desire only your knowledge. The languages you know, you must teach me. I shall learn and be satisfied."
Both laughed and side by side they walked a short way to a big tent located at the edge of the village, with the four huge guards standing nearby. Around were camels, some chickens and goats. There were more men and some women gathered under the trees. People were coming and going all around and there was some small trading going on. Ayo had never seen camels before so he gazed at their long necks and huge humps. "Like them? Well, you better, its your life for many months. Those humps don't hold water, its fat. They can go for days without water, but not us. Like I said, it's dangerous.
The trader said his name was Beida, and introduced Ayo to all the other men. Each nodded but did not speak. It was a tough lot of men who all seemed quiet and angry, but he guessed it must be the desert life that had molded them and made them trust no one, especially a stranger. He missed the laughter of the children and women at home. He knew now the hunters were coming in from the forest and the food would soon be cooking over the open fires.
Beida showed him to his place to stay. It was inside the big tent, just at the side of the doorway, a small place separated from the big room inside by a thick curtain. "You shall protect me with your life! If you are to learn from me, then I must stay alive. You shall never forget it. Trust no one, and you shall live to see the blue sea by the desert sand!"
He opened the big box and had Ayo choose a sword and sheath. This was to be his, along with a small short dagger that he was to carry hidden under his leather wrap. It now seemed that he was preparing for battle rather than adventure but he had made a decision. After all, he was beginning to like the stranger trader and could hardly wait to start the lessons.
That evening just before dark, two other brown men rushed in and they all talked excitedly to Beida. Everyone could see that something was wrong. But Ayo could not understand anything. He sat by the fire in front of the tent as the men in raised voices spoke inside. The two brown women and several black women were busy preparing the food. A huge pot of rice was boiled, then a chicken, basted in hot pepper and special roots, was poured on top. Onions and cassava bread was laid about it. Soon everyone was eating around the huge bowl, each eating with their hands, and the food was good. Ayo felt sleepy as he lay against a tree. There were now eighteen men in the camp-the three brown traders, the four huge black guards with shaved heads, and ten other men that looked like a mixture of them all! He could not tell exactly whether the women were all wives traveling with the men or mistresses that would remain behind. There was much wine to drink and after a while Beida went into the tent with the two men and their voices were whispered. Shortly they came out and Beida called for Ayo. "There may be trouble. There is a war nearby; one tribe has knives and the other tribe doesn't. The tribe without wants our knives. If we gave them away, we could never trade here again, and the other tribe would consider us their enemy. They have no ivory or gold. We may have to leave suddenly. The tribe may attack at any time! This is the hell of this life. With things people want, there is no safety! The camels will be ready to leave at dawn. It's only a short way to the Sahara grasslands where we have a good chance, but there is a short strip of forest before we get there-this is our danger."
Guards were posted all around the camp. Ayo sat against a tent rope just inside and listened to the wind blowing in the trees. Then he heard the sound of chanting of jugu men and the smell of cooking. Around them the jugu men were casting evil spirits on them and soon, at dawn, they would attack. There was no doubt. He called to the inner tent divider and called to Beida. The trader was soon by his side.
"Those people I know. The jugu priests are calling the spirits to destroy us. I fear no man, but the evil spirits are too mighty. We must sacrifice a life to overcome their power. It is a must! And now!" Ayo spoke firmly and unbuckled his sword.
"No! We shall need every man. Forget about the spirits. There are either no Gods or too many to worry about. I say it is us against them. You see the camels. They will not attack them unless absolutely necessary. They are loaded with ivory, food and water. There are two bags filled with gold and diamonds. I shall carry one. You put the other around your waist. I must trust someone, and you need me, so no matter what, stay with me!"
The first spark of light was just beginning to cross the starless sky as everyone made ready to leave. The local women had fled during the night leaving only the two trader women behind. As they began to form the seven camels into a row and as Ayo was carrying the only box of linen unsold to the lead camel, there was a sudden scream, drum beats, and arrows landed all around, followed by sharp spears. There was the scream of pain from among the defenders and then the fast charging of bodies of the attackers were everywhere. Ayo dropped the box and charged toward the screaming force. He swung his sharpened sword with terrifying power, cutting off first an outstretched arm, then thrusting the sword deep into another stomach, then twisting the knife blade. All about was fighting. They were outnumbered many times but the swords were a great equalizer, although not enough. By now several of his own men were lying in the dirt and now they could hold out only a short time. He felt a sharp pain high in his right shoulder. He spun around. His arm pained him and he felt a crack on his head. He slowly slumped to the ground. For a moment he was dazed, then turned just in time to see the on-coming spear. He ducked and charged up, cutting the man in two with one mighty blow. He was dazed but now turned into a crazed fighting madman, cutting and stabbing and lashing out at everything in his path. Then he heard Beida scream. He rushed the man about to thrust his spear into the trader and struck him with his fist, sending him sprawling. "There is no way! The Jugu is too strong." Then he saw the box lying on the ground half full of knives! He leaped toward them and with one great heave he threw them all into the air. The knives sparkled with the first dawn of light upon them and with a mighty cheer attackers began to scoop into the dirt to retrieve the priceless treasure.
Ayo lifted Beida to a camel and cried "hold on"-then he began leading them at a run through the village and toward the trail leading north. He heard footsteps far behind him, yet he raced on through the fast lighting sky. He continued on through the broad trail until Beida shouted "Right, go through there, it's only a short way to the grass!" It seemed as if Ayo would drop at any moment. He was weak, and his arm was numb, yet he charged on like a wounded lion. They went slowly up a steep hill, staggering and weaving, bushes and vines tearing his legs. At the top it seemed as if he could see for miles. A rolling land lay before them, only small bush trees and green land. At the edge of the great savana plain and under a small but ancient tree, Ayo fell into the tree's shadow and peace came at last!
Slowly, under the tree, Ayo began to stir. First he thought he heard voices from far away, then moving shadows, colored lights, then he felt the touch of a human hand. He opened his dazed eyes and slowly into focus came Beida leaning over him and pouring water onto his face and smiling. "You're O.K., son, just a clean cut and a bad flow. You lost a lot of blood but soon you'll be fine. I was only knocked out, a small cut, but the two of us, we made it-we made it!"
Beida had already washed and bandaged the wound deep in Ayo's shoulder. Then someone came running toward them with sword in hand. Ayo tried to leap to his feet but he staggered back. "It's fine," shouted Beida. "He's with us."
The man raised his arm and then Beida spoke. "His name is Yu. He cannot speak but he is the best camel man in the desert. He can smell danger, is fast and quick. He has been with me for years. He cooks and watches the animals. Never underestimate him. His tongue was cut out for refusing to speak when captured. He understands me and always escapes like a cat. We shall rest until late afternoon, then move."
Ayo knew that everyone else must be dead so he did not ask. Yu killed one of the camels that was wounded in the attack and transferred part of its load to the other ones. They threw away all the extra things that belonged to the dead and it considerably lessened the loaded camels. As they sat under the tree, Beida began to teach Ayo Arabic and Greek. Hour after hour they rehearsed sounds and words. Soon, with only Beida riding they started off across the rolling land. It was hot yet it felt cool after the intense afternoon sun had passed over. They walked on until after dark but soon it became too dark to see for sometimes there were deep washes from the flooding rainy season just passing. They stopped in a large gully and brushed the ground clean. It sometimes helped to keep the snakes and ants away-but it was not a guarantee! They staked the camels down by the foot, made ready to eat and sleep. The dried fish was good and they ate a few bananas, then wrapped in blankets and fell asleep with Ayo's shoulder hurting slowly. Just before dawn the camels began to pull at their chains. Ayo awoke to hear a "swosh." He looked about and there stood Yu. In front of him was the wiggling parts of a vicious "night adder", the most feared night snake in the land. As they prepared to leave, no one spoke, but the thoughts of Ayo were on the dead they left behind. "Where are they? We did nothing to provide them entrance into the world of good spirits, yet somehow I don't feel like praying again, or strange as it may seem, I didn't even believe it would do much good."
Days went by as they pushed forward, even weeks. At night they slept in deep ravines or in bush villages where everyone seemed to know Beida and respected him. Beida now spoke to Ayo almost exclusively in a new language. Ayo must answer back with a few words in each in one of the new languages. It was relentless learning and they were traveling at a blistering pace. One of them walked and the other rode each day. Ayo now wore leather sandals and was covered with a long robe with a headrag in order to protect him from the torturous sun. They kept the treasures they carried carefully covered under blankets and at night they each took turns watching the small caravan. They often had men wanting to join but Beida accepted no one else.
As they went further along, slowly the land grew drier and the bush and green land less and less. The people were very poor and they did a lot of small trading along the way. Often the village people were afraid at first sight as there was much slave trading in the area. Many tribes would take prisoners and the chief would sell the men or women as slaves to the traders. The price was always good so many indulged in this evil vice. Sometimes the Arabic traders themselves would lead raids but mostly they bought the slaves from warring tribes. Beida did not indulge in this trade and considered it evil. There were great stretches of the earth where every living plant had been burned clean by fire. This was one of the great dangers in Sahara land. Lightning would strike or sparks from a village fire would start a sweeping deadly fire. Once as they were traveling they could see the high boiling smoke sweeping toward them. Then the fire raced along faster than a man can run. They made a wild dash toward a dry lake, a huge expanse of soil that is almost totally barren in the dry season but flooded with water for months during the rainy season forming a huge lake. They walked into the dry crusty lake bed and the giant inferno moved past with elephants, lions, antelope, horses, baboons and cheetahs running and leaping. It was a sight to see, the living world fleeing from death.
Now the villages were often far apart and soom they would reach the desert, the sands of evil death. They would soon, Beida said, have to get supplies for there would be no more villages. They arrived at a large trading city called Botou. It was jammed with cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, horses and dogs. The market area was a teaming mass of people-men, women and children. There were camel caravans that had just arrived and others ready to begin. People of every language and color seemed to be there. Women were washing in the river with clothes everywhere, more cloth from the north and much local made clothes. Ao was amazed at the size and intensity of it. There were huge furnaces where men worked in the fires melting ore and molding brass and iron. Others were pounding and making knives and spear points from the steel. Others carved out great works of art, rings, bracelets, earrings, and all kinds of pictures. He had never seen such wealth and knowledge. There were carts pulled by horses and great fields of food and grain that grew down by the river. Water was abundant and to Ayo it seemed like the heaven he had heard about. He was amazed as they pouted through the jammed streets, lined with open air and covered shops. The houses were large mud and block houses with thatch roofs. Soon they stood in front of a beautiful palace. Guards stood at the entrance way at attention. They wore red turbans and white wraps over shoulder and waist with red belts. They carried sparkling swords and all were tall and strong. Beida spoke to one of the officers. Soon he returned, saluted Beida by bowing before him and let them inside the wall of the police fort. Yu stayed outside with the caravan and they entered the palace. It was splendid in beauty. Soon they stood in front of the king. On both sides of him stood servants fanning him with great ostrach feathers of matchless beauty. Guards stood about. The great king sat upon his throne, wrapped in silk and wearing a gold and diamond studded crown. They bowed before him and touched their heads upon the carpet floor. Then they stood. The king nodded and Beida spoke. He honored the king, speaking great words of praise. Then he opened a bag he had been carrying and drew out a sparkling beautiful gold box covered in jewels. He carefully opened it, approached the king and then slowly opened the tops of several small bottles and lifted it so the king could smell. Each time he smiled, then the king reached out his hands to receive the box and perfume. The room was filled with fragrance and aroma as they stood among the great works of carved ivory and brass arts.
That night they stayed in the palace. Beida was an old friend of the king and they talked for hours. King Koro was ruler of a vast kingdom, many chiefs paid homage to him and his domain stretched for days' walk in every direction from the big capital town. He was powerful and feared because he controlled the desert caravan route in an area of the desert that no one could cross without stopping. They collected taxes from the passing caravans of traders. They ate a feast of fresh beef and lamb as they sat with the guests of honor crowded into a large room. Afterwards they went out into the open place and there they were entertained with music and dancing. As the drums beat a throbbing rhythm, a hundred beautiful black young women danced with their flesh shining from the reflecting firelight, except for their grass skirts that covered them from their waist to their knees. Soon men and children joined in and as the full moon and star-filled sky shined down on them it was a night rhythm, wine and song. The men were given a choice of the dancers for the night. Beida chose a tall beautiful young girl and went laughing off into the night, but Ayo sat alone, drinking and getting drunk. Yet his mind continued to be filled with thoughts too deep to be thrown aside. It was strange but beautiful feeling. Somehow he felt he was on the road to his answers, yet how much longer would it be? He fell into his bed alone and was soon asleep.
They awoke to a busy day of making sure all provisions were secured for the long trip. Water, dry food and supplies were all soon bought and they were ready to leave. Then Ayo spoke to the traders: "We must offer sacrifices and gifts unto the gods, for a safe trip. There is a place by the river where we may seek protection against the sands of death!"
"Oh, no, not me", replied Beida. "There is no God! Son, this world is a hell. People live, die and enjoy a little along the way. God troubles a person, makes him ashamed and guilty. I've been everywhere from Rome, Greece, Jerusalem, Alexander and Carthage. Everyone worships hundreds of gods. I consider it all a waste of time and energy. Look, a little wine, a beautiful woman, wealth, power, you can feel these things! It gives you something- but, oh, no, not the gods. The best religion I found was in Athens where in the temple the women offered themselves to the men for the god of pleasure- that's my kind of religion!"
Ayo shook his head, "You are wrong, there must be a God; but we believe He is too big and mighty to know about each of us, so He has selected smaller gods to look after different things. Just as a king has administrators, so the lesser gods look after us. They are very demanding and easily offended. That's why we must please them, and oh, there are so many! It takes much time to seek to please the gods of death, sex, rain, forest, harvest, sickness, pain, hunting, etc., but without it the evil spirits will affect us or destroy us in pain. I seek to please the gods, yet I know something is not in me. Please come along with me!"
Beida said, "I will sell images that people worship as gods, but I will not worship them. If there is a God. He must be more than I've seen. I trust he will make Himself known. My theory is this: If the world is the evidence of God, if the heavens declare the glory of the God, then we should worship Him alone and not the creation. The religion of the Hebrew prophets and kings tells of this and tells of one who is to come. For me, I don't care, but for you, I'd seek to know who this one is!"
"Who is he?" replied Ayo excitedly. "Where is he to come? I must see this one!"
"Oh well, I don't know, but the people in Israel are looking for him. They say he will be the true king and through him we can have peace with God, but maybe it's just like all the rest. Yes, oh yes, there is a book that tells about it. Maybe some day you will find it."
Ayo's heart was thrilled with excitement. He continued to ask Beida questions about the religion of Israel. He learned about the mighty King David and the most honored King Solomon to whom came the wise and powerful people of the world to learn from him about the true God and see his great wealth and Holy Temple. Beida finally said, "I'll tell you more in the desert, get going and be off. We must leave soon!"
Ayo rushed to the market and bought a small lamb, some wine and perfume. Then he went to the huge rock overlooking the winding river with the sandy hills beyond. There were many people there also bowed before the altar of steel. This was the mighty god of strength. He bowed low and spoke to a nearby priest, presenting him with his gifts. After talking briefly he was commanded to pour the blood from the lamb upon the rock at the base of the idol of steel. He poured the wine all around the idol, then the priest poured the perfume over Ayo. The priest took the small leather pouch Ayo wore around his neck that was filled with a special potion made by the priest at home and dipped it into a pot of hot boiling substances to grant protection from the sun and desert sands. Ayo then replaced it around his neck, slipped a piece of gold in the priest's hand and climbed down the rocks. He felt better now, knowing he had made peace with the gods and had their protection.
When Ayo arrived he saw a huge gathering of camels, horses and carts loaded with produce, a few donkeys and crowds of men, women and a few children. Beida told him that they and other small caravans had joined together for protection as they crossed the vast desert. There were over two hundred camels and several hundred people. It was an exciting moment as they started off across the river. The sky was hazy, brown from the flying dust of the Sahara sand. There was farming land along the river, mostly on the south side irrigated with the flowing water. Then almost suddenly they were in the desert. The almost total absence of trees and grass was shocking to one directly from the dense forests of home. They trudged forward for days. The desert seemed like a vast unending expanse of dull brown sand. Often it was with little ripples like waves upon water, yet at times it piled high and seemed to threaten to engulf you, but the regular travelers said it often stayed that way for years. It was up and over and through a valley of sand and on and on under blistering skies. Truly this must be the hottest place on earth as the daytime temperature soared to unbelievable heights and at night plunged down, down until the body shook with cold. It was almost terrifying to experience such a change in a matter of hours. They continued on often walking for great distances in a deep basin with high banks of sand. Words cannot describe the awesome feeling Ayo felt standing atop one of the great pyramids of sand. If anyone walked even a few hundred feet out of the way, often they would be lost beyond hope, as the sand covered the footsteps very soon. Once in a while you could see a small herd of addax, the desert antelope, its large hoofs keeping it from sinking into the sand, and its long crooked horns sticking up high. Being nomadic it is able to go without water for long periods of time. The addax is one of the few large animals in the desert. A few fox and desert cats could be seen. Their hairy feet assist them in running in the sand. Huge flocks of migrating birds could be seen flying high overhead. Yellow Sahara scorpions seemed to be the most abundant life, some snakes, frogs, toads. Wild and nervous, the gazelle seemed right at home in the desert. But the most exciting time was at the oases where most of the animals watered and dashed away at the arrival of man. Beautiful date palms were often around the oases, some grass grew about and there were great gatherings of thousands of birds. The oases differed from open pools of fresh water to wells that were dug to tap the subterranean streams of fresh water flowing just underground. Some days they passed salt water that of course, they could not use. Sometimes they would camp under a tenebirth tree or under a large acacia tree growing around a pool. The singing birds and the vastness of the desert expanse filled with the smell of roasting food, made these moments memorable. Often the oases were a day apart but once they walked several days without finding one to water the animals. The big humps on the camels' backs had shrunk small as the fat was used up. Their own water had run short, yet they arrived at a beautiful pool of water before death struck.
Days ran into weeks and life went on in its hot and struggling way. They stopped to rest a few days after they had entered a range of bare high mountains. There were great ravines where sometimes rivers flood during the few times it rained in the highlands during the year. Huge jagged rocks stuck up high into the sky, swept clean by the blowing dust of the desert wind in front; then could be seen a huge valley of rocks. It was magnificent! - like it had rained big stones from heaven yet the wind had blown away the sand leaving the exposed rock for as far as the eye could see!
During their stay there they hunted and killed fresh game for food. The nights were filled with music, laughter and dancing, long hours of story telling and drinking fresh date palm wine. He was learning his languages well and was talking with other people who spoke many languages. It seemed as if almost everyone in the caravan spoke several languages. There were far more men than women but at night the women entertained them all with dances and songs. As Ayo observed the others he realized that Beida was by far the richest trader yet he carefully concealed his wealth and acted very poor, often complaining about his poor trip as a waste of time.
Late one night, the day before they were to leave, Beida leaned over to Ayo and said softly, "Now I want to tell you the rest that I know about the one who knows God as the prophets say!" Ayo was shocked into reality. For days, he had gone on and on without so much as thinking about his purpose. He now eagerly listened to Beida. "As you know, I am now getting old. I have traveled the world, as I told you before, to the great cities around the sea. Well, about thirty years ago I was in Jerusalem, a splendid city, son, and so religious. It has been conquered by the Romans and was ruled by Herod, a tough king. I was there doing some trading with some eastern traders from the Far East, a land where they say there is great wealth and riches. Well, there were old friends and we were in their splendid home having a party. I was almost drunk, had my arms around two girls and the place was stilled in utter silence, a calm of death fell on us, for standing just inside the doorway were men from the east. They were dressed in splendid clothes and their markings were that of royalty. Their eyes were piercing and their faces set as iron. There was an air of strength and mystery about them as they spoke.
'Dear Brothers, we have come to see the new King, the Saviour and Redeemer. We just came from King Herod's palace but he knows nothing about it. We shall now go on to Bethlehem where the young child is. Do any of you want to come and worship him, too? We have brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is the Holy One of Israel, the one spoken of by the prophets, the seed of Abraham, Joseph and David. His name is Emmanuel-God with us! We are in a hurry. Will you come along?' Big tears slowly rolled down the cheeks of this strange spokesman, and I dropped my head to keep from being revealed by his stare. There was no more, not another word was spoken as the three kings, accompanied by their servants, turned and walked from the room into the night. I tell you I have never felt such shame as I looked at the empty bottles of wine, watched the musicians start up a song and thought of our wicked greed and jealousy, and I want to tell you the truth, I have never been the same since; there was something supernatural about it all. I have often thought about that night and cried in my heart that I did not go with them to worship Him." Ayo looked at the old trader across the firelight and said, "Have you heard more?"
"Oh yes, it was awful," he said sadly. "Herod the King, that worm of a man, had every male child in Israel under the age of two years murdered... killed by the sword. It was a slaughter too awful to want to remember. I was there when it started and soon left. Every home was raided, children slaughtered on the spot, many girls also. Most soldiers didn't check to see whether they were boys or girls. There was blood in the streets everywhere and all Israel was in mourning. I could not bear to stay there in that terrible time of death-I constantly kept wondering if they had killed the child."
The old trader looked into the fire and from the sparkling on his cheeks, Ayo was almost certain he could see tears. Neither spoke for a long time. Ayo sat with his head on his knees, pondering the story over and over in his mind and shocked that Beida, who had always seemed so cold and godless, had this deep emotion in his heart for a child he had never seen. He wrapped himself in a blanket and lay looking at the star filled heaven above and whispered, "If this child is alive, let me see him before I die!"
Dawn came with the noise and sounds of busy preparation for the next leg across the desert. This was to be a long rocky walk, the people said-rugged terrain, short stretches of sand, then more desert rock. The horses pulling the goods laden carts, the camels, donkeys and people slowly set off through a narrow pass as ghostly shaped sharp rocks leaped high into the air. They crossed a deep ravine of an old river bed now dry and sandy. Once not long before, the people said, there was rain and farming here, but not now for many years. Soon they came over a high ridge and looked out on a huge valley as far as the eye could see of desert covered with stones with all the sand blown away. In the distance they could see a large caravan coming toward them. As late evening came they met and pitched camp for the night. Everyone rushed about to find someone to talk to and hear the news of the great Roman Empire. Ayo was talking to some small children, trying out his Arabic on them, when suddenly Beida rushed up to him. He was wild with excitement. "Come quickly, you must hear this!" and he almost dragged Ayo as he ran after the trader, taking great leaps in the direction of a group of men huddled together eating from a huge bowl of food.
"They call his name Jesus," Ayo heard someone say. "He is the one spoken of by the prophets, many say." Ayo's heart leaped within him. He burst into the circle and cried out, "Where is he? Have you seen him? Did Herod kill him?" The old sun-baked man smiled, extended his hand in a motion for Ayo to sit down and spoke again, "I'll tell you all I know, the whole nation of Israelis in turmoil! Even the Roman officials are a bit concerned about it. This Jesus is like none other. There has been no prophet like him in all Israel. My brother first met the family when they were fleeing to Egypt from Herod."
"Oh, they didn't kill him!" exclaimed Ayo, moving even closer to the full-bearded and dusty old man. "No-he is still alive at last report, preaching and teaching in Galilee. But getting back to my story-my brother met the child, his mother, Mary, and Joseph, in the Sinai desert as they were on their way to Egypt. They were very poor and had to flee without anything. My brother let them travel with his caravan for days and was mightily impressed with the people. He gave them a place to stay and food and the father, Joseph, worked as a carpenter for my brother doing the best work of anyone. It was only after a great while that he discovered the child was the one Herod had sought to kill. His mother asked my brother not to tell anyone but he observed this Jesus as the most eager and brilliant child he had ever seen. For hours he would play with the child. The little lad would sit and talk about the law and prophets with wisdom that astounded my brother. He was crushed when the family left to return to Nazareth in Galilee. The little boy came to my brother the day they left and sat in his lap and said to him, "I love you. It is goodby for now, but we shall meet again."
I never heard another word about all this until last year when I was in Jerusalem. The whole place was alive with debate as to whether Jesus is the Messiah or another prophet. The people say all kinds of things about him, that he raised the dead, heals leprosy, opens the eyes of the blind, and even forgives sin. I can't confirm this as fact or not, but it is the same man my brother knew as a child and believed in, the name is the same, his parents, his hometown, the description of his looks, plus the age. Now, I'll tell you my most authentic knowledge about it and to me the most convincing. If you know a man as a trader... you know him, right?"
"Right!" everyone said and nodded with a grin. "Well, I knew this man named Zaccheus, a short, thin, sharp crook, if ever there was one. He lived in Jericho a short distance from Jerusalem and I would often go out to a party at his fabulous home. He was rich, cheating trader... like us all,"-and the old man laughed for the first time with a deep cackle. "Now Zaccheus was as crooked and self-centered as anyone who ever walked this earth. Oh, we had some wild times... but that was before... yes, before... You see, Jesus came through Jericho, and there was a huge crowd about him, pushing and shoving to be near him to see just who this Jesus really is and many hoping to see miracles. All the city religious leaders were there also. It was quite a crowd I heard. Now Zaccheus is quite short, so the fool climbed a sycamore tree to get a look at Jesus. He wanted to see Jesus and hear him speak, and was so disappointed that he could not get near. He really wanted to meet the man. As the crowd passed by he could see Jesus in their midst. At the very foot of the tree, Jesus stopped, looked up and called him by name! 'Zaccheus', he said, 'Hurry down, for today I want to visit with you in your home!' Now I believe every word Zaccheus told me, how Jesus knew him, I can't explain, but Zaccheus quickly climbed down and he said his heart was overflowing with joy as they went to his house. Many in the crowd, especially the religious leaders, wanted Jesus to have nothing to do with this, the most wicked man in the city. It was bad for his reputation, they said, but Jesus turned to them and Zaccheus said his words cut like a sword, 'I have come to seek and to save those who are lost!' Jesus spent the day with him, eating, drinking and speaking to him about the love of God. Now it's hard to believe, but did you know, Zaccheus gave away half of all his wealth! And he returned to everyone he had cheated from four times the amount!! Unbelievable. He sold his rich art work and golden cups and gave it all to the poor. He is now an entirely new man! He is a disciple of Jesus and goes about preaching. His house is now open for all the traveling preachers of Jesus to stop and stay at any time. I arrived there about three months after this and could not believe my eyes. There in the big plaza where we once had parties, were men and women studying the Torah and singing and praying. There was love greater than anything I have ever seen and I almost decided to follow them. I never saw Jesus, but a man able to do what he did to Zaccheus must be mighty, indeed. It would take God Himself to do it! I left immediately on this trip but day and night these things have been on my mind!" The old man's voice cracked and he got up, turned and walked into the night.
The next morning just at the moment of dawn they pushed on, the heavy loaded carts cutting deep ruts in the sand. Suddenly someone shouted and pointed ahead. It was indescribable, like a giant cloud from heaven to earth, brown and moving fast, but it was no cloud, it was sand! The thing he had heard about and had grown to fear. Ayo had seen thick dust before floating in from the desert, but never like this. Beida quickly began to tie the camels together and they rushed toward a rugged rock reaching high into the sky. But... they didn't make it. Suddenly it struck. Sand burned into Ayo's skin, as the strong wind sent him falling to the soft ground. He held on as the camels pulled him forward. He could hear distant screams, he coughed, choked, and his eyes stung. Then he remembered to wrap the headwrap around his face. He dived away from the wind and quit struggling with the camels ropes. He stumbled and fell along for a long time, then finally the camels stopped but the storm continued. His mouth was dry and he was hot but he could not uncover his face. He remembered that the camels with their long eyelashes had protection from the sand and that they could close their nostrils against the sand to keep it out. He moved and bumped into a big rock. He stuck his face in the corner of a rock and began to breath better, hours passed and he lay still, and even fell asleep with his arms wrapped in the guide rope. When he awakened it was late evening and the sky was clear. Sand had almost completely covered him. He stood and began to brush the sand from his hair and clothes.. .then-he realized he was alone! He stood in deathly silence, not a sound could be heard, as he looked around. Mountains and valleys, small ripples, and big waves of sand-only sand. Ayo and two animals stood in the valley of tan, dry sand in the heart of the Sahara-lost and alone!
He began to try to decide how far he had gone with the camels in the storm but he couldn't remember whether it was minutes or hours, which way were they going? He had always depended on Yu, the camel man and Beida. He checked the supplies. One camel was laden with gold and brass ornaments, the other with ivory. No food, no water, no supplies, only riches! He began to laugh. "I'm rich, I'm rich," he cried. "Enjoy it while you can-death looks you in the face!" He laughed more than he had in weeks, more than since he left the village. In his search for God, he had found gold, he had not found God, and he couldn't buy anything with his gold! Then he felt the money belt around his waist and it was still there-but-what now?
He decided to make camp, moving behind a large rock pile that offered protection from the possibility of another storm. He lay down and then remembered a large piece of dried beef he had put in his money belt. He cut a small piece and chewed it, yet his mouth craved for water. His mind filled with thoughts: Which way do I go? Jerusalem? Ayo looked up at the sky and wished he knew how to contact God. He lay still in quiet silence and then drifted into a deep sleep.
Ayo awoke just at dawn and prepared to leave. He had remembered the direction the sun came up and that they walked with it to the right hand of them at dawn. He knew he must go on, there was no turning back now. He knew he must conserve his energy. The lack of food he could do without for days, but not water, so he rode on one of the camels throughout the morning, then afternoon. His mouth was now dry and cracking, two days without water, a sand storm and the burning heat, he was weak, dreamy, and everything began to seem unreal. He hung on to the camel as it made its way forward, night after night. Then he couldn't tell whether he was dreaming or whether it was real, but he could see figures coming toward him and voices grew louder. It was real! People-men, women and children, and fierce warriors! He grabbed his sword and lifted it in weak defense, but there was no response and the warriors surrounded him. Ayo tried to speak but no words came forth. A hand reached forth with a flask of water. He grabbed it and began to drink. He smiled and wiped the dust from his face with the back of his hand and said "thank you" in Arabic and Greek. Then he looked at the people even closer and realized that these must be the fearsome Baba tribesmen. He had seen some in the big trading towns but this was their territory and they were light skinned, a white color, even whiter than Beida. One man spoke in Arabic, "You may come with us. We are going to Botou by the river. We will do you no harm, peace be unto you my brother. Did you get lost in the sand storm?" Ayo, his voice still breaking, said, "Yes, I lost my caravan and friends. This is my first time across the desert and I've lost my way. Can you give me some water? I'll pay for it, and tell me which is the way to the Mediterranean Sea, to Cyrene!"
"Oh, friend, you are going the right direction. There is an oasis one day from here. You can reach it tomorrow night. Stay to the left of the mountain peaks. There will be caravans there that you can join, but it's dangerous from here on for the next few days before you reach the sea and Cyrene; many bandits, robbers, and the worst lot of humanity you've ever seen. Everyone is after the gold traders have brought back from across the sand. Are you an escaped slave?"
"No," Ayo said firmly, "I'm free."
"Oh, no offense," the warrior said, "but traders in front of you will try to make you a slave. Come with us friend, we will help you."
"Thank you, but no, I must go on and find my friend Beida and get..."
"Who?" cried out the warrior.
"Beida, my friend," answered Ayo.
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Beida is at the oasis in front. I saw him yesterday. He said he was waiting for a friend to arrive, a black man named Ayo. We shall take you to him. We have known Beida for many years. After all, Jesus said, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."'
"Jesus! Have you seen him?" cried Ayo leaping off the camel.
"Yes, only a few months ago. I heard him preach a sermon as he sat on a mountainside. It was so beautiful, the most powerful words of holiness and truth I have ever heard. I believe he is the Christ, the Messiah. He surely is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! I could listen to him all my life and never tire. Now look at me, look about you at people. We once were the terrors of this area. Every trader across the desert has trembled to think of an encounter with us. We robbed, killed, raped and were filled with hate, but now love. Jesus said, 'You have heard it said 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'. I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you!' He said, 'there is a wide gate and broad way, and many are on it which leads to destruction or hell, as he described it earlier, but he said there was another way, a narrow way with a strait gate that leads to life and few there be that find it.'"
"Oh, I wish I could," exclaimed Ayo, "I've been seeking the truth about God for so long."
"There is good news for you, son," the tough bearded warrior said smiling with a big sparkle. "Jesus said, 'Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you, for everyone that asketh receiveth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened...' Look at us, we are no longer warriors as we once were, we are now peacemakers, seeking to let our light shine that all people everywhere shall glorify the Father in heaven! But how? I've done all sorts of things to please God. I've offered human life, animal life, gone through all kinds of rituals, but it leaves me empty and unsatisfied. Now I'm not one of his chosen twelve disciples, and I haven't heard all His teaching, but I'm sure it begins by believing that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and turning from our sinful ways to His Holy life. And this may help also-He taught us a prayer. Try to remember it:
'Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in Heaven; Give us this day our daily bread, and Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Forever.... Amen.'"
The words were softly spoken but they shook with authority. Ayo looked around, every head was bowed, hands were lifted up and everyone had gathered in a small circle. He could see tears in the eyes of some of the people, but they were smiling!! "Smiling," Ayo thought. He had never seen the likes before. Then he heard them singing.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters; He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies, Thou anointeth my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever."
Early the next morning. Ayo, rested and fresh, set off with the Baba tribesmen-there was a light gladness in his heart, as they wound their way over and around the huge sand dunes toward the ocean where he would see Beida again. His mind was mixed in thought about the happenings of yesterday evening. These people were strange, they acted like no other people he had ever met or seen, and he was astonished at a part of the song they sang, "Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil!" How could that be? All his life death had been the ultimate evil, the most feared thing in life, for beyond it-who knows? Yet Jesus spoke as if he knew, and even these people are not afraid to die. They even seemed a bit eager. No sacrifice at death? No fear? How could this be? But one thing he did know, he couldn't wait to tell Beida the latest news.
They came up over a hill and in the far distance he could see a large valley. There were tall green trees and he could see smoke rising from the big camp but he could not see so well from the great distance. The caravan stopped and the big fearsome but smiling warrior rode up to Ayo with his white horse stallion, the most beautiful, powerful animal he had ever seen, leaping high and throwing sand everywhere. The camels were stopped but the horses charged through the desert as if ready to attack, then they abruptly stopped and the warrior said, "We must return to our journey. The camp is ahead. Just ask, you will have no problem finding Beida. We trust you will also become a disciple of Jesus. Remember, it's not just what he says, it's who he is! God bless you, in Jesus name. We must be about spreading the words of Jesus to our people." They all charged like wild men back into the desert. Ayo stood waving and in the far distance he could see hands waving at him-then suddenly he realized he was crying! Big tears were rolling down his cheeks, he felt ashamed, quickly brushing them away with his hand. Then no longer did he feel ashamed, he felt peace and love-love, real love. He realized that these people loved him, and he had loved them! He was dying in the desert with two camels loaded with a lifetime of wealth, these people had come and shown him something he had never known before. He wasn't sure what it was all about but more than ever he wanted to see Jesus and be changed like these people.
As he neared the oasis he realized it was more of a fort than anything he had ever seen. There were big walls around a large part of the area, some small crops were growing and much of the village lay outside the wall. As he neared the gate, he could see two warriors unlike any he had ever seen before. They wore helmets on their heads, breastplates, big shields lay nearby and strong tough swords hung from their hips. Each stood erect in the shade of the gate with a big spear at their side. As he started to enter the gate into the compound, the two soldiers stepped toward him and pointing their spears at him shouted, "Halt!" Ayo stood motionless with the two camels behind him. "Do you have any identification, or can you tell us your master?" one soldier asked. Ayo was so glad he had learned well his Greek as well as Arabic. "I am Ayo, I'm from across the sand, I'm a free man. I have no master. I am looking for a friend."
"Shut up! Let's see what he has on these camels." Then they removed some of the covering on the camels and saw the ivory. "Just what I thought, another robber! Killed, robbed, and didn't know we had moved a garrison of troops into the old fort to suppress this... did you!!" Both grabbed Ayo, pulling his hands behind him. He lunged forward, his hand went for his sword...then he stopped. "I must find Beida, he will work this out," he thought. Then meekly he held out his hands. He was quickly chained hand and foot but loose enough for him to walk. They were joined by two other guards who took over the gate, as they led him away toward the headquarters of the garrison. Suddenly in front of him was... Yu, Beida's helper. He was leaping up and down. "What's wrong with you-crazy man!" shouted a soldier pushing him aside. "He can't speak! I know him, he is Beida's helper, he..."
"Did you say Beida?"
"Yes"
"Do you know him?" shouted one of the soldiers moving back. "Yes, I am working with him. We got lost in a sandstorm," said Ayo, speaking with authority, as he could tell they knew Beida. "Take me to him!" Then the two soldiers moved off and began to whisper. Then they returned, unchained Ayo and offered him a drink. Ayo refused. They said, "Come with us."
There were tents and mud-made houses along the small narrow streets, a constant flood of animals of all kinds and children running about everywhere. They came to a well guarded compound where the soldiers saluted and asked for the officer. Soon a middle-aged man, well built and smartly dressed, stepped up. "Sir," they said, "We have found Beida's friend. It is too long a story to bother you with, but we had a great idea and it worked. We found him alive and have brought him to you, your honor."
"So I see, you have done a fine job. Write a small report of your daring adventure and you shall receive your reward!" exclaimed the officer with a question in his voice. "Follow me, Ayo. We are delighted to discover you; it will give Beida great peace of mind!"
"Yes sir, I shall be glad to see him. Is he well?" asked Ayo. The officer did not reply as they walked through the streets. Finally, he said, "How did you get here?"
"Some tribesmen, followers of Jesus, found me and brought me here, then your soldiers discovered me at the gate!" Ayo said the final words with a vengeance.
"So I suspected," he laughed. "So you met the Baba tribesmen? I tell you if they all became like that we could go back home! They are going out to convert the rest of them! Can you believe it! I don't hold much for this new Messiah. The Jews are always coming up with something special but if all his followers behave like that, it can't all be bad. I have a friend who serves in a garrison of troops under Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. He has written me about this Jesus but I think it's all blown up."
"I am on my way there as soon as I can get there," said Ayo.
"Well, I shall give you this address and a letter of introduction. I'll send it over to you tonight by one of my soldiers," said the officer.
"I must leave you now, Beida is in the village ahead. If I can help, call me, I'm at your service." "Thanks, oh thanks," shouted Ayo. Suddenly forgetting himself he ran ahead leaving Yu to keep the camels as they had always done. He could hardly wait to see Beida. Now the team would be together again-Ayo, Beida and Yu. He charged past a startled gate man and into the beautiful garden of flowers surrounding the house. He opened the door and started in shouting, "Beida, Beida, I'm back. It's Ayo." Then... he stopped, frozen, the radiant smile slowly melting away. The room was cool and quiet, five or six people around a large bed, every eye fixed on him and then he saw- "Beida," he cried out. He slowly moved to the bedside of the old man who feebly lifted his hand, and a faint, ever so faint smile could be seen as his lips quivered! Ayo knelt beside the bed and tenderly touched the tough, calloused, but now weak hand.
"I am back. What is wrong?" said Ayo in slow emotional words. "I'm dying, my son," the old trader said in broken words. "But you have come back to me. I was afraid.. so afraid. I'd never see you again. The last storm was too much for me. My time has come."
"Oh, no!" cried Ayo. "The gods must have mercy..." Slowly the old man motioned for one of the men standing nearby. The man stepped forward with several large scrolls in his hands and began to unroll them on the table.
"This is to show that you are the son, the adopted son of Beida, with all the rights of a Roman citizen. You are a free man and can never be enslaved," said the scholarly well dressed man. He looked at Beida and then continued, "Your name shall be called Simon. When you sign this you shall be a Roman. Here is the ring of the family and the seal. Beida has chosen you to be the head of his family. You have full authority over all his wealth, interests, and his two children. My son, at this moment you have become a very wealthy, prominent and important man. You are my boss; I will have time to inform you later as to the full extent of your property and possessions, but first sign here. "-and he dipped the pen into the ink and handed it to Ayo.
"What does all this mean?" he whispered to Beida. "Sign now, my son, quickly," he answered back. Ayo moved to the table and remembering the letters he had learned along the way from Beida, he wrote his name at all the places the lawyer pointed to. After he finished, Beida said, "Alexander and Rufus are my two sons; they are young. You must educate them and make them wise. You shall see them soon. I..." The old man began to cough and choke, everyone moved closer to him and Ayo held the struggling man's hand. "I'm not afraid to die, Ayo. Some Baba tribesmen stopped off to see me-they are old friends. They told me of Jesus. Son, I believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah. I shall see him face to face. I prayed and repented of my sins, I'm clean. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. I bless God!" Beida's voice now strongly filled the room, "That a sinner like me could find grace through Jesus. Yea I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil." He was now sitting up-everyone tried to calm him and laid him down, but the old man was smiling. He was looking up with his hands uplifted, "Oh the beauty, Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy...name"-he began to struggle, coughing and choking. His skin began to change color, then... all was still. Ayo felt no pulse...and Beida...was dead. No one moved. For what seemed an endless age not one sound could be heard, then slowly Ayo released the hand of Beida, stood up and walked from the room.
CHAPTER VII
The past days had been fast, hard and exhausting for Ayo-the funeral, the important things for him to know about his new responsibility, decisions to make, people to meet and see. Often Ayo cried behind his eyes and if the days had not been so busy the grief he felt would have destroyed him. It was always on his mind the change that had come over Beida, for the though old man, the unreligious, to suddenly became a disciple of Jesus, was beyond his understanding. One thing troubled him beyond all else. The lawyer had given to Ayo a small strip of parchment upon which were the words that the Baba tribesmen had given to Beida. The lawyer said the tribesmen had explained it to Beida and that Beida had wanted the words. It was as follows:
"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgement: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:2-12
All this trouble Ayo. Surely it was about Jesus, but what about the suffering, the sorrow, the death. He thought Jesus was to take away all this, yet from this it appeared he would suffer more that anyone else. He wondered if anyone had showed this to Jesus and what Jesus would say about it. He kept it and vowed if he ever saw this man he would ask him about this writing... but there was much to do.
The two strong, sparkling white horses drew up to a halt after charging up the steep hill on the splendid road to the sea. Ayo stood trembling with excitement. He found it impossible to believe the beauty before him! From the steep rocky hill he could see past the yellow flowers, ancient trees, the quiet blue sea before him! As far as he could see it stretched-on and on. He saw a sparkling white city of stone below him with ships bigger then he ever dreamed of docked in the harbor. The lawyer, Thaddeus, was pointing to a small villa by the sea-this was home!
As they wound their way down the descending, winding road with his caravan following behind, he wondered how he would break the news to the children, and how he would tell them he was now their father. A man they had never seen-a black man. What would he say?
They were passing through the narrow streets in a city filled with thousands of things he had never seen before. He suddenly saw two black ladies selling drums on a street corner market. He had the driver stop and he ran to the two women and quickly was back with two big drums. He was grinning and smiling as they entered the splendid villa. Suddenly two screaming boys burst from the house running toward the chariot. They stopped just before the boys arrived and Ayo stepped from the chariot clothed as a Roman in fine apparel.
"Daddy, Daddy, Where are you?" they hollered and looked and leaped about.
"Hey, come here," called Ayo. He lifted the big drums out and began to beat a rhythm, playing both at the same time. The boys ran up and began to dance about. The servants from the house gathered about and soon the whole place was like a festival.
"I'm Alexander"-"I'm Rufus"-"Where's our dad?" they asked. Ayo stopped, sat in the grass and called them to him, setting one on each knee.
"Sons, your daddy loves you very much. He had to go away and he wants me to look after you like a father. "That's fine," Alexander said soberly, "But he's been away so long. When shall we see him again?"
Ayo was now at the end of the road. He tried to hold back the tears but they slowly ran down his cheeks. "Your father believed in a man named Jesus. He believed that there is a wonderful place that he has made. Your father has gone there to wait for you. I was with him when he left. He was smiling and unafraid."
"Is he dead?" Rufus asked slowly.
"Yes"-said Ayo "but he loved you very much." The two boys began to cry, tears bigger than he had ever seen. "We have waited for so long to see him, every day we looked for dust on the road. At every sound we would run to see if it was Daddy, and now he won't come at all!" Ayo held them and tears poured from six eyes, for the first time Ayo could hold it no more. For now over a month had passed, but at last his feelings were free. He cried as freely as they. Soon he realized they were no longer crying but looking at him.
"Did you love him so much?" asked Rufus.
"Yes, oh yes, I did-as much as you I'm sure. I've been with him for many months I can't remember. He took me to him as a son. I learned from him about all I know, how to read, write and speak languages, and I came to depend upon him for everything. Now he is gone and left me with all these things I know nothing about. I'm a common man, now like a king, I have no wife but two sons, I came in search of the truth to find God and now I'm rich. I have everything but my heart is still empty and your father had more joy in his face at death than I have in life. I know how you looked for him. I do too. How many times a day I start to say 'Beida'-think of him and then have to stop and say, no. he's gone, and I'm on my own, but I don't like it this way!"
At that moment both boys grabbed the big black man around his neck and began to cry and laugh. "You are just like us, we feel the same," and they both kissed him on each tear washed cheek. Ayo, wiping tears, smiled and said, "Come inside, I'll tell you all about our trip across the desert!"
"Oh, what is your name father?" said Alexander with a smile. Ayo thought-Ayo, Simon of Cyrene, or maybe, Beida-or should it be Simon Ayo Beida Bu of Cyrene? He said hesitantly, "Simon!"
"Simon, come with us, we will show you around." And they ran racing through the garden with Simon leaping to keep up with them.
Days turned into weeks and weeks into months, as Simon was busy about the affairs of the estate. Much had waited for the return of Beida, but now it was all his responsibility. In the morning and late at night he studied Greek and Arabic from a special teacher. He ate lunch with the boys and in the afternoon it was all business. Thaddeus had been invaluable in every way. He was a wise and shrewd businessman who seemed to have only one desire: to be the director of the most aggressive, prosperous and wealthy estate in Cyrene, and he was loyal beyond belief, and now personally also a very wealthy man. Simon could have become so involved in the affairs of business, that he was now beginning to like, that everything else could be forgotten. His affairs stretched from Rome to Greece, Alexandria and Jerusalem.
Jerusalem! This was where he must go, so he made plans to make a business trip, first stopping by Alexandria, then sailing on to Jerusalem. This would be his chance to hear Jesus and to get to know the boys that he now wanted to take along with him. So on a clear beautiful day they set sail on a splendid new Roman ship. He was accompanied by two business associates plus one man and a maid to watch after the boys. He also brought along a large supply of gold, ivory carved into splendid works of art, and other valuables to be traded or sold in Jerusalem or eventually in Athens or Rome.
The journey along the North African through the Mediterranean Sea was relaxing refreshing. It now almost seemed a dream-the struggle he had been through the desert. Food plentiful and the few days on the sea with two boys was a time of real enjoyment. They were filled with energy and life, always seeking questions about Simon's home and life style. They said that some day they would like for him to take them back to his home. There were several Jewish traders on the ship so there was much discussion about this man Jesus. The debates and arguments only whetted his appetite for more knowledge and he grew in the anticipation of seeing Jesus face to face. Most of the arguments seemed to be whether Jesus was the Messiah or just another prophet and what kind of kingdom he would set up. Some whispered that like Joseph Maccabee, Jesus would lead an armed rebellion against the Romans, but others said that Jesus was a man of peace and would never resort to violence, yet the amusing thing to Simon was that none seemed to doubt the miracles Jesus was working. One man constantly kept saying that Jesus was Beelzebub, or the devil, or doing these thing in the power of evil, yet none doubted that he was doing miracles. No one on the ship had seen Jesus personally yet everyone discussed the question with great authority!
Early one morning he awakened at dawn, climbed to the deck and was amazed to see the huge, awesome lighthouse overlooking them. It stood 370 feet high and was a winding cone where at the top big melted pots of coal and wood burned, giving light high in the sky. It was considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. This was at the entrance way to Alexandria with the lighthouse just off the shore on the island of Phoros. The tower was now 300 years old but it looked as good as new. Alexandria was a fabulous place to visit as Simon rushed through the streets with Alexander and Rufus. They visited the Stadium, the Great Hall of Justice, the aqueducts from the Nile, the amphitheater, gymnasium, and the massive city walls. The city had been built by Alexander the Great over 300 years ago and had grown to a huge city of over a million people. It was now the chief trade center with people from all over the world there. Every color and language could be seen and heard. But Simon was most impressed with the museum, school of medicine, and most of all with the library! He made fast work of his trading and spent several days in the library. It was there that he discovered that the Torah, the sacred book of the Jews, had been translated from Hebrew into Greek. This was the book that contained the record of God dealing with the people and contained the prophecy about Jesus. Simon wanted this so he could read for himself the prophecy and learn more about the Messiah. He discovered that Ptolemy II, a great ruler in Alexandria, had contacted the High Priest in Jerusalem and made arrangements for 72 Jewish scholars to come to Alexandria to translate the Torah and the work was completed in only 72 days! This was why so many people knew about the Messiah, because for now so many years the Torah had been in the common language of the civilized world. Finally, Simon found a copy but the owner did not want to part with it, especially to a non-Jew. But at last after paying a considerable price, Simon joyfully held the scroll containing the Holy Scriptures! He decided to stay a few weeks there in this beautiful city studying the scrolls but as he in the market place alone, he opened one of scrolls and just started to read when one of Jewish traders who had been on board ship came up and said, "You are going to see this man, Jesus? Well I tell you, you must be on your way. A friend of mine just arrived by ship from Jerusalem today. He says there is a conspiracy to kill Jesus; it will be soon!" He was speaking in a hushed voice, "The people believe in him. They are ready to declare him King. The hour of the discussion is at hand. Everyone thinks Passover will be the time; everyone is going to Jerusalem. Mark my word, something mighty important is about to happen. Some of us are leaving in the morning by ship-you can come if you like!"
Simon was now jolted into action. "Yes, I'll go, I must see him for myself. I've come too far to miss this great moment. Surely they'll make him King. He has done nothing to die; it would disappoint too many people."
As Simon made ready for the early morning departure, his mind was filled with worry. If Jesus were killed, then Beida's faith was in vain, the tribesmen were deceived and all the people be crushed. It was now like a heavy weight in Simon's heart. All gladness was gone, except for the hope that when he arrived he would find that Jesus was King, but that would mean war with the Romans, so no matter what, only trouble could lie but after thousands of miles and countless months, he could not turn back. He must go on in search to find God!
The time aboard ship was short but it was too long. This boat was filled with fruit and produce and smelled awful. The cabin they lived in was small and hot, the two boys were sick the entire trip and he could hardly wait for the ship to port in Joppa. When it did they hurriedly secured transportation and set off for Jerusalem. He asked no questions but assumed that everyone was coming for the Passover or to join the army that would make Jesus King. Everywere there were conversations where he could hear the name Jesus. There were strong forces of troops at key points so he assumed they knew something was about to happen. Then they reached the top of a high hill and before them was-JERUSALEM!
The city was sparkling in splendor before him-the massive high walls with the clustered buildings inside and in its midst the temple.
Simon wanted to go then to view it but there were more pressing matters now. They hurried on into the city, in the huge open gate and through narrow streets jammed with people of every color and dress. There were people in the dress of riches and those of begging poor. Animals of all nature and the aroma of fresh fruit, vegetables and also the rotten and decaying all mixed together in a way that was beyond description. There were also people swearing profane words as they traded and at the same time people about praying. It seemed as if the whole world had sent a few thousand representatives to this one place.
"I've arrived," he thought, "and now, where is this man, Jesus?"
Simon arrived at the gate of the military headquarters and showed his letter from the military commander at the garrison in Cyrene to the guard at the entrance. The letter was addressed to Mark Augustine of Pontius Pilate Guard. Soon a strong soldier appeared and greeted him, inviting him inside but Simon instead asked Mark to come with outside where his children and caravan were waiting.
"I've come a long way to be here. The garrison commander in Cyrene told me of your interest in Jesus. Can you tell me where I can find him? I much have to speak to him about. I want..."
"Shh-" said the Soldier and they moved to a deserted corner of the street. Then he began to speak softly. "The letter tells me who you are and of your interest in Jesus. I feel I can trust. Now listen. The matter is very serious! Multitudes of people are following this man. Why even Joanna, the wife of Chuza, King Herod's own steward, is a follower of his. Only a few days ago Jesus came into Jerusalem. It was a sight to behold. There were tens of thousands of people along the streets. They tore limbs from the trees and scattered them along the way. Others spread their clothes along the way, they waved palm branches and shouted 'Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David, Hosanna in the Highest!' Jesus was riding upon a donkey. I've never seen anything like it. It's like the whole country is ready to follow him but-there is strong opposition by the religious leaders. They fear him. Why just the other day Jesus entered the Temple overthrew the money tables, scattered the animals to be offered in sacrifice and cried out, 'My house shall be called a house prayer, you have made it den of thieves.' Why he even said of them, 'Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. You devour widows' houses and make long prayers. Ye shall receive greater damnation, you have omitted the weightier matters of the law; judgment, and faith. You blind guides, you are like white tombs that appear beautiful outward, but within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanliness, you outwardly appear righteous men but within you are full of hypocrisy and inquity. You are snakes, a generation of vipers. How can you escape the damnation of hell?' Now do you see why they hate him? He is something else. They have been plotting to kill him and I fear they will succeed."
"But why should you worry if they kill him?" said Simon. "Because I've heard him, others of our troops also have been sent to spy on him and he has said nothing against Caesar. I have never been able to get him off my mind. It is torment trying to forget him, for once you've seen him you know this is something special."
"But where is he? I want to see him," replied Simon.
"That we don't know. He hasn't been seen too often in the past few days. People everywhere are looking for him for one reason or another but few can find him. But this I know. Often he stays in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. He has good friends there. One is called Simon the Leper. The other are two sisters, Mary and Martha, and they have a brother named Lazarus-and get this: Lazarus died, was buried for four days, then Jesus brought him to life about a week ago!"
"What?" cried Simon.
"Yes, it's what everyone says. I don't know but maybe when you get there you can find out more. Just ask for Simon the Leper's house.
"I shall, I shall," replied Simon. "I'll see you again for dinner when I return to Jerusalem."
He ran over to the small caravan and directed the driver to take them to Bethany. The streets were crowded as they pushed their way along. Simon had never seen such a jam of humanity. It seemed as if the whole world were here. He was filled with eager excitement. They made their way out the gate and along the winding road leading to Bethany. He had business affairs to attend to but decided not to even acknowledge that he was in Jerusalem until he had seen Jesus. Arriving in the hill city of Bethany he inquired as to the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He was immediately directed to a large house with spacious grounds and beautiful flowers. As he approached the house the two boys came running after him. It was almost dark as he knocked on the door. Soon the door opened and a sparkling radiant lady who appeared to be in late twenties, stepped out and said, "I welcome you in the name of the Lord. Can I help you?"
"Yes, I am Simon of Cyrene and I've come from far away and have traveled for a long long time. Can you tell me where I can find Jesus?"
"Well... why do you want to see him?" she said and took a step toward the door.
"Oh, do not fear. I have met his disciples in the desert. Even before that I've heard of him. I even met a man whose brother knew him in Egypt as a child. Oh, please, please, I must see him!"
She stood gazing at him. She seemed to analyze every feature of his face, yet it was in kindness. Then she looked at the ground and softly said, "I'm sorry, very sorry, please forgive me, but we have all feared so much for him-come in, come in. I'm Mary." Then she looked down at the two children standing quietly by. "These are my two sons," Simon said. "Alexander and Rufus. Their father died and left them to me."
"Oh, Joy," she said and tenderly leaned over and kissed the two young sons. They dropped their heads but she grabbed them each by a hand and led them into the house. Inside they met Martha, the sister of Mary and just a bit older by a couple of years. They invited all the people with Simon into the house. The horses were taken to a nearby stable. They all had a good bath, then they sat down for a supper. It was a lovely meal, as they lounged on the cushions and ate together. It was almost like a banquet, and the amazing thing was everyone was treated the same. The attendants of Simon usually ate separately and the nurse for the children never ate with them, yet here all ate together as equals and the spirit was beyond Simon to describe. But one thing kept going through his mind-where was Jesus?-not another word had been said about him.
After supper the women began to show the people to their places to sleep. Mary and Martha insisted on keeping the children with them for the night and said they could stay there as long as they were in Jerusalem. Simon agreed and told all his people that tomorrow they could go to the place in Jerusalem where he had a house and business friends and wait for him there. As everything seemed to settle down, Mary came in and sat down on a long couch. She leaned forward with big tears rolling down her cheeks and said, "They are plotting to kill Jesus, my Lord. They are out even now trying to find him! Oh, he is beautiful! He has been in this home so often. He has sat there, right where you are sitting and talked to me for hours. He is so peaceful, so powerful, so loving-if you ever see his eyes, you'll know he is the Lamb of God. He knows he is about to die! They have tried to kill him before but did not. He said, 'My time is not fulfilled'-but I believe it is now, and he knows it. I can see it in him. Death is at hand!" Tears flowed from her eyes as her long, lovely hair reaching down to her waist, brushed in her face.
"But," she continued, "he refuses an army. He is King, but his kingdom is not of this world. He has a different kind of army, one not of knives and swords, but of love, forgiveness and spiritual power. He shall die soon, he knows it, and he is ready. I know it."
"But if he is killed," said Simon in sober words, "what will happen? I had a dear friend named Beida. He was greedy, wicked and did not even believe in God. He met some men many years ago and they spoke of the Messiah, yet in the desert a long while back he died. I was with him and he said some Baba tribesmen explained about Jesus to him and he believed. It's true, that old wicked man had peace and believed he would see Jesus, he did not even fear-I saw him!"
"Oh, well this is something you must understand. I don't believe even his disciples understand it. Neither do I completely understand it myself but maybe better than anyone else except Lazarus, my brother."
"You mean the man that died?" Simon said and rose from the couch and began to walk about the room. "I've heard about it, but could not believe it."
"Yes, it's true. You see Jesus is very close to our family. We sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick but he did not come. After he died and was buried four days Jesus came and when told of the death of Lazarus whom he had spent so much time with, he wept! I saw him with my own eyes. Oh, he is so full of love. Martha had met him outside the city and he had sent for me. I fell at his feet and said, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' He said, 'Where have you laid him? So we took him to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid in the entrance way. When we arrived Jesus ordered the stone removed but Martha protested and said that the body was already stinking by now, but Jesus ordered it any way, then he looked up to heaven and prayed to the Father. There was a big crowd around that had gathered with us at the home and had followed me to Jesus. Many were believers and others were not. Everyone was astonished but with tears flowing down his cheeks Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' His body began to move and stood straight up. His body was wrapped in grave clothes as is our custom and he was bound hand and foot. Jesus ordered him unwrapped and Lazarus was alive. He was simply aglow in the radiance of God's power. We all began to leap about, praising God, singing and worshipping Jesus. Many of the people repented and believed in Jesus. Oh, it was so glorious, so wonderful-it's absolutely true. Now you see why I can't conceive of Jesus dying. Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever believeth in me shall never die.' You see it all seems impossible to me for Jesus to die when he has the power over death! I don't understand it all but I know that Jesus is the Messiah and that he shall never die, nor shall we... I have faith in his words! Simon, I love Jesus. He is my Lord. I saved and saved and bought the most expensive alabaster box of precious ointment I could find. Then five days Jesus was here in Bethany at Simon the Leper's home. Martha prepared the dinner; the disciples were all present along with many more. Jesus still sitting at the meal. I was thinking of his death to come because he had spoken of it. He had helped me so much. I am nothing without him, and as I saw him, I could withhold my expression of love no longer. I went into the room and got the ointment I had bought and rushed into the room. I was crying with tears of sadness at his coming death and joy at the life he had given me. I poured the ointment over his head and then on his feet and began to wipe his feet with my hair. I have never felt such love as he looked at me. I worshipped my God, and the whole house was full of this splendid fragrance. The disciples began to shout me away, and condemned me for the waste of so much money, saying it should have been given to the poor-but Jesus didn't condemn me. He knew my love, as I had sat at his feet so often. He said, 'Leave her alone, she has anointed my body for my burial and in all the world, where the gospel is preached, she shall be remembered for this.' Oh, I bathed his feet, so hard and tough that had carried him along the roads to preach the gospel of peace, his hair so soft and his hands so strong, yet tender. Simon, yes he shall die; but he shall not die. I think I may be the only one of his followers who truly knows this-oh, I love him!"
They sat in silence. Not a word was spoken as minutes passed. The candle was Slowly burning as Simon looked upon the face awash with tears, yet she possessed a peace, a love, a rest and a faith,-it seemed as if she must be somewhat of a reflection of Jesus-and he felt the deep longing to know Jesus as she. Yet the shadow of death was over head, and he wondered if his deep longing would ever be filled. He wanted to cry out to her to help but no words came to his lips. After a long while she slipped to her knees and began to pray, words so tender, spoken to the Father, words of thanks, praise and love, words of prayer for God to give her strength to be his witness. Then she began to pray for Simon. It seemed as if she knew every need of his heart as though she had known all the pain and lostfulness of his soul. Then she said, "I ask this in Jesus' name." She looked at Simon and he looked away. He felt so filthy, so unworthy and ashamed. "Simon-Simon." Her words were soft, yet sharp like a knife, "Are you his disciple?" Moments passed as he tried to answer. He realized tears were slipping down his cheeks but he could not stop them.
"Mary"... he answered in broken words. "When can I see him?"
"Any time you believe, you shall know him!" Jesus said, 'Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I shall give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your soul, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'"
Simon began to tell of his search, beginning in his small village and continuing up until the present moment. Mary told of her life, of her first meeting with Jesus and of the closeness to him through the past several years. She told of his sermons, the people he had helped and of those who hated him. It all seemed only a moment but hours had passed and it was now dawn as their conversation continued without pause. Simon was asking questions and she was telling him of the words of Jesus. Martha awoke and prepared breakfast. Soon the house was astir with the sound of life and the boys. It was a new day, yet a continuation of yesterday- what a day it was to be!
Suddenly the front door burst open and a man rushed inside, his hair flowing down his back, a young man with a full beard and flashing eyes. He stood, pale and trembling. "Lazarus, what's wrong?" cried out Martha as she rushed toward him. "It's Jesus. It's Jesus! They've got him-they are going to kill him!"
"But where is he?" Martha said, grabbing him. "I'm not sure exactly where he is at this moment but they are going to crucify him-it's terrible." Martha began to cry. Lazarus took her in his arms and held her. Mary remained where she stood, and Simon slowly walked toward the door, buckling on his sword.
"Lazarus, where can I find him? I have come a long way, I have met several of his followers, I spoke with your sister Mary about him all night, and now I must see him, no matter what the cost." Simon's words were strong and unswerving. Mary rose and stepped toward him. "I shall go with you Simon. I anointed his body for death; I must stand with him in his suffering. Let's go. Martha, will you watch the two sons?"
"Yes," she replied, wiping away her tears.
Then Lazarus spoke, gathering his emotions, "Let's go by Simon Peter's house. Most of his disciples are gathered there. Maybe they know more by now." Then they moved out into the early morning freshness. The streets were already alive with people as they rushed through the streets. No one spoke a word as Simon's mind was filled with ideas of how to bring about the escape of Jesus. He knew no way to form an immediate band of warriors to attempt the rescue except for the disciples, yet he wondered why they were here instead of in Jerusalem with Jesus. But also he remembered the words Mary had said about Jesus knowing he was to die, and wondered if Jesus wanted to be rescued or just what it was all about. Maybe when he met the disciples of Jesus he would know more. Soon they arrived at a home with every window closed. Lazarus beat on the door and called out his name. The door opened and a short heavy set man grimly said, "Come in... quickly." Lazarus rushed in, Mary behind him, with Simon following. The huge room was dimly lit as everyone began to talk. Simon looked about at the crowded room. Everything and everyone seemed in a state of shock and absolute confusion. The men were weeping and in a state of depression such as he had never seen before. He soon realized that this was nine of the select twelve disciples that Jesus had personally chosen. He had spent three years training them and they all knew Jesus personally, but how could his followers be in such a state of despair? Where was their faith, such as he had seen in Beida, the tribesmen, Mary and others? Simon was for the first time in his search for God almost totally overcome with a moment of hopelessness! Almost without thinking, he stepped out of the corner of the room and his voice sounded forth, "You fools... you fools." The room was suddenly quiet, every eye turned to him and most took a step backward away from him as they looked at him with fear. "My name is Simon of Cyrene. I've been traveling a long time to see this Jesus Christ. I've met people along the way that have heard, believed in or seen Jesus and have become his disciples. Everyone of his believers were filled with assurance, a zeal like I've never seen and a real victory in death. I am crushed to meet you. I have longed for one look at Jesus... you have lived with him and now look at you... unbelief, fear, hopelessness... I'm sure whatever Jesus taught you, if he could see you now, he would consider his time a total waste. I don't know about you but I must go and find him. I am not even a disciple of his, but I seem to have more faith in him than you do. Would someone please tell me where I can find him."
No one spoke for what seemed like minutes. Then Simon turned to see a strong, tall but gentle man step toward him. "My name is John. Please forgive us. We do not today reflect to you the light of our Lord, but please sir, do not let our weakness detour your search for the true Light. Last night we sat at supper with him and he served us a memorial of bread and wine, then he washed our feet. Afterward he went out to the Garden of Gethsemane with us to pray. He asked us to 'watch and pray'. He said his soul was sorry unto death." His voice broke with emotion as he struggled to continue. "Oh God, we failed Him! We slept-in his own hour of need, we slept. He awoke us and said, 'The hour is at hand, the one that is to betray me 'is here.' Then we saw a great crowd coming toward us with swords. Among them were some of the elders and chief priests. They were led by Judas, one of our twelve disciples. They were carrying torches in the darkness. Jesus said, 'Whom seek ye?' They said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' 'I am he,' Jesus said. And suddenly the whole crowd fell backward to the ground. Oh, the power of our Lord! Judas rushed forth and kissed him as a sign of betrayal. Oh, it was sick to see Judas, one of his own disciples, leading the band of wicked men. Judas had betrayed the Lord!"
"What then?" cried Simon.
"Well, Simon Peter, one of us, drew his sword and charged toward the crowd. He is a huge tough man. He swung his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest. It looked as if a big battle might break out, but Jesus stopped it. He said to Peter, 'Put up your sword-all that take up the sword shall perish with the sword. If I prayed unto my Father, he would give me more than twelve legions of angels, but this is done that the scripture may be fulfilled!' Then they took Jesus and bound him and led him away. All of us disciples ran into the darkness and came here. We are afraid that we too shall be taken and killed. Truly it is a dark hour."
"But what about Peter?" said Simon. "Where is he?"
"Oh, he followed along behind the crowd to see was going to happen! We haven't seen him since. They may have taken Peter also to kill him," cried out another voice. "All is lost, the hope of Israel is lost if Jesus is killed."
"No... no..." said Lazarus. "He called me forth from the grave. He has all power, as he said, 'he could call twelve legions of angels'-but he refused. All is not lost, it is a fulfillment of the scriptures as he said."
Simon started toward the door, "I'm on my way to see Jesus." Then John spoke up, "I will show you the way; I must be with my Lord. I have hurt him already too much." They stepped from the house and moved swiftly through the streets. Simon, John, Mary and Lazarus, dashed along the way toward Jerusalem. Simon was still shaken with the weakness of the hopeless disciples he had met. He was angered at them and it felt good to be again in the fresh air and along the busy road toward Jerusalem. It seemed as if everyone was going into the city. It was only a short walk to the splendid city before them with the huge temple sparkling before them. But as they reached the gate they met a huge man rushing toward them. "Peter... Peter," cried out John. Then they all moved off the road and gathered around Peter.
"John... Mary..." Peter stammered. "I denied Jesus... Idid... After you and the other disciples fled, the other disciple and I followed after Jesus. The other disciple went in with Jesus to Caiaphas, the high priest, but I stayed outside. Many of the people recognized me and said I was one of the disciples of Jesus. Oh, I was afraid! Earlier I would have fought for Jesus, but somehow I have become so afraid! Three times I denied I even knew Jesus! Oh, forgive me. I even cursed and swore as I warmed myself around the fire, denying I had ever seen Jesus. Then the rooster crowed and I remember the words of Jesus that I would deny him three times before the rooster crowed! "Oh, my soul is exploding, oh, my, I have turned from my master..." He was broken in tears, and could hardly speak or even walk. They tried to comfort him but he charged away, stumbling and weeping loudly as he fled the Holy City of Jerusalem!
Mary said quietly, "Well at least one of the disciples is with him! Unless he, too, has forsaken Jesus by now. Let's go find out Lord!" Just as they entered the huge gate, an old lady, small and drawn, grabbed Mary and pulled her aside and whispered in her ear, then slipped into the crowd. Mary grabbed Simon, John and Lazarus, "They have taken Jesus for trial before King Herod and also Pilate. He is condemned to die. The Roman soldiers are scourging him and he is being taken to Golgotha, the place of the skull, just outside the city, to be crucified!! We must hurry." And she burst forth ready to run through the streets. John grabbed her. "Wait, I must get Mary, the mother of Jesus." Lazarus said, "I'll get Mary Magdalene: she will want to be there also. I'll meet you all at Golgotha." In a moment, Mary and Simon were running hand in hand through the streets. They were now in the center of the city and it was almost deserted. Thousands of people were lining the street and pushing their way forward toward the rocky hill beyond. There was the sound of laughter, screams and children playing. They pushed their way through the crowd to the small open path through the center of the street. Mary grabbed someone and shouted, "Where is He?" They pointed toward the city and said, "Jesus is being scrouged at the Praetorium, the common hall. Soon he will pass by here on the way to die. Do you think he will pull off some big miracle?"
They turned and pushed along the crowded street but as they neared the Praetorium, they were stopped as they heard a deafening roar of voices. The crowd was screaming as people pushed and fought to get near the center of the street. Then Simon saw the top piece of a rugged wooden cross above the heads of the mad crowd. Dropping Mary's hand, he wildly began to pull and tear his way through the crowd. People were screaming at him and some even hit him but nothing mattered now. At long last after hearing so much and seeking so long-he was near Jesus-it was as if there was nothing else in the world as he finally reached the small open path kept open by soldiers in full battle dress holding back the crowds. Somehow Mary was at his side. "Jesus-it's Jesus..." Simon whispered as he watched the man struggling forward. His hair was matted in cold, clotted blood as it hung toward his shoulders. His beard was also covered in blood and his body slumped beneath the heavy rugged cross. Yet his eyes were clear and his hands steady as he moved forward. When he grew near, Simon could see the hard, calloused feet that had carried Jesus through the rocky land preaching the gospel. His tanned, weather tough face was strong but pale from loss of blood, yet there was a tenderness about him, a look of compassion as he glanced at the crowd. Soldiers were all about him, cursing him and ordering him on at a faster speed. Simon could now see black bruises on the face of Jesus where he had been beaten. Then-Jesus tripped and stumbled to the ground, his face hitting the stones and the cross crushing his back. The crowds cheered and the soldiers cursed, grabbed him and stood him up. They again lifted the cross to the shoulders of Jesus and screamed for him to move on. It was almost too horrible to behold, but Jesus moved forward. Simon could tell that he had been beaten viciously and doubted that Jesus would live much longer. People were waving at Jesus crying, "Deliver yourself, let's see a miracle." Some were trying to hit him, others were spitting and screaming.
Then Jesus slumped beneath the cross-just at the feet of Simon! Simon stepped back in shock. He looked down at Jesus as he wiped the blood from his eyes and looked straight at Simon. His eyes were clear and sharp, yet bathed in love. He knew that Jesus knew him and all about his life and the feeling of guilt and shame filled him. A hand grabbed Simon's arm. "Hey you, filthy rat.. you carry his cross!" And Simon was pulled into the open path as several soldiers grabbed him. He was looking into the face of Mark Augustine, the soldier whom he had met when he first entered Jerusalem. It was he who recognized Simon and pulled him into the street.
"You wanted to see him.. well, you can help him from here to Golgotha... I hope you find what you have searched for," said the soldier, staggering from too much drink.
Simon slowly lifted the cross from off the back of Jesus and rested it upon his own broad shoulders. Jesus stood up and looked at Simon, then started forward. He walked slowly by the side of Jesus. Everything else was lost from him except that now he was with Jesus. Then he reached into his pocket and drew out the old piece of parchment with the writing from Isaiah 53 on it. He held it up with one hand for Jesus to see, then Simon said, "I was given this in the desert of Cyrene. I have read it eagerly every day since then. I know it must be about you. Is this what it is all about today-you, bearing our sins, carrying our sorrows, suffering for us?" He looked into the face of Jesus and no longer could Simon doubt. "Jesus... I believe.. You are the Messiah, the Way, the Truth, the Life. Oh, my Lord-remember me."
It was like a fountain of living water had sprung up in him. He was crying, yet smiling-each step seemed lighter as peace flooded his soul. No longer was he troubled. He now knew God, the God whom he had searched to know had come to reveal himself on earth and bear his sins, and now he felt like Beida in the desert. He began to say out loud, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."
"Wham"-Simon was struck from the side his head and another blow crashed into his face.
"Shut up.. you black worm, another word and you too shall die!" screamed a soldier. Blood was now pouring from his face and he almost dropped the parchment of Isaiah but he quickly put it in his pocket and walked silently on. He could feel the strength of Jesus with him and he prayed silently, "Thank you, Father, for the privilege this day to walk beside Thy Holy Son on this first day of my new life."
It was only as they almost reached Golgotha that Simon realized two more things. There were two other men following behind that were also to be crucified and great crowds of people with many women following along behind weeping and loving Jesus. When they reached the place of the crucifixion there was a huge crowd of tens of thousands of people gathered about. The two thieves were nailed upon crosses and the crossed stood in their holes making the whole place eerie with death.
Just as they started to crucify Jesus, they put to his lips a drink, vinegar mixed with gall. This was always given to those awaiting death in order to ease the pain, but Jesus refused to drink it. Mary rushed up to wipe his face with a wet clean rag she had gotten somewhere but the soldiers grabbed her and pushed her away, throwing her to the ground.
Simon had stood holding the cross until they were ready to use it. Now he carefully laid it on the ground. Jesus had spoken not a word but Simon felt as if he had been with him all his life. He knew Jesus was offering himself as the complete sacrifice for our sins as the soldiers prepared to drive the nails in his hands. There was no struggle as Jesus stretched forth his hands and gazed into the heavens. It was such a holy moment as Simon stood by the cross. "Here," he whispered to Mary, "is the debt of sin paid for."
"Yes," she whispered, "The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."
Then there was a sharp ring of hammer against steel. The crowd mourners gathered nearby to weep loudly, but the ring continued as one hand was fastened with a nail to the crossbeam, then the hammer drove in the second nail, then the feet were nailed together. It was a sight Simon was never to forget as they lifted the cross high toward the heavens, put the end over the hole and let it drop with a thud! The cross was standing on the rocky hill with two crosses, one on either side. As the Blood of Jesus dropped on the ground, Simon remembered the blood of humans and animals he had sacrificed to please the gods; but now he knew-only the blood of the Holy Sinless Jesus can cleanse us from our sins and make us acceptable unto God!
The soldiers had stripped Jesus of all his clothing and now at the foot of the cross they began to cast lots, gambling for his clothing, especially for his coat, for it was without a seam. So around the cross the soldiers gambled and cursed, while the people looked on.
Suddenly Pilate arrived at the place of crucifixion. Soldiers surrounded him as he left his chariot and walked to the foot of Jesus' cross. He began to write with his own hand and then a soldier was lifted to the top of the cross where he placed the inscription above the head of Jesus: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews"-it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Then the chief priest began to question and argue with Pilate, saying: "Don't put 'This is Jesus, King of the Jews'-but write that Jesus said, "I am King of the Jews.' "-But Pilate angrily said, "What I have written, I have written"-and turned, got into the chariot and left. Pilate seemed worried and exhausted as Simon studied his face. Already he had heard that Pilate didn't want to crucify Jesus but that finally he had gone along with the public opinion and allowed it.
After Pilate left, the crowd grew more and more restless and wicked. The crowds began to scream, "If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross! You saved others, can't you save yourself? He said he trusted in God; if he is the Son of God, then let God deliver him!" The chief priests, scribes and elders mocked Jesus as many shook their heads and laughed at him. Some of the crowd simply sat down and watched in silence as the soldiers joined in the fun and offered him vinegar to drink. Then Jesus looking out over the crowd said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." His words were but expressions of his looks but few seemed to have even cared that he had spoken. Simon wondered how anyone could be so disinterested in the greatest words of love he had ever heard, yet no one seemed to care.
Simon and Mary moved toward the group of mostly women that now stood near the cross weeping and bowed in prayer. John was with Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary's sister Martha, and Mary Magdalene. Zaccheus was there and a small group of other followers of Jesus. Then Jesus looked at them and saw his mother and the disciple he loved and said, "Woman, behold they Son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold thy mother." And John whispered to Mary, the mother of Jesus, "I know Jesus wants me to care for you as my mother, so you will live with me in my house." Then one of the two thieves began to mock at Jesus; but the other one said, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom"-then Jesus looked at him and said, "I say unto you, today thou shalt be with me in paradise."
As Simon stood gazing up at the cross everything else was unimportant, but soon he realized that darkness was falling over the land. For three hours there was deep darkness and silence. Everyone knew that something mighty had happened. Some of the crowd had begun to leave when the voice of Jesus could be heard, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Then in a moment he cried out, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. It is finished!!!" Jesus had died and Simon knew it. Then he remembered the night in his village when he had slain the child and offered its life and blood unto the spirits as an offering for the soul of a chief. Then he had gone alone outside the village and asked the question, "Is the life of a child for a chief enough?"-No-but the life of Jesus for a sinner-HIS BLOOD-Yes, this is enough!
At last, his search was ended, and a new life begun. Suddenly, the earth began to shake and the ground rolled as a wave on water. Simon had never felt anything like it-ever. It seemed to go on for several minutes as all the followers of Jesus huddled together and prayed. Simon looked to the side of the cross and saw Mark and the soldiers, standing there trembling. Then he walked to the foot of the cross, looked up and cried out with a loud voice: "Truly this was the Son of God" and he began to weep. Simon walked over to him, put his arm around him and led him over to where the women were. "Oh, Father, forgive me, please Jesus, I'm so sorry..." Everyone knelt about him and prayed as he continued, "It was awful-Pilate offered the people a choice-Jesus or the criminal Barabbas. They cried, 'Release Barabbas and crucify Jesus'-so Pilate ordered us to scourge Jesus. I can't forget it. We stripped him-put on him a red robe, a rod in his hand as a king, plaited a crown of thorns on his head-we beat him-we spit on him-and laughed at him-it was all mad-we were drinking and devil filled-we scourged him, beating his back until it was a bloody pulp. I helped drive in the nails... is there hope for me?"
"Yes," whispered a voice as a lovely lady put her arm about him. "I'm Mary Magdalene. Once I was full of evil, possessed with seven demons, but Jesus set me free. Glory to His name, I'm free, I'm free! Believe and so shall you be clean!"
"Believe me, brother," said another voice. "I was a leper, covered in filth and sores, but Jesus touched me and now I'm clean. Glory to God! You see, Jesus said you can be born again. You can have this now."
The soldier bowed and softly said, "Lord Jesus, I believe in you, set me free and cleanse my soul." He got up and said. "I'll see you all soon in Bethany. I want to know more of his teachings." He grabbed Simon and both cried in each other's arms. He left as Simon said, "I'll see you soon!" The soldiers came to break the legs of those crucified but finding Jesus already dead, they thrust a spear in his side and out flowed water and blood. Then Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, said he would got get permission to bury Jesus. Nicodemus, also a follower of Jesus, went to get some myrrh and aloes to anoint the body of Jesus for burial.
The rest of the day was almost a dream to Simon. He followed the few men and many women along to the tomb where Jesus' body was wrapped and laid, and a huge stone was placed over the entrance way. Most of the people decided to stay in Jerusalem and it was late in the afternoon, just before dark when Mary, Lazarus and Simon arrived back at the house in Bethany, exhausted and grieved at the sadness of the day, yet rejoicing in the new life of Simon. They all knelt on the floor with Martha and the two boys, told the events of the day, prayed and fell into bed. Simon fell asleep with the knowledge that at long last his search had ended-but somehow he knew it was only the beginning of something far more than he had ever dreamed.
The next days were event-filled for Simon. He continued to stay in Bethany, but often was in Jerusalem where the eleven disciples were now gathered together. He learned of the death of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had hung himself and died in tragedy. The Sabbath was spent with most of the followers of Jesus in deep despair. All seemed to be in a hopeless state of confusion. They loved Jesus and believed in his teachings but could not seem to apply it to their own lives, plus the fact that they seemed to believe that he was really dead. Surely he had died, but Simon had heard with his own ears what Jesus had said to the thief on the cross by him, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." He had heard Jesus say, "Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit." Certainly these were not hopeless words! Also, Mary said Jesus had taught the disciples that he would go to Jerusalem, be killed and be raised on the third day. This was common knowledge but somehow the disciples seemed not to believe it. However, the authorities in Jerusalem were concerned about it so they stationed guards about the tomb of Jesus and put a seal upon the tomb.
On the first day of the week, the third day after the crucifixion, Simon went into Jerusalem to see the eleven disciples and to discuss with them what their plans were and to learn more about Jesus' teachings. Especially he would like to spend more time with John to whom Jesus seemed to be so close. As he arrived at the place where the disciples were he found the place in turmoil. Mary Magdalene and some other women had gone to the tomb very early and discovered the tomb open. The grave clothes were in place but Jesus was not there! Two angels had said, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but HE IS RISEN!" Then they remembered the words of Jesus that he would rise again on the third day! They had rushed into the house and told the disciples. Peter and John had rushed out and were now gone to the tomb. There was quite a debate as to what the government would do. Would they all be arrested now and also be killed? Some were filled with fear, others were more believing-then-Peter and John burst into the room. "He is gone-it's true!" Everyone gathered around in great excitement. Peter told everything but was still filled with questions, but John was boldly declaring that Jesus had been resurrected as he promised. There was an air of excitement so deep that words could not describe it. Everyone began to remember the teachings of Jesus and his promise of resurrection. Simon was excited beyond measure and was about to rush back to Bethany to spread the word when Mary Magdalene rushed into the house
"I've seen Jesus-Jesus is alive! Hallelujah!! He spoke to me-He called my name... Mary!" Simon leaped to his feet and began to shout. Some others joined in and the huge room was filled with weeping, praising-and some doubts. Then she told how after Peter and John had left she had spoken to Jesus. This was enough for Simon. He knew Mary Magdalene had seen Jesus dead-now alive-and her face was aglow with the presence of Jesus. Simon raced through the streets, his heart beating in excitement. As he passed crowds on the street, he would shout: "Praise God, Jesus is Risen!! Jesus lives-today-Hallelujah!" Never in his life had Simon felt such joy and freedom. Every dream of the fullness of life was now reality. Only one thing gripped him-to spread the good news! He sped down the now familiar road to Bethany and leaped to the door of Lazarus' home. He swung open the door and shouted: "Jesus is alive-He is risen!!"
Mary, Martha and Lazarus and his two sons, Alexander and Rufus, grabbed him; all began to hug and kiss. They were jumping about, crying, laughing, kissing one another.
Lazarus shouted: "This house has really shook in its day. First, my resurrection by Jesus-now He is Risen!" Everyone finally sat down as Simon told everything he had heard and seen. He could hardly speak from being asked so many questions. Alexander and Rufus were in his lap and were so excited. "Then Daddy's faith in Jesus was real. I knew it, I knew it," said Rufus. "Now maybe we, too, can see Jesus," replied Alexander. "Yes"-said Simon-"You can see him and be his disciples." Mary jumped to her feet: "We must tell Simon and the people gathered at his house." So soon they were again rushing through the streets to Simon where they spread the news of the Living Jesus. Everyone was rejoicing in gladness. They stayed there for a good while and ate then went into Jerusalem to be with the eleven disciples. They arrived late in the afternoon. Everyone was gathered about listening to Cleopas telling about meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus and of having lunch with him! Simon also had seen Jesus and now the evidence was convincing to almost everyone. They were all gathered about eating and discussing the events of this exciting day when suddenly standing in the room with every door and window shut fast-was-JESUS!
He spoke: "Peace be unto you." Simon was speechless, everyone was amazed and thought him to be a spirit. Then Jesus said: "Why are you afraid? And why do you doubt? Here are my hands and my feet. It is I! Touch me and see, a spirit hath no flesh and bones... look at me, I have!" Everyone slowly gathered around and looked at the marks. Simon fell to his knees and worshipped Jesus, remembering so clearly as he had seen the nails pierce the hands and feet of Jesus only three days before.
Then Jesus spoke again: "Do you have any meat?" Then they gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb and he ate it before them! No words could describe the emotion at that moment. Here-alive and in front of those whom he had trained and called out as disciples, and who had forsaken him and fled, he now stood as their Risen Lord. There was no doubt! No fear, surely Jesus was Lord of all. He was Lord of life; they had seen him heal and provide the needs of men. They had witnessed his death- now he was surely the Lord over death. Everyone was rejoicing as Jesus started to speak again.
"These are the words which I spoke unto you while I was with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me.
It is written, that Christ must suffer and be raised from the dead on the third day.
That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you! Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person!"
Simon knelt as he looked up into the eyes of Jesus. It seemed as if every word was for him. Alexander and Rufus was both kneeling by him. Then Alexander said, "Jesus, I believe. Forgive my sins. I am your disciple now!" Then Rufus repeated the same words and both began to weep with joy.
The next days were days of much learning for Simon. Day after day he sat at the disciples feet and listened to them teach about Jesus. The disciples at first had been so heartbroken about their witness during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus that they had gone back to their old jobs, but Jesus had called them all anew one morning by asking Peter how much he loved Jesus. The call of Jesus to them was to forsake all and follow him. So now the disciples were busy about the work of the Lord. Often Jesus was alone just with eleven, but often many others were included. Once Jesus preached to a huge crowd of over five thousand people. Every day was busy. Simon met so many of the people whose lives were changed by Jesus and were now ready to spread the words of Jesus to all the world.
Simon spent a few days seeing to his business affairs in Jerusalem and witnessing to his helpers about Jesus. His whole team were now believers and daily in the teaching sessions. Alexander and Rufus were staying in Bethany with Mary and Martha as days became weeks-forty days! It was a day never to be forgotten.
Jesus had gathered together the main core of his disciples and spoke to them. Simon was included in the select group now and followed with the other disciples along the road out of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives where he gathered them all around him and said:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
"Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay in the City of Jerusalem until you be filled with power from on High. For John baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit in only a few days!
"It is not for you to know the times or the season which the Father hath put in his own power. But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in Judea, in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Then Jesus lifted up his hands and blessed them! And as they all looked at him, Jesus was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. The awesome Holiness of God was all about as they stood looking toward the sky as he went up. Then they realized there were two men standing by them in white garments, "You men of Galilee, why are you looking up toward heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come forth in just the same way that you have seen him go!"
They all began to worship the Lord Jesus, praising and blessing God as they made their way back into the city. No longer a confused, disappointed, fearful band of believers, but now alive, full of faith, ready to go-
They all gathered together in an upper room in Jerusalem and were continually in prayer, study, singing and praising God. There were men and women present including Mary, the mother of Jesus, for a total of about one hundred twenty persons. A new disciple was chosen to replace Judas and there they continued together day after day. It was an awesome time of love and fellowship! Everyone was of the same mind and spirit. There were no doubts, no arguments, only one desire, to go forth ministering to the needy and preaching the good news of Jesus to all people.
The Day of Pentecost came, and they were still all in one place, in one perfect accord, and suddenly-there came a sound from heaven-WHOOSH-it was like a mighty wind and the whole house was filled where they were sitting and fire like tongues sat upon each person in the room. Then each person began to speak in other languages as the Spirit moved upon them. Soon the news spread through the city and thousands and thousands of people began to gather about. There were people in Jerusalem who had come from all parts of the world speaking many languages-people from everywhere, people from Asia, Asia Minor, Europe, Egypt and Africa. Soon all the one hundred and twenty people were outside speaking to the people the wonderful works of God. They were speaking to the people in the person's native tongue. Simon was speaking to a group of men from Asia in a language he had never before heard, but they understood perfectly. It was a day of power and glory to God. Simon was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and stood teaching about Jesus with boldness and authority. He saw men beginning to weep under the burden of sin and eager to hear the good news of deliverance. The streets were packed with people as far as one could see, then they moved to an open area where more could gather, but some in the crowd began to criticize and say that all the disciples were drunk with wine. Then Peter stood up on a high place with the other disciples standing behind him. The crowd began to hush in silence as he spoke:
"You people, hear my words. This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel-'it shall come to pass in the last days that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh-and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' You men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and signs, which God did by Him as you know-Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain-This Jesus hath God raised up! We are witnesses of this. He is at the right hand of the Father and hath sent forth the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what you see and hear. Let all the house of Israel know that this same Jesus whom you have crucified is both Lord and Christ, the Messiah!"
All about Simon people were gripped by the sermon of God through Peter. They wanted to know what to do. They were aware of their tragic sin and called out to Peter saying, "What shall we do?" Then Peter, with great boldness and power, spoke again. It was not the tear-filled, fearful, dejected man that Simon had met on the road out of Jerusalem after he had denied Jesus, but he was now the witness that surely Jesus was pleased with. Gone were his curse words and doubts, and Simon listened in joy as Peter's words thundered forth:
"Repent! Be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit! This power is for all of you, to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Save yourself from this wicked generation!"
Peter continued to preach and encourage people. There was prayer everywhere... people returning to Jesus, putting their faith in him, turning away from their sins, and asking forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus. The disciples explained that those who believed in Jesus and turned to Him as Lord were now disciples of Jesus and that the Holy Spirit was in them. Now they should be baptized. It was a most glorious moment as the thousands stood on the nearby hillside and one after the other the disciples baptized the new converts in the pool of water. Simon stepped into the water and stood praising God. The disciple said, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," and lowered Simon into the water. As he came forth, he saw Rufus and Alexander standing ready to be baptized also. Then he saw Mark Augustine, the Roman soldier, steeping toward the water. It was a glorious day that continued into the night as thousands of new converts poured into the home of followers of Jesus to study the teachings of Jesus and spend the night. Day after day the apostles taught the people and everyone fellowshipped together in love, in eating together, and in prayer. People all over the city became concerned about the condition of their souls and great miracles were done by the apostles as the sick were healed and lives changed. Simon continued to study and learn from the apostles. He was also out in the streets with the good news. They went from house to house preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus. Everyday they were also at the Temple and spreading out all over the area. People came from all the surrounding area to hear the good news. There was constant rejoicing in the Lord and mighty prayer meetings. Everyone looked upon each other as a brother or sister, regardless of race, nation, language or wealth.
The people began to sell their houses and lands and gave their money to the church to be distributed among the needy. The people had everything in common. Simon was among them. He gave all his wealth to the church including the price of his house in Jerusalem. All those who came with him decided to stay and he wrote Thaddeus, the administrator of his affairs, and asked him to get things in order to be sold as soon as he returned to Cyrene. The city was literally astir with the fire of Jesus, but soon the officials made their move.
Peter and John were brought before the religious authorities in Jerusalem, the same ones who had arrested Jesus. They ordered them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John and the church continued to proclaim Jesus' teaching with boldness.
The condition of trouble grew worse as disciples were put in prison, and then Stephen, a young disciple, was stoned to death for preaching the words of Jesus. All throughout Jerusalem crowds were seeking out followers of Jesus to beat and kill. It was merciless and blood was flowing daily from the veins of the disciples.
Then-one night, as many of the disciples met for prayer, Simon was walking along the road toward Jerusalem from the country. His mind flashed back to his village, his tribe and his people, and the words of Jesus seemed so close-"Go into all the world-that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations." There were many witnesses here, but what about his native land? Sure, there were the Baba tribesmen-but they didn't even know of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Who would tell? Again in the darkness it seemed clear- "As my Father hath sent me, so send I you" were the words of Jesus. Then he remembered the last words of the old man in his village-"You seek the truth; so do we. You go and find it, then bring it back to us!" Simon knelt to the ground and lay his head to the dirt. In his mind he thought of the lostness of the vast world-all the people seeking-in religion, in wealth, in pleasure, in power and fame. He remembered the emptiness of his own search, and tears washed his face. "Yes, Jesus! I'll go.... anywhere. I have no other desire but thy Holy Will. Direct my steps, mold me and fill me with thy Holy Spirit... Here am I... Send me
As Simon entered the house he saw Mary and Martha with Alexander and Rufus. The big room was crowded with people. Most of the people Simon knew and loved so dearly. He stepped into the circle and spoke slowly:
"Brothers and Sisters, I love you all. Every human emotion I have wants to stay with you who have taught me, helped me, and loved me so dearly. But the Holy Spirit is leading me back to my land. My name is now called Simon, But I'm also Ayo Bu! Tonight Jesus told me I must go back to preach in the vast desert and in the villages of the deep jungles. Jesus said he would never leave me. He will go with me as his Holy Spirit, the presence of God, is in me."
"Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" came a shout. Simon turned and it was Mary standing with tears flowing down her cheeks. "I knew it. I prayed that you would carry the good news to the south." Alexander and Rufus walked slowly toward Simon as he took them in his arms and held them tightly. Mary said softly, "Do you need my help?"
"Yes, yes, but it's too hard to say" and he began to weep again. "Would you...." Mary replied tenderly, "I will keep them, teach them and all of us shall love them. Lazarus will be a good father to them!" "But" said Simon- "I know I must go-but what about them!"
Then John looked at Simon with eyes of compassion, "I know it's hard for you to leave, but it is better to be in the will of God than to walk in rebellion. Jesus said, 'if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Therefore, take no thought saying, 'What shall we eat or what shall we drink? Or with what shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you!"'
The whole church gathered about, then the disciples and apostles prayed and then laid hands on Ayo Simon-and before dawn, he stepped into the dark night on the long journey to the little village by the great river!
"And the disciples were scattered abroad-and they went everywhere preaching the Word!" NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST!
Copyright. 1987 by Arthur Blessitt
All Rights Reserved
Printed in U.S.A.
ISBN 0-934461-04-X
LOC 87-07213
