Micha with
his beautiful Liz is now our assistant
pastor, has taken over now as my blog
publisher and sorter out for a 94 year out with a not so good forgettery and he
had printed out for me the loving greetings of many of my friends who had been
family to me all those years ago in New Guinea as well as the precious new
friends I am still finding joining our journey, in Grace church as well as this
lovely Care Home.
But I have
another family waiting in the wings, so time for us to travel now to the seashore
of Joppa.
CHAPTER 2
Judith found
she had a full-time job in steering her mother from falling into the slough of
despair that surrounded her but having met some women who understood their
language she felt free to leave her mother sitting, she couldn’t say chatting
happily with them, but at least finding comfort in being able to share their
griefs.
But Judith
now found herself listening to a different story, - unbelievable, and yes,
wonderful, - but yet, yes, so unbelievable that somehow, they could not but
believe.
At last, she remembered her poor mother and hurried back to search for her.
They were
living now in Joppa with her mother’s brother. He, a fisherman making a
comfortable living there, but now all the talk is of a man, Jonah by name who
it seems was seeking to get to some distant shore but instead of getting far
away, had found himself brought back, rescued it seemed by some mighty fish.
The story
was to be repeated over and over again, and though people pronounced it
unbelievable, and impossible to believe yet somehow the terrible colour of his
skin was evidence that he had indeed been in the belly of some great monster
was testimony that he had indeed been swallowed for a considerable time and was
willing to affirm his story.
‘Oh indeed,’
her mother affirmed. ‘Your father knew
him as a man of God. His word is not to be doubted. Indeed, I will take you
myself to visit him, but I have other news to tell you and I am sure you will
find this even more wonderful. Come, take me home and let me prepare our meal
before I tell you, for it is news of your brother.’
Of course,
neither of them could wait for a meal before they could share the wonderful
news that a red-headed lad who could well be Judith’s twin had been sighted
within the terrible city of Nineveh. Oh, was there indeed hope? Oh Lord! May it
indeed be so?
