MIRIAMS DELIGHT

Reviews
Miriams Delight" touches heart strings in many areas of life. Everyone wants to know they
have value and are worthy of love. This book shows how God showed a lowly woman that
she too had value as His created one. That in spite of the horrible circumstances of life that
mold us into something we never dreamed it would...shattering the dreams of what we had
hoped for along the way...could be changed in a moment...the moment of meeting the ONE
who could heal all wounds, change our hearts, and pick us up, clean us up and put us on the
road to recovery...to being the one He created us to be! Forgiven..and set FREE to be all He
meant us to be! This book is worthy of reading to help anyone who has been down that
road. To open the eyes of anyone who needs more understanding & compassion of how
someone could be in the lowest place of their lives and how they may have gotten there...so
that we too as our Lord would not pass judgement, but have "love"...unconditional love for
all God's created.
Mike & Robin Simpson Ohio USA

PREFACE
Miriams Delight is the first of a set of Novellas, all fictionalized accounts of real life events.
The story of Miriam is the first. I did not choose it. Rather, it chose me many years ago, even
before I gave my life to Christ.
Like Miriam, I had wandered far away from what I was taught, and like Miriam, I had felt His
Touch and heard His Voice along the way, and had come to love Him, but only as The Man. It
was at this point of my life that the story of Miriam chose me. What I mean by this is that I
discovered, by my very own self, while reading the account in the Bible, the core virtues of
Jesus Christ.
First, I was struck by the fact that He, the Holy One, did not condemn the sinner. Then that
He, the Perfect One, was also full of Divine Wisdom. That He, the Just One, had Divine
Authority. That He, the Lord and Master, also had Indescribable Compassion. I chose Him
then, as some sort of Master, as I did not yet believe in Him as my Saviour. There is a great
difference between the two. Great to believe the former is great, but it is crucial that you
believe the latter.
I thank God that, after years of struggling to believe, the Full Light came by the help of the
Holy Spirit, to my delight. So, here am I today seeking through this novella, to share the
Truth with all those who are still struggling to surrender completely.
I believe all those who are in Christ today have had similar experiences, and I hope they will
enjoy reliving theirs by reading this short story.
Whatever the case may be, this is where the similarity between my experience and Miriams
ends. The real story occurred in a specific context in terms of culture, geographical location
and timeline.
In rendering it into fiction however, I have taken considerable liberty by moving freely
between cultures, locations and events in my desire to bring it closer to home wherever
that may be for you, the reader. If in so doing, I have made you uncomfortable, please blame
it on my ineptitude, even as I urge you to remember once again, that this is a work of fiction.
Something else I have tried to do in this novella is to pit one of the greatest weaknesses of
religion in all ages the TRADITIONS OF MEN, against the strongest ever LOVE. I appeal to
the reader not see the issues raised as a criticism of any particular culture, custom or
religion. Rather, they should be seen as an attempt to expose the ugliest part of religious
practices faith in appearances and human effort, which can never cover up the sin-nature
of man, and to propose the Only Way out trusting in the Love of God for mankind.
I have attempted to share what I have looked at, and my eyes have touched the Word of
Life so that you also may have fellowship with us... and with the Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ. (1 John1:1-4 )
The Only Way out of the bondage of sin and religion is embedded in the Good News of a
Saviour who does not care who you are, where you come from, what religion you were born
into, what gender you are or, and MOST importantly, what sins you have committed... A
Saviour who waits to save anyone who cries to Him sincerely, and will not only give such a
person ample reason to trust Him, but also do all that is necessary to build him up in that
trust.
Finally, I dare to declare that this is also MY story, for it is the story of GRACE. An unmerited
favour emanating from a Saviour who walked this earth over two thousand years ago, and

experienced all the sorrows and pains that any human being has ever known, is going
through right now, or will ever know yes, even death and hell. A Saviour that is
incomparable to any other, for He died, went to hell, rose again from death and is alive
today. A Saviour who is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8, and who is
currently interceding for all those who have put their trust in Him
If you have already put your trust in this Saviour, and accepted the love of Jesus in your life,
then ay you relive the beauty of that moment, the peace and joy that followed. May you,
through Miriams Delight, experience Jesus anew, and be built up in Him as you go through
the Teaching Points.
As for the reader who is still hesitant or confused, my hope and prayer is that this novella
will move you to take that step so you too can taste and see that the Lord is good - Psalm
34:5-8.

Kofoworola Olomu
Author, 2014
Contact for counseling or any other comments or information
Telephone: 08150608959
Email:
Kofobiola@yahoo.co.uk
Kofo4Christ@gmail.com

FOREWORD
Life can take unexpected turns which can take us in wrong directions - a dreadful occurrence and a lack of sympathy
and understanding from the very one who should care the most sinks our protagonist into a pool of bitterness. Her
remedy? A no-holds-barred, do-your-own-thing response, which has her making moral choices that send her into a
spiralling abyss of despair and hopelessness. What started as a need to be free to do whatever she wanted to do
ended up with her being in bondage.
The good news is that God has provided a miracle by which man's spirit can be brought back!
A story told in a truly captivating way by the author which keeps one riveted, wanting to read on till you know the
who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.
I feel indeed priviledged to have been asked by Kofo Olomu to write the foreword to this novella. Kofo and I go
back a long way, well over 40 years as students at Queens College Yaba. Her love for God is palpable and I thank
God for her obedience to His call on her life to witness through stories such as this.
Indeed, a life guided by the Ill-do-whatever-I-want-to-do formula inevitably ends up not being free at all. But that
doesnt mean were not supposed to be free. God wants us to be free. Its just a matter of how and where we can find
true freedom. In one sense, we are born to be free - born again to be free. And that freedom is experienced when we
commit our lives to living by Gods truth and following the guidance of Jesus. When we forgive, as He has taught
us, we are free from the bondage of bitterness and free to move into the future instead of being stuck in the past.
True happiness is not rooted in life beyond the boundaries but rather in the sweet confines of Gods wisdom.
Jesus died to set us free. Those who follow Him are free indeed!
Nadu Denloye
23 July 2014

APPRECIATION

I give all the glory to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
My appreciation goes to His children, Robin Simpson, Angela Ekweremadu, and Nadu
Denloye for their kindness in accepting to read the Novella of a first-timer like me. My thanks
also go to Winifred Okoli who enthusiastically accepted to proofread the novella, and Michael
Simpson for agreeing to check out the novel on his wifes recommendation. May the
Almighty God continue to give you all reason to remain excited about Him and His work in
Jesus mighty name.

CHAPTER 1

Whether they called her Mary, or Maria or Marie, Miriam, or even by her original name, Mara, the
bitter meaning of the name seemed to have followed her about all her life. Perhaps Mariam should simply
not bother to expect anything sweet to occur in her life. Her name after all was Miriam, bitter things
happened to her, and turned her more bitter and rebellious each day that passes. Exactly. The two
possible meanings of her name lived out to the full. Par for the course. Not like Naomi whose name
means 'pleasant' but who gave herself the name at a bitter point in her life. Just one point of bitterness,
and God soon turned things around, so life became pleasant for her again. She lost her entire family but
gained the entire devotion of just one poor, simple, devoted, hard-working, foreign daughter-in-law from a
cursed tribe! God certainly turned up trumps for Naomi.
Miriam wondered if Naomi ever really knew how fortunate she had been. For this Miriam there
was no one and her bitter life was permanent as her name. The only person whose closeness could
slightly approach Ruth's devotion to Naomi was lost to her forever in more ways than one.
Miriam reminisced about better days Yes! There had been better days before the bitterness
settled in, before the rebellion swept all joy away, replacing it with the burning anger and this hopeless
despair, she had known better days. Carefree days full of contentment, and purpose. The first twelve
years of her life not now seemed like dreams
Although she knew somewhere in the recess of her drugged mind that they had really existed
once, she found it difficult to believe she had ever been a part of it, although she hugged them tight to
herself all the same. It was like reading a fairytale over and over again until the book was so completely
torn and worn out that no single sentence was complete, but even a few words were enough to trigger off
that place of dreams
She wondered if her bossy mother-hen sister was still alive. Miriam could not imagine her dead
or helplessly following a path of life someone else had determined for her like she had done. Not plucky
Martie. No one ever got the better of Martie in the end and no one could get Martie down. She always
found a way to sort things out - the little 'madam'. How she missed her! How she wished she was here
with her today!
Be that as it may. For this Miriam, life has been bitterness pronounced, bitterness allowed,
bitterness accepted, rebellion embraced, and even bitterness welcome. Why bother anymore? Bitter past,
bitter present, equals bitter future.
At some point in her life, Miriam had thought that the motto she had adopted for herself in her
early rebellious adolescence would turn around that problem of bitterness in her life, but Do your thing
didn't seem to have taken her very far. Sure she pretended to the world that doing your thing was fun, but
she had always known better. And she had known better still in the past four years, even though there was
no way out for her anymore. Her motto had lost all its appeal a very long time ago.
How strange, she thought...who would have thought it would all come to this Her life depended on it
even as it sucked the life out of her.

Miriam was born into a comfortable and very religious background. They said her name was a
sort of prayer to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to remind Him that His chosen people were still
under the bondage of slavery and were eating the bitter herbs over and over again. The way was a sort
of plea to Him to come and deliver them soon by sending the promised Anointed One, the Meshiach as
He had promised. Then they would rule the whole world again as they had done in the time of David, their
beloved king, and Solomon.
Well, looks like someone had got it all wrong because, if Mariams life was an indication of Gods
likelihood of answering their prayer, the so-called 'Chosen People' could just forget it.
And yet, she had been so proud of that name once. As a girl, she had even organized a circle of
friends who were her namesakes, and they would sit down together any time they had the opportunity to
discuss which one of them God would tell when He would come and remove the bitterness from the life of
the His chosen people.
It had to be someone called Miriam, didn't it, they rationalized After all, if indeed the girls called by
that name represented a form of prayer, then the answer to the prayer must come first to the
representative of the prayer. It was only natural, they had thought... and fair.
But at that time, they had been just children playing with words because they wanted to feel
relevant in the deliverance of their people, and it had been great fun while it lasted. They had all gone
their different ways now, most with very sweet lives indeed, Miriam imagined, what with their husbands,
homes and children. But it would seem that was not for this Miriam not for Miriam the daughter of
Jehohab.
Strange, she reflected. At a point she had thought she had everything going for her to become
somebody. Even in her stupor, Miriam sometimes still remembered many of the passages she had
memorized surreptitiously as a child, with the eager collusion of her brothers.
Only boys were expected to memorize the Scriptures. Girls were not taught to even read or write
since they could never be Teachers or Scribes. But in spite of this restriction, Miriam had wanted to learn,
so she had heckled her brothers until they had agreed to teach her everything they learnt from their
classes. And they had kept their word, and process had turned out to be great fun for all concerned, as
they corrected one another and competed with each other.
Before long, everyone had agreed Miriam was a fast learner, although Martie had been much
help there. She simply couldn't figure out why Miriam was interested in learning something that would be
of no use to her. So far as practical Martie was concerned, what they learnt during the weekly meeting
was enough for a girl, after all, memorizing large chunks of the Scriptures was pointless when one would
never be allowed to use it! Only males did Bar Mitzvah. Only males could teach. Only males could attend
most of the special festivities. Why, women were not even expected to attend the daily early morning
prayers! So why on earth would Miriam want to waste her time and brain on something that would be
useless for her future.
Miriam! she would call whenever she noticed them whispering as she and her brothers arranged the
venue for the days class to learn a new memory verse, Come learn to bake bread!

The attitude of their elder sister had merely added to the fun for her junior siblings who would
burst out into laughter, even as they scuttled off to look for a hiding place far away from Marties
censorious regard.
Miriam had always been proud of her intellectual ability. If only she had found something to do
with it when she had left home. Maybe her life would not have been so bitter today. However, she had
come to the conclusion, going by what she saw around her, and most of all, her own personal experience,
that the fate of the female specie in their community was not in the hands of God, but rather in the hands
of a man. It therefore made no sense for any female to bother with this God whose great promises she
had memorized! He would not be showing up any time soon! So in a way, women like her mother who put
their faith first in their father, then in their husband, and finally in their sons were smart!
However, the bad news was that if a woman, (add girl to that and who could know better than
Miriam) falls into the hands of the wrong man, her life is done for. She falls into the hands of a good one,
and her life is blessed. It had nothing to do with what she had done personally or with God.
Going by the teachings of the religious leaders, their god only dealt with men. Therefore women
did not need to learn the scriptures or pray as often as men. All they needed to do is to submit to men,
submit and submit again. First to their father, then to any man that came along including their male
relatives, then to their husband, and finally to their own sons!!! At this, Miriam snickered to herself. If such
a god truly existed, then the religious people could keep him...
And yet, she wondered, so many women seemed to be satisfied with that. She had had trouble
understanding that for a long time, until she had come to realize that 'seemed' was the key word here.
Miriam could tell anyone who cared to listen a thing or two about the seeming satisfaction of those
women. She had lived with one 'satisfied woman for the better part of her relatively short life, and knew to
leave all that behind for them a long time ago.
Miriams name may have something to do with her bitterness, but there were many, many more
girls and women out there with names that meant Pleasant, or Gazelle, or Nightingale, who were as bitter,
and even more rebellious than her! The accounts of the life of some of her professional colleagues with
pretty names had made that very clear.
Whatever the case may be, Miriam was now in despair. She had left their god because she knew
deep in her heart that the true God whose words she had memorized had nothing to do with all those
man-made straitjackets they referred to as rules of propriety, and ended up with a vacuum in her sou.
She had tried to fill the vacuum with different kinds of things over the years, to no avail. That emptiness
was always there whenever she came out of her stupor.

CHAPTER TWO

At one time, Miriam had considered herself greatly privileged, in that her brothers were willing to
teach her all they knew. She had even gone ahead and outshone them once she had learned to read the
Torah. But naturally this was only known within the family circle, since only the boys were allowed to do
Bar Mitvah and get public recognition of their capacity to recite the Torah.
Yes, as far back as then, Miriam has started experiencing the first taste of bitterness. She simply
couldn't understand why things were this way. She was smarter than her brothers, yet was never given the
opportunity to show the world what she could do just because she was a girl. Because of this
discrimination between sexes, she had become resentful of their religion at a very early age. This religion
whose Gods words she had learned to love so much, and loved to recite. He was called the Just One, the
True and Faithful, Good and Kind, the Merciful and Loving who is no respecter of persons. However, if the
leaders of her familys religion were to be believed, they could not be speaking of the same God. He
could not really be all those things.
For example, if it was the same God, why would he give such privileges to boys and men while
completely ignoring the girls and women? If he was really the one who created, then why, knowing she
was a girl, did he give her a superior brain and a desire to learn? She, after all, did not have a choice in
determining her gender or the kind of brain she had. Furthermore, since they say that it is this God who
determines how people come to the world, then why did He give her the ability to do what the sex he gave
her should not be able to do?
The God who did such a thing had to be an unjust one a very unfair one. This god of the
religious leaders must be a sadist, very different from the one in the Scriptures she memorized. So why
did they keep claiming Him as their God when they were practicing something entirely different? It just
didnt make much sense to her, so Miriam had decided long ago to take the two with a pinch of salt. The
confusion was too much to crack her head over.
Then, after that horrible event, and the subsequent atrocious response which according to them,
was the way things should be done, Miriam wanted no part of either of them anymore. And that was when
she decided to dump them and create something acceptable for herself. Adopted. The outcome of this
was her motto: Do your thing. So much for that, since do your thing has also failed her woefully over
the years.
Miriam was in a desperate situation today as she had been for a couple of years now. There didn't
seem to be any way out for her. She was trapped in a prison of her own making. She wondered if being in
ones own trap was any better than being in someone elses trap. Miriam did not think so. A trap was a
trap, was a trap...
Dear God, she screamed in her mind, help me!. But which god would come to her rescue after all the
terrible things she had done over the years? Certainly not the good and kind and holy God she could
perceive from the Scriptures she had memorized in her early day, and could feel deep in her soul. The

One she herself had rejected many years ago. He, if He truly existed, would not want anything to do with
the likes of Miriam.
Her thoughts went back to the past once again. In the past, before she had abandoned
everything, there had always been a bright side, a source of compensation.... Her siblings.
She remembered Martie again, dear beloved 'mother-hen' Martie. Martie was the first born and
there was a wide age gap between her and her elder brother, Jerry.
The timing of Miriams arrival into the family had made her some kind of deliverer to Martie who
had reached that age where she was desperate for someone to pour her love on and boss around at the
same time. Since bossing the second born, who also happened to be the heir of the family was going to
be a complicated process, her loving bossy nature gravitated automatically and delightfully towards
Miriam.
While Miriam had done her best to shake Martie off her back, she did so only half-heartedly
because in a way, she understood Martie's deep need to boss someone. To Miriam, that seemed to be
Martie's way of compensating for being irrelevant in her family, and ignored by both parents.
As time passed, Miriam had noticed this pattern among the women of her tribe. Fortunately,
Martie was such a loving person that dealing with her bossy nature had become a form of pleasant
distraction. Miriam loved her sister a whole lot. She knew the story would have been different if Martie had
been around when that horrible thing had occurred. Martie would have done something. But by then
Martie had gone not to be heard of again for a very long time.
Martie's departure with her 'assigned' husband to another town had left a great vacuum in
Miriam's life. However there was a positive side to the development - it forced Miriam to get to know her
brothers better, and to come to love them even more. At that time, Miriam had had so much love in her.
She had wondered many times how she had ended up with a name that means bitterness or rebellion,
when within herself, she all she had felt at that time was love.
She could still remember her brothers praise when she successfully recited passages of the
scriptures. How they had encouraged her when she tried to render some of them into songs. And how she
had loved to sing in those days... until she started noticing her father, Jehohabs irritation with her
accomplishments, and his overtly partial treatment in relating with his children.
Initially she couldn't really understand why this was so, and as a result, had tired even harder to
outperform her brothers, just to get a word of praise from her father. But she always got a negative
reaction from him and eventually gave up. This gradually drove an unbridgeable wedge between her and
her father, thus greatly facilitating her freedom to do her own thing in her adolescence, as by then, he
had lost all influence and control over her. Nevertheless, in her heart, she had always loved him. But most
of all, she loved her brothers. Miriam now wondered where al that capacity to love had gone. She
wondered if she would ever get it back
Over the years, she had come to understand that her father would be the last person to break the
rules guiding the relationship between men and women which also covered that of a father and daughter!

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It was one of those rules considered sacrosanct although everyone knew that some were regularly broken
by a large number of the religious leaders who drew them up in the first place! This also explains how, in
spite of the clear laws on adultery, her father and many of his cronies could still entertain their 'other
women' in the community without being challenged. Or perhaps 'other girls ' would be a better way of
putting it.
Her brothers ignored all those rules of course, except in public. Man-made rules, they called
them. No, She had no doubt her brothers loved her too, and Laz, the younger one, most of all. He it was
who had gone beyond the line of duty to meet her request, and never failed to commend her for learning
so fast.
She supposed her father too loved her in his own way, but obviously, he loved his religion more.
Or perhaps it was his position he loved so much, Miriam mused. The bottom line in any case was that his
religion had spelled out every detail about what the interaction between them should be, they just had no
chance, did they? It was an impossible mission for him to be father to a daughter, and someone should
have warned her about this before she was born. Maybe she could have refused to come out into the
world.
Till today, she still missed her fathers love in spite of being a girl. But thank God she had Martie
and her brothers. They at least loved her enough to ignore many of those rules, which they all agreed
secretly were ridiculous, and had a good laugh about when far away from any watchful eyes or parental
ears. There had been so much laughter then... until that fateful day.
CHAPTER 3

It was strange, but her thoughts hardly ever went to her mother, Jemila. One would have thought
that a girl like her who missed the love of a father would have automatically gravitated towards her mother.
That they would be the closest in the family, especially after Martie left. However that was definitely not
the case with her. She supposed it had been partly her fault.
Miriam had started despising her mother from an early age because she always seemed so
vacant and ineffective. She didn't seem to have any opinion about anything, talk much less of taking
initiative. She had never offered her any motherly affection or protection but rather always tried to
persuade her highly strung daughter that insipidity translated into the image of a virtuous, godly woman.
Thank God Miriam knew better.
While Martie had bowed to tradition as most girls in the community did, she was certainly no
insipid person. She was smart and lively. She it was who had first started telling Miriam the stories from
the Scriptures. She had always been ready to share the little she knew with her younger sister, while her
mother would busy herself dancing around her beloved boys as she often referred to them. Martie it was
who always protected Miriam from her mother's bitter tongue, creating funny stories at the snap of a finger
that made her laugh instead of cry in reaction to Jemilas vitriolic tongue. Martie was a great sister to have
in spite of her frequent scolding that Miriam was an inveterate 'tom boy'.

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Thanks to Martie, Miriam had learned early in life about Jochebed, the mother of Moses whom no
one in their right mind could describe as insipid or vacant. Jochebed had not only preserved the life of her
beloved son, Moses, and rather than spoil him as her mother spoilt her brothers, inculcated in him a love
for his people, a spirit of responsibility, and a desire for righteousness and justice. There was no doubt in
Miriams mind that this must have contributed largely to God choice of Moses as the deliverer of Israel,
which led to his becoming one of the greatest Jewish leaders ever.
Jochebed had refused to keel over and die from fright when a whole Pharaoh, the most powerful
man of her day, decreed that all male children should be killed. No sir. Talk much less of complying with
what an ordinary man had to say about her son's wellbeing when she knew was wrong and unjust. Now,
the likes of Jochebed were Miriam's ideal of womanhood.
That must have been some woman, thought Miriam. Before Moses, she had already raised two
obviously well-balanced, outstanding children, the oldest, a boy, Aaron and the other, a girl, and Miriams
beloved namesake, who had also become shinning lights in their community.
It was particularly interesting that so far no 'specially inspired' scriptural interpretation had
managed to relegate Moses' mother's role in protecting her child although she wouldnt be surprised if
someone came up with one pretty soon.
The fact was established throughout history: Jochebed, and not her husband had, through all
odds, taken the decision to preserve the life of their beautiful child. She it was who had conceived the idea
of making the water-proof basket and putting her son in it, and she it was who had implemented the plan
to the letter. It was an act of great faith which God had honoured marvellously! Had she not done that,
there probably would still have been a Jewish nation today, but not by Jochebeds son, Moses
Now, that is what I call a mother, murmured Miriam to herself, although she recognized that even
that was not enough if God had honoured her faith. Miriam wondered if God still honoured womens faith
today. And if so, how relevant was that to her present situation? Miriam sighed deeply.
Once again she wished she had had a junior sister or brother. Then perhaps, just like Martie and
her namesake, Moses sister, she could have focused all her bold and passionate nature to ensuring that
her junior sibling grew up confident, and that he or she was loved enough to become another Moses or
Deborah That would have been enough achievement for her. At one time, Miriam had had high hopes
of becoming someone relevant in the future. She had been determined not to allow anyone to stop her.
A deep depression suddenly settled heavily on Miriam. She hadn't gone very far with her dreams
now, had she? Doing her own thing seemed to have dashed her hopes instead of making her the great
person she had always wanted to become. Bitterness, resentment, pain and fatigue weighed down
heavily on her. It was all her mums fault.
Yes, it was her mums fault. Jemila had doted on the boys. Anything they did was fine with her.
After all, were they not boys? In her mothers mind, only boys had a promising destiny, and she was
determined to ride on her sons to jack up her self-importance. First, she had used her husbands position
to attain an acceptable social position. She had never loved the much older man her parents accepted on
her behalf, but she had used him to get out of the tight and oppressive parental control she had so hated.

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However, to her dismay, the marriage had turned out to be even more oppressive and repressive
than when she was under her parents control. Today, she could only find solace in the possibilities her
sons represented for her status and future. One good thing about their religion was that much blessing
was attached to 'honouring parents' and most boys, properly manipulated from childhood by their
mothers, often cared for them in their old age. It was with this in mind that Jemila ensured her sons
understood that they could do no wrong in her eyes.

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CHAPTER 4

Jemilas relationship with Miriam was another case entirely. She had wanted yet another son at
the time Miriam came. It was the pride of any Jewish woman to have her 'seven sons'. But Miriam had
come, not only as a girl, but with so much trouble that Jemila could never have another child. Thus ended
her dreams of the seven sons that would have earned her the social recognition she was so desperate for.
So someone had to pay, and who better than the cause of the whole tragedy the child, Miriam.
Moreover, Jemila was pragmatic enough to understand that her only means of achieving her
social objectives was now tied directly to her sons, and she set about to squeeze all the juice she could
from their existence. It therefore always rankled to observe the solid attachment between the person that
had her truncated dreams, and the persons that were to compensate for the loss. Thus, while Miriam
could never quite determine whether her mother was doing so consciously or not, it turned out that
everything, but everything Miriam did was bad. She didn't dress right, did not walk right, did not speak
right, did not behave right...
Miriam only had to open her mouth to see her mother's reproachful look. Any illusions Miriam
might have had about Jemila had disappeared very early in her life. She often played around with the idea
that she was perhaps not her mother, but there was no running away from family genes She looked so
much like her mother in so many ways that there was no way out of that. Jemila had birthed her, alright.
But the resemblance stopped there.
Meanwhile, Miriam had no intention whatsoever of following her mothers No see, No hear, No
speak kind of holiness ever!!! She deliberately went out of her way to ensure she spoke up at every
opportunity, and the more verbal, emotional and physical reprimand she got for doing so, the more
determined she became not to surrender. She would rather die than surrender to that kind of pressure.
She would rather die than grow up to become a woman like her mother.
And am I well on the way to dying right now, was Miriams morbid reflection. But she still would
not opt for becoming like her mum.
Miriam recalled that during the occasional enforced mother-daughter chats that her mum imposed
on her, she had come to discover that Jemila was not quite as vacuous as she would have people believe.
She even suspected strongly that perhaps at some point in her life, she might have been a very vocal
person. But none of that was visible anymore. Rather you are more likely to see her, quiet and submissive
on the outside, and in public, all decorously covered with head bowed, teaching the young women in their
assembly meeting day. The theme of course was often how to be like her if they wanted their husbands to
love rushing back home to them every day.
Jemila however became someone very different whenever she managed to sequester Miriam for
their tete-a-tete. On such occasions, she would spew out her venom against that woman, warning
Miriam not to ever go near her or become like her.

14

Yes, her mother had always known about the woman! But rather than confront her husband and
expose him for the hypocrite he was, she would pretend not to see or know anything about his affair, while
hatred burnt in her heart against both of them all the time.
Seeing her preaching love to the other women in their assembly made Miriam want to puke. She
always wondered who was guiltier: her father who was committing adultery contrary to what he preached,
or her mother who pretended not to know, while hating him with every fibre of her being, Zarah for being
so unashamed about being a kept woman, regardless of the effect it was having on all the members of
Jehohabs family, or she herself, who despised both parents in spite of the scriptural injunction to honour
them...
A feeling of pity for her mother sometimes unexpectedly swamped Miriams heart. Jemila had
probably learnt the hard way that it was in her best interest to pretend to be soft and gentle outside, and to
guard jealously her resentments with the oppressive system of their community.

Yes, Miriam would not have felt so bad so bad if Jemila did not attempt at every opportunity to
stuff the same down other peoples throat or choose to direct her hatred to another helpless woman
Miriam was even ready to accept, or indeed admire, her mums hatred for her husband. At least it showed
she still had some life in her. But she felt it was unfair for her to have so much hatred for Zarah as well!
Miriam had noticed early on that most of her venom during those chats often targeted the
exploited young girl whom she liked to refer to as that woman. Her fathers mistress, Zarah was better
referred to as girl-mistress actually, since she was barely older than Miriam herself.
Zarah could not have initiated the relationship, her social access to the elders being automatically
limited by acceptable social code. Such contacts could only be initiated at what was often referred to as
private gentlemens clubs, or during what the elders considered to be secret gatherings. Therefore,
Zarah, to Miriams mind, was as much a victim as all other such women in the society.
Miriam had heard a bit of Zarahs story from the grapevine. Zarah came from a poor family, and
had thus been married off at a very young age to a man the age of her grandfather. The man had paid
good dowry for her to ensure that the family would never be able to pay it back in the event that the girl
made trouble about going back home. He therefore felt free to release the totality his brutal deviant
perversion on the young girl.
Not being able to stomach such abuse any longer, the young girl had run back to her parents
who, as expected, had sent her right back. After six years of suffering, she had run away with a young
man who travelled through the village. That man had dumped her after a while, and her fate had been
sealed She had moved from the hands of one man to another for several years, resigned herself to her
fate, until Jehobab came along, and the rest is history
Clearly, Miriam thought, Zarah too, in accepting to be Jehohab's mistress, was fighting for
survival. Therefore, her generous and compassionate mind had concluded, a woman in the society they
lived in should understand more than anybody else, and sympathize with the plight of another woman.

15

So, yes, Miriam knew about all that although her father actually thought it was a well hidden
secret. It was laughable really because everyone knew about it. Jehohab, as can only be expected of
someone of his status, was an elder in their assembly. But that did not stop him from carrying on with that
young girl. He would read the scriptures at morning prayers and meetings, and spend the evening with
Zarah.
In fact, every member of the family knew about her fathers adulterous relationship, and Miriam
had found it extremely disgusting to observe him playing the part of the perfect husband, father and
gentleman in the assembly, or when entertaining visitors at home when he was there, that is.
The old-age adage of the elders described the scenario perfectly. How on earth could a
supposedly sensible adult and religious leader think he could dance behind his index finger and think
nobody could see him? The thought of him dancing behind that finger and shouting gleefully, No one can
see me! I am smart, No one can see me! always made Miriam laugh.

CHAPTER 5

The day she had understood what was going on was a turning point in her life. Before then she
had still been struggling to do everything in her power to please her father whom she had still respected
and loved enough at the time, to desire his approval. But since she discovered the truth about him,
everything had changed but only after crying her heart out bitterly. So although deeply disillusioned, she
had continued to tolerate all the lies, rejection, oppression and injustice as there was nothing else to turn
to.
Eventually, Miriam got to understand even better, the economics underpinning Jemilas decision
not to challenge her husband in anything. By pretending to all that everything was all right, she was not
only protecting her own social status, but also protecting her bread and butter. Should she show her
resentment or make a fuss, all her husband needed to do was to declare: I divorce you three times, and
she was back with her parents, if they would have her back, that is.
Besides, her reputation as a divorced woman would not only drop her social status to rock
bottom, but she would also become the butt of gossip and pity in her village until the next harvest.
Eventually she would also become the target of many men for amorous adventures without commitment,
ending up like the Zarah she so much hated.
Yes, thought Miriam, the other woman always made an easier target of the aggrieved wife in a
world dominated by men. But Zarah too was only trying to survive the only way she knew. As a matter of
fact, Miriam kind of admired the other woman. She was definitely a survivor. She appeared strong and

16

bold and free. She laughed a lot and was unpretentious as she blatantly practiced her wiles. Zarah
seemed happier than most other women in their community. When compared to her mum, she was a
saint so far as Miriam was concerned.

This was why Miriam had arrived at the conclusion that if this God they claimed to serve was truly
as just as the Scriptures say, he would have mercy on the oppressed in the society who were forced to
sometimes do horrible things to survive, and punish hypocrites like her father and other elders of the
community who oppressed the common people.
Miriam had heard that things were different for Roman women and the upper echelon of the
society in general. Take Herodias for example. It was popular knowledge that she had left her first
husband, Herod Philip, a relative of her present husband, to wed Herod Antipas the Tetrarch, her former
brother in law. And she had gotten away with it.
Or how about Drusilla, another Jewish girl like her who was said to be exceedingly beautiful, and
had done as he pleased, even to the extent of divorcing her assigned husband from her tribe, to marry a
Roman chieftain. In spite of this, she had enjoyed great respect and freedom.
There was also Drusillas elder sister, Berenice, who had married many powerful men, and whose
influence in the court of King Agrippa was well known. She went everywhere with the king, and was
always treated like a queen.
Miriam dreamed of penetrating such circles one day. She wanted to be free. Free from the control
of any man. Free to choose whom she married. Free to use her intelligence and gifts. Free to use her
influence to affect the lives of the less privileged.
Her reflections now brought her back to her beloved brothers who had so much opportunity to do
a lot of good because of the freedom they had. But perhaps they were still too young to understand what
privileges they had. It is said that girls mature faster than boys. She prayed they would grow up to be more
real than the male elders in their society today.
From what she could recall however, they mostly up to no good, although their escapades had
been great fun, especially since they allowed her to play an important role in them. They had learned all
the tricks and had very quickly blended well into their society.
One of the interesting things about having brothers, she reflected, was that she got to have so
many friends. Friends like those girls who forced themselves on her, only so they could get close to her
brothers. And then there were the other set of friends that her brothers forced on her to facilitate their
escapades, and shield them from the eagle eyes of their parents. Between them, they had perfected the
art to a T.
However, most of them were insipid and as pretentious as the rest of the folks in their community.
All they thought about was the latest fashion, designer accessories, cosmetics and boys, boys, and boys
again.

17

She hadn't really minded her brothers carryings-on much, since they at least neither aspired to,
nor claimed any special religious standing. They limited themselves to performing their religious duties
and that was all. Actually, making money was their main focus in life, although their sanctimonious look at
assembly would belie that fact at least until Miriams eyes caught theirs across the male-female divide in
the worship areas. Then they would wink at her and she would wink back and smile.
Her brothers daring amorous adventures were actually fun in a way, and had compensated for all
the frustration and aggravation of being a girl. With her sharp wit and irreverent comments, she had
become quite popular among the girls who would gather around her after the weekly community
assembly, and laugh out loud at her every joke. Mariam had no doubt some did so just to attract her
brothers attention but who cared. She hadn't liked many of them anyway, although she had gotten on well
with a few, like Lydia.
The thought of Lydia automatically made Miriam relive the events of that fateful day

18

CHAPTER 6

Twelve year old Miriam was as happy as could be as she tripped along the short-cut at sunset
that day, singing and dancing to a melody in her mind, without a care in the world.
I am singing for my Lord, she sang, if anybody comes, and asks about me, just tell them say, I'm singing
for my Lord.
She would choose another verb to replace singing, and act it out as she sent along: dancing,
clapping, praising Miriam had always loved to sing. She was in fact returning from the girls choral
practice that evening when all of a sudden Lydias dad, Jehu, stepped out of the brush along the way, right
in front of her, blocking her path.
Miriam was startled. Her voice trailed off as she stopped in her tracks, mouth open wide as the
smile on her face gradually faded away. She stared at him for a moment in sheer fright before paying him
the normal obeisance due an elder in age and in their religion, who also happened to be the father of a
friend. She curtsied as she whispered:
Greetings elder. The peace of God be with you.
Peace of God indeed, she thought. She doubted very much if even the devil would allow this man
his kind of peace. Miriam had always been scared of the man. Always so stern in public, but whenever he
caught her alone, strangely warm too warm. And this was becoming too frequent for comfort, mused
Miriam. Like right now.
He had this disgustingly syrupy grin on his puffy face now that reminded her of the worm expellant
syrup her mum used to force on them from time to time as children. How she had hated it. The thought of
it still made her shiver today. Yes that was it exactly sickly-sweet. Lydias father had always left her with
that horrible feeling whenever he managed to corner her alone in some lonely place. And corner was the
right word to use.
I mean, reasoned Miriam, men were not even supposed to talk to women in public. However she
was not a complete fool about these things, what with the trysts of her brothers. Nevertheless, this was
very strange. Not only was this man married, but he and his wife were family friends and there had even
been talk about marrying her off to one of his sons! He was also the father of her friend, Lydia!
For these reasons and more, she couldn't quite figure out why the man got so excited and showed
so much eagerness for her company especially when she was all alone. She had decided to tell no one
about her fears. Who would she tell even if she wanted to?
In the first place, she would not be able to get audience with her father, and even if she managed
that, she was sure she would be threatened with curses, or quickly married off to the first available
person, if he suspected it might be true. They probably knew about each others proclivities since they
were so close.

19

Her mother would also probably rain curses on her first, and then scold her furiously about what
could be said and what could not be said, and end up probably instructing her to keep quiet about it.
As for her brothers, they would either laugh it off, or tease her about it forever, which would make
her even more angry. Otherwise they might take her seriously and act on it and their reaction, she
suspected, might be as violent as that of Jacobs twelve sons when their sister Dinah was raped and
abducted. This would likely lead to a scandal, which was likely to boomerang on her since she had no
proof. Even if she did, handling the matter would be delicate enough
For a long time now, Miriam had refused to contact Lydia for her brother because of Jehu, her
father. Now here he was, right in front of her in this lonely path, and it was getting darker by the minute.
Oh, God, she groaned to herself. I thought that I had successfully gotten rid of him by refusing to
go to Lydias house on behalf of her brothers. The only other place they met was at their weekly assembly,
and he could hardly corner her there!
Sweet, sweet Miriam, he now replied jolting her back into the present. The peace of God with you too. I
heard you singing. Such a sweet, sweet voice. Coming from choir practice?
Miriam almost burst into laughter at this, but quickly controlled herself. She was right about him.
Her description of the taste he left in her mouth was spot on! If the worm expellant could speak, this was
it. "Sweet, sweet, sweet" all the time, and only when he had successfully trapped her into a corner.
She detested him although she knew she was not supposed to, but she felt that even God would
understand. The man was definitely creepy And so lacking in creativity, she reflected mockingly. Just
that word all the time. Yuckky!
Besides, she knew she was not sweet. She was an avowed Tom Boy and everybody knew it.
And her voice was deep and hoarse although people loved to hear her sing, so she guessed it must be
good. However, sweet was certainly not a good description for her voice. Anyway, good or not, she had
a good enough ear for music and she loved to sing and that was that, so far as she was concerned She
shook herself out of her meditation again to reply his question.
Yes sir, she murmured.
Did you not miss your friend at choir practice today?" he continued. I notice you dont come to our house
much anymore.
As if you cared! Miriam brooded to herself. Lydia was indeed one of her few friends, but what
business was it of her father to be concerned about what, when and how often they met? It would seem
she had been right after all that he had been practically stalking her!
Well sir, she told me last week she would not be attending practice this week because she was travelling
with your wife to Capernaum.
Miriam deliberately stressed the words "your wife, which she had chosen above her mum,
hoping to jolt the elderly man back to reality, just in case what she suspected was true. She did not like
the way he was leering at her at all. He looked particularly strange today.

20

Well, shes back, he said and she came back very sick. This is the time she really needs her friends
around.
Strange, thought Miriam. Since when did papa Jehu start caring about his daughter and her
needs? He was well known as a harsh, uncaring man. Add to this the fact that girls were basically nothing
for men in his circle of their religion. Plus Lydia had told her a thing or two about her him.
I am sorry to hear that sir, Miriam responded. Of course Ill visit her. In fact I and my mother will prepare a
special soup for her and bring it over tomorrow.
Again, Miriam stressed the words my mother since the use of your wife did not seem to have
had any effect on him. For some reason he seemed much too familiar today and she did not like it one bit.
Besides, it was getting darker by the minute and there were many dark corners around the area.
Maybe she shouldn't have taken the short-cut today of all days. After this, she would never take it again!
Lost in thoughts, it didnt quite register that the man have moved closer to her, until she smelt his
breath.
Why was he standing directly in her path like that?, she panicked. It was as if he wanted to block
her from moving forward!
However, Miriams cheery sense of humour quickly replaced her fears and she laughed to herself
again. She was letting her imagination run away with her. This is Lydias father. An elder of their religion.
What was she thinking she was still trying to calm down her nerves when suddenly the man reached
out to touch her!
Miriam was so shocked she could not move for an instant and then, over-active imagination or
not, she took to her heels, heading into the bush trying to escape from the man. When she realized he
was running after her, she became really scared and opened her mouth to shout for help. She just about
managed one loud yelp before he caught up with her and covered her mouth with one hand. With the
other, he pushed her to the ground and dragged her under a bush.
Miriam was a strong girl. She could give her brothers a good run for their money when they
climbed trees or did any other sport together. Now she fought back with a vengeance. She scratched and
struggled with him. She managed to bite one of his fingers, but the man would not relent. He was too
strong for her. Eventually he got the upper hand .

21

CHAPTER 7

In a state of shock, Miriam lay on the ground where she had been violated for a while, bewildered,
confused, enraged Many other emotions she could neither understand nor explain ran through her mind
as she finally howled out loud in frustration and cried her heart out in the lonely brush.
The physical pain which could not be dismissed represented for her, so many other new realities
she could not cope with - emotional turmoil, psychological despair, fear in her spirit and a clogged up
mind
Miriam finally summed up enough strength to rise from the ground where evil had brought her to,
and dragged herself slowly towards home, her whole being weighed down by the new baggage she did
not know how to handle. Now she had proof although too late. But she would tell someone finally. She
needed to tell someone about it. Something had tobe done. Nobody else should have to go through what
she had just gone through.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Miriam was strengthened. She forgot her muddied and
torn dress. She forgot her bloodied legs. She forgot her bloated, dirt-smeared and tear-streaked face. She
gained strength in body, soul and spirit. Now she had purpose in her life. This was not the end of the
game. In fact it had just started. She would get justice. She must get justice. She must protect others like
her
Today she realized just how unfortunate it was that her mother was the only person at home when
she arrived. If any of her brothers had also been at home, she was sure the story would have gone
differently but not necessarily better, she reasoned.
Would they have behaved like the twelve patriarchs when their sister Dinah was raped at
Shechem? Blood would have flowed and ifJehi was not dead by the following day, then he would have
been seriously injured. Then her brothers would have been arrested, she would also have probably been
publicly humiliated, and her fathers status in the community seriously threatened. Everyone would have
been unhappy.
No, a response similar to that of the patriarchs would not have been the better. They had been
sneaky, mean, cowardly and violent. Miriam did not support hitting a man while he was down, especially if
the assailant tricked him into that position.
But then again, perhaps their reaction would have been more subtle? Like the case of Tamar. This
perhaps would have been better. Absalom had taken his time, nursed his rage, and then hit when he was
well and ready... But this also was frightening to Miriam. All those years nursing a grudge?!!! That
Absalom must have been something. She wouldnt have wanted her brothers to become like that. That
would kill a person from inside as it was killing her now and she seemed to be dying more and more
every day because of it.
Perhaps she should have taken her revenge directly. Then she would either be in prison now, or
would already be dead and gone. Was death not better than the life she was living now? And that would

22

have taught other men l like Jehu a thing or two about the consequences of rape. Furthermore, the fear
that this might have generated would have meant some poor girls might have been saved from their evil
hands. Miriam concluded she would have much preferred that to the only option that seemed available to
her at that time, all because her mother had been the only person she met at home
While she had never liked her much and were thus not particularly close, Miriam, in spite of all
indications to the contrary, still hoped to see a sign, no matter how little, of motherly love from her mother.
The least she had expected was sympathy and anything else that came with that would have been
ecstasy for Miriam in her state that day.
Now Miriam bitterly relived the reaction of the Shrew (that was how she thought of her mother
now).
Just look at you! had been the first words Miriam heard from her mother.
Her first reaction had been to nag about the state of her dress! Trust Jemila to be so preoccupied
with the mundane, superficial and external things. That seemed to be her way of avoiding a deeper
scrutiny of many other things of much greater value. But how Miriam had hoped!
Then Jemila had continued shouting.
I dont know which kind of child you are! Why cant you be like other girls your age? God, what did I do to
deserve this? See your dress! When are you going to grow up? God deliver me from this child o!
Since Martie left, Miriam had always answered Jemila back when she started criticizing her. It
hadnt mattered anymore whether her mother was making sense or not, whether she was right or not. It
was merely her instinctive response for self-preservation. Miriams ominous silence was what finally made
Jemila pause for the first time to look up higher at Miriams face.
By this time, Jemila had interrupted her railing about the state of Miriams dress to look at her
closely then the second doze of shock settled in. Even Miriam had to admit that Jemila's reaction when
saw tears on her daughters face was impressive. Fact was that Miriam simply never, but never cried.
Jemila stayed this way for a whole minute, just staring. And Miriam could read from her eyes that
she knew what had happened almost immediately. To this day, Miriam still wondered if her mother had
suffered a similar abuse
All Miriam had wanted at that point was a hug. Just that one single hug could have changed so
many things. But when Jemila finally opened her mouth, it was to whisper a question:
Who?
Miriam was devastated. Her mothers priority had been to know who. That might even have
been understandable and even acceptable and welcome from someone who was likely to do something
about the who. However, Miriam knew her mum much too well by now. Doing something about the rapist
would have been the last thing on her mind. It would never have crossed her mind to risk rocking the boat
by taking anybody on. Her own personal convenience, status and image had always been of paramount
importance to her. The last thing she would have done was to confront such a person.

23

Miriams pain, anger and bitterness doubled in intensity and burned even deeper.
Lydias father, she spat out defiantly, and Jemilas reply confirmed what Miriam already suspected.
You must be mad! she shouted, although Miriam could see that she knew it was true.
Then she started preparing the sand in which she planned to bury her head, pretending they were
not talking about rape by an elder of their religion and a friend of the family anymore.
Ive always told you not to wear that dress. It is now too tight and too short for you she ranted in a lower
voice, as if to make sue the neighbours did not hear them.
She continued. Ive always warned you not to go near men. I've always warned you But do you
ever listen to me? Do you ever
Miriam interrupted her, shouting back for the first time in her fury and frustration.
Its got nothing to do with my dress, mama! Even when I wear the most decorous dress, that evil man
had always leered at me!
Reliving the experience she burst out into tears again.
Mother, its not me thats the problem, its him! Is he not a leader in our assembly? Has he not taught
against what he has done to me on the podium? Mama, please don't do this to me! Just this once! Most
especially not today!
Perhaps especially because she knew that her mum already knew the truth, Miriams emotional
turmoil, and psychological malaise combined to express themselves in loud, racking sobs.
In the absence of anyone else, she fought to persuade her mother to at least do her justice just
this one time. She poured her heart out to her mother, trying to explain her fears over time about the man,
how she had done her best to avoid him, how he had accosted her and blocked her way, how she had run
away screaming, how he had pursued her, caught up with her and covered her mouth. She did all she
could to persuade her mother that she was innocent in the matter, still hoping against hope for that hug
she so desperately needed. Still seeking for some comfort and reassurance from her mother.
When finally her mum realized Miriam would not allow her to bury her head in the sand she had
so quickly shoveled up pretend the abuse never occurred, her next words stunned the already
disillusioned Miriam.
Miriam was to keep quiet and tell no one about it. Nothing had happened to her that had not
happened to many others before her, and would happen to many others after her. Nobody would take her
word against that of an elder. Rather she would be identified as a fornicator by the whole community, and
ostracized. Now she had seen what men were like, perhaps she would keep far away from them from now
on.
Then she had conveniently linked it to her favourite topic. After all said and done, was Lydias
father any different from her own father keeping that young girlfriend? Miriam sighed. Even under the

24

terrible circumstnces her daughter now found herself in, Jemila had not been able to resist that dig at her
father.
Then she had continued. Her father must not know anything about it or he would send her away
from the house. And her brothers too or she would become the cause of their downfall. They were likely to
do something scandalous that would blow up the story. Then the news would spread, If it became public
knowledge, Miriam might never be able to find a decent husband. And more of the same. For Jemila,
everything boiled down to marriage for a girl. And perhaps she was right too
Miriam stared silently at her mum for a long while after she had finished speaking. Not only did
she not offer the hug she so desperately wanted, she offered no words of comfort either. In spite of the
fact that she knew her mother was probably right, she was nevertheless furious. No comfort form her
mum, no audience from her father, no integrity in her religion, no justice in her community, no mercy from
God there was nothing left for her faith to hold unto. This was it.
As if controlled by a mechanical force, Miriam stopped sobbing. She stared at her mother for a
few seconds, then turned around, and walked off to her room. Had Jemila been a more perceptive
woman, she would have feared for her daughter if she had an iota of affection for her, or simply feared her
as a person from that time on.
So Miriam had kept quiet about the incident, but everything else had changed. As if her name
was staking its claim over her life, bitterness, rebellion and anger raged dug in their heels, and turned a
sweet, loving girl into a hate-filled, rebellious and uncontrollable monster.
She never told her father. Neither did she ever tell her brothers. But she would never forgive her
father. She would never forgive her mother. And she would never forgive that man. She would get her
revenge of each one of them in her own way. She could handle things herself.

25

CHAPTER 8

Miriams behaviour changed drastically from that day. Her admiration for her fathers girlfriend
increased. She and her type were the only ones who seemed to be living a real life in the whole
community. They did not pretend to be what they were not. In fact, with all their cosmetics and
coquettishness, they seemed to throw what they were in the face of anyone who cared to look. And
Miriam knew that many did.
Meanwhile, she continued going to the assembly meetings because she had no choice, but she
stopped singing in the choir. Her father and brothers did everything to persuade her to continue with the
choir, but she was adamant and they finally gave up on her. She knew her father only wanted her to keep
at it to project his image in the community, although she was aware that her brothers sincerely thought
she had a gift and it made them happy to see her use it joyfully. If only they had known that real joy was
now as far away from her as the sun.
She still ate, she still slept, she even still laughed, but all that was now just part of existing for her,
not living.
After a while, she got tired of faking it and she became withdrawn. So withdrawn that and even
her brothers could not tease her out of her dark mood. Miriam could see them go through the range of
emotions. At first they were totally confused. Then they became irritated with her. Then they became
annoyed. And finally they became alarmed.
Is it mum? They would ask her; Or Is it dad? When they got no answer form her, they started
badgering their mother.
Mum what did you do to Miriam? Have you been saying those mean things to her again? Miriam would
watch them from a distant and hear her mother reply
Have I not always told you not to encourage your sister to be such a tomboy? She is a girl. She is
growing up, thats all. She can no longer keep up with you. Then she would turn her head to stare at
Miriam silently, but she never came close.
Her brother even went as far as to tax their father on what he did to Miriam and the result was no
better:
Why are you asking me? You know her better than anyone else. She has always been a difficult child. It
is a blessing that she is not talking much these days. Very unwomanly!
This moodiness in Miriam lasted for a few months, but she finally snapped out of it with a
vengeance, shocking them all to the core.
She launched herself into her own amorous adventures in a frenzy without much problem. There
had always been some boy lurking around, leering at her. She would no longer play the decoy for her
brothers. All she had learnt from her brothers escapades would come in very useful now. She knew how

26

to sneak around. She knew how to give them the green light. She knew the right places to meet for the
trysts. And the silly boys were only too eager to comply.
Of course she did not get to that stage without the vehement protests of her brothers. They even
threatened to report her to her parents just to show how desperate they were. Reporting such things to
parents was the greatest betrayal ever.
The hypocrites! Miriam fumed to herself. They were not different from the rest of their community
after all. It was okay for them to do as they liked, but they did not want her to be subjected to the things
they subjected other boys sisters to
Well, Miriam knew how to fight, and she fought back with all she had. And she had quite a bit on
her brothers and used it to effect. What was good for the goose was good for the gander, so far as she
was concerned. Besides, some situations called for blackmail.
Her brothers soon discovered they had no choice but to let her be but it affected their otherwise
close and warm relationship.
If you asked her today, Miriam would not explain why she opted for that promiscuous lifestyle
then. She knew the scriptures and she knew God did not like it. But she had come to the conclusion that
God did not like her, so why should she bother with what He liked or not?
If God liked her as they claim, why were all these things happening to her? Why did He not stop
her from taking that short court that particular day? Why did He allow the rapist (that is how Miriam
thought of Lydias father now) to catch up with her that day? Why did He not arrange things so that her
brothers, and not her mother were home that day? Why, why, why?
No! No more singing for their Lord. She was now going to sing for her own life doing her own
thing - and to hell with anyone who didnt like it. If you cant beat em, as they say, join em!

27

CHAPTER 9

By the time Miriam turned fourteen, she was already notorious in their community for her
rebellious ways and scandalous behaviour. Her father didnt know what to do with her. Nor did her
brothers. Her mother kept her distance. T least she seemed to have learnt a thing or two, sniggered
Miriam. Had she tried to lecture her as before, she would be sorry for herself.
Everybody told her how promising she had been when she was younger, and how ashamed they
were of her now. What did she care? She was as ashamed of them as they were of her!
She had kept quiet about that day, hadnt she? And she had continued to attend their religious
assembly, hadnt she? She had obeyed her parents, had she not? So her days would be long on the
earth, she mocked as if she cared if her life was cut short. So far as she was concerned, it had already
been cut short after that day. Now she intended to make the most of that life in her own way. What else
did they want from her? That was it so far as she was concerned. She refused to be anything like her
insipid, pretentious mother.
When she had made it clear to everyone that her days of obedience were over, she started to
seek the company of her fathers girlfriend, Zarah. Zarah had leisure, wore beautiful clothes, and knew a
whole lot about what was happening in other parts of the region. She cracked a lot of naughty jokes about
the elders, and laughed a whole lot. The boys Miriam had originally tried to use to assuage her confused,
frustrated adolescent feelings had become as boring as the other girls in the village. They only wanted
one thing and she was tired, tired
Miriam liked Zarah. She was a lot of fun. She suspected her older brother Jerry liked Zarah as
well. She had stumbled across him once or twice coming out of Zarahs room. It made sense, after all
Zarah was more in their age-group than her fathers. Sometimes the thought flashed through her mind
that Jerry may also be drawing from that waterhole. But she would quickly shake off the thought. That
would be sacrilege, wouldnt it? Father and son drawing from the same well
The first time Miriam had approached Zarah, she made sure her mother knew about it. For her, it
was a form of revenge against her mother because she knew Jemila hated the woman. When her mum
took her up on it, using all the epithets she had employed so often to describe Zarah coarse, indecent,
vulgar and loud - Miriam had pointed out cheekily that her father didn't seem to mind all that, since he too
visited her regularly.
Furthermore, said she, she too had the right to seek her own kind of company rather that soil the
holy company of saints. The way Miriam had pronounced the last words made her meaning very clear.
Jemila, as she had noticed of recent, seemed not to be able to find any more words to reply her rebellious
daughter. She opted for the next best reaction she rushed off to her room in tears
So what else was new, snickered Miriam to herself. When she wasn't weeping, she was nagging.
Miriam wished her mother would get real for once and do something about it about her issues. But no. Off
she went to hide her head in the sand as usual.

28

Miriam walked away giggling. That will teach her! She knew she was being very mean but for
some reason, this kind of pleasure seemed to be the only one left to her these days.
Anyway, from that day onwards, neither of her parents dared to question her movements and she
got closer and closer to the other woman. Then came the last straw

Some old creep, at least that was the way Miriam described him to her friends, asked for her hand
in marriage. The man was a leader in the assembly and belonged to the same group as Lydias father,
and probably a rapist himself, so far as Miriam was concerned.
When Miriam was told, she refused bluntly. The battle raged in the house. Miriams mum could
not understand why she should refuse an offer that she considered exceptional, especially in the
circumstances. When Miriam asked her to specify the circumstances, she kept quiet and left the battle for
another day.
On another occasion when Miriam argued that the man already had one leg in the grave, her
mother retorted:
What do you mean by that? Your father was just about that much older than I when we got married, and
he is still alive, isnt he?
Besides, she continued her argument, Miriam was not likely to find anyone else to marry her in
the community. Why was she being so stubborn, seeing she had completely tarnished her reputation?
The man had a good position and by marrying him, Miriam would once again become respectable in the
community.
On another occasion, her argument was in the form of a question: Did Miriam not want children?
Children were the only compensation left for women in their community. And when did she expect to start
having them?
Had Jemila but known, this was her strongest argument to convince her daughter since the battle
started. Miriam would have loved to have a baby she could bring up strong and confident like Moses. Or if
a girl, smart and helpful like her namesake, Miriam. But the dream faded almost as soon as it passed
through her mind. She knew about the birds and the bees now, and she had no intention of allowing that
decrepit old man who had asked for her hand in marriage to touch her, if he could still get it up, that is.
Who knows, he may just be a pervert like Zarahs first husband.
Besides, a child with an old man like the one who offered for her hand in marriage was not likely
to turn out as she would love. There were enough evidence of slow children from such marriages. But
then again, having a healthy baby could be arranged with one of her young lovers who would only be too
eager to oblige. Miriam giggled to herself. She knew how to play the game now. She was making her own

29

choices now. But what finally clinched it for her was the fact that she was not particularly eager to bring a
child into a world so messed up. So, good try mum but no, thanks.
Apart from this one argument, all others fell on deaf ears. Not only was Miriam not interested in
enjoying the respect of what she considered to be the hypocritical people around her. Miriam did not give
a damn about community and their values. She was establishing her own as she went along and they
seemed perfect for her.
Unlike her mothers attempt to persuade her, Miriam fathers response to her refusal was heavy
with threats and curses: if she did not marry the man, he would disown her; he would throw her into the
streets; he would lock her up forever; he would kill her
Although Miriam knew this had been known to happen from to time, it was often done in secret
when a father wanted to protect the family honour. But Miriam had deliberately made sure that the matter
became a public matter, knowing that this would make it impossible for her father to try and do away with
her.
Not only would he be desperate to protect his image in the community, but as an elder, admitting
that he had no control over his daughter was tantamount to admitting he had lost control of the affairs of
his home, So Miriam defied him and she was right in her analysis. Jehohab was all talk and no action,
although Miriam suspected her new friend, Zarah, might also have helped to promote her cause.
Zarah's manipulative skills were phenomenal, and indeed, a wonder to behold. Some even said
she consulted some of the spiritualists who gave her the secret of controlling people.
In any case, one day, Miriam went too far with her comments about her fathers relationship with
Zarah, and hell was let loose. Jehohab, frustrated by his powerlessness over his recalcitrant daughter,
finally put one his threats into action. He beat her senseless and then locked her up in a room for days
without any food.
Being locked up under such circumstances is a turning point for most people, as it was for Miriam.
However, while for some, it represents an opportunity to meditate over their life and change for the better,
who then move ahead to live a fruitful life that influences posterity positively, for others, it has the opposite
effect. Miriam was one of the second group. By the time she had regained consciousness, she had
hatched a plot that many would consider unthinkable in her community.
Meanwhile, her brothers, they kept well away from the whole business. Once upon a time, Miriam
knew they would have spoken up in her favour. But since she became rebellious, they now had mixed
feelings about her, and were no longer ready to stick their neck out for her. Nevertheless, they made some
feeble attempts to boost her feelings and relieve her suffering during that period.
Laz would sneak in food regularly into her prison. Miriam always kept a stony silence and would
not say a single word in response to Lazs attempts to make conversation, and sometimes pleas for her to
give up the fight. Whenever he was leaving her room, Miriam took some strange sadistic pleasure in
observing the deep pain in Laz's eyes from a great distance, which she herself could not explain.

30

Miriam knew that her brothers didn't approve of the marriage proposed for her, but that they would
not do anything about it. While she resented this on the one hand, she was happy on the other. Having
some support might have been comforting, but she suspected it might also dampen the fire of fury in her
heart, which might mean losing the steam of her anger. She would get better satisfaction fighting this all
alone. After a while, she had become so distant form the reality around her that it became like watching a
movie for her.

Till today, Miriam still could not figure out what exactly had happened to her in that prison. But
she knew something terrible got a foothold in her life during that period. It was that thing that made her
give up, consciously and deliberately, any emotion akin to love. It was tht thing that made her welcome
hate and rage with pleasure. From that ime on, her most generous emotion was limited to indifference
even for her once beloved brothers.

Chapter 10

In retrospect however, Miriam believed that still lying somewhere deep within her, unyielding, was
a thought too marvelous to resist - Martie alive and breathing somewhere in this side of the world. She
believed to this day that this was how she managed to sum up the guts to run away from home.
Miriam knew Martie was alive and well because, after the death of her husband, Martie had
sneaked into the village once to look for Miriam. After exchanging their experiences since they had been
apart, Martie had determined to take Miriam with her right there and then, but things had not worked out
the way they had planned.
Miriam was supposed to go home and pick up a few essentials, especially some extra clothing,
and meet Martie at an agreed spot form where they would take off.

31

Miriam had headed home joyfully, only to hear her father roaring in furiously as far as 50
kilometers from the house.
Just what you would expect Miriam had murmured cynically to herself. The happiest day of my life just
had to turn into must a great day of fury from my beloved father.
Wondering what was the cause of the rage this time, she wisely went behind the bushes to
approach the house and listen some more. That was when she understood exactly what was going on in
her house. Apparently, someone had seen Martie in the village and congratulated her father on the return
of his child. The person who did dis so innocently, believing that Jehohab had finally managed to prevail
on Martie to come back home after her husband died.
Everybody in the community knew that Martie had bluntly refused to come back home after her
husband's death. Her father had not been able to trace her whereabouts to force her to come back home.
On hearing the news and realizing that he was not supposed to know about the visit, he had, with
superhuman control, managed to thank the bearer of the news and made for home in fury.
That day her father had come home fuming screaming blue murder declaring that all his
daughters had gone mad and he would kill them before they killed him. Her father talked about killing the
way other people talked about sleeping.
His own daughter, whom he himself had given out in marriage, had refused to come back home
after the man died, yet it would appear that she dared sneak into the village behind his back, exposing
him to mockery and shame! He, a community leader and religious elder. He was going to make sure she
never sneaked anywhere again.
Miriam had heard him ranting and raving about all this. She knew form his past griping over the
matter that everything boiled down to economics.
Since widows had no right of inheritance, especially young ones like Martie, they were expected
to go back home to their parents who could then arrange another marriage and collect dowry all over
again for her. So Marties refusal to return not only cast aspersions on Jehobabs patriarchal repute, but
also meant a loss of income he could well do with.
Since Zarah had become an unofficial part of their family, almost immediately after Marties
marriage, economics had taken a greater importance in their family life. Whoknows if the oldman had yet
another little Zarah in hiding somewhere. He seemed tolike them young.
This was the thought in Miriams mind when she suddenly heard the loud bellow.
Where is that Miriam? shouted her father The little devil! II am sure she is in onto this. Where is she? I
will deal with both of them will go today!
Miriam stayed for a while still listening in shock. The only person who had seen Martie so far as she knew
was the person she had trusted enough to ask to inform Miriam of her where she was waiting for her.
Otherwise, Martie had made sure not to involve anyone else, not only in an attempt to keep the secret, but
to avoid getting other people into trouble. What they did not know would not hurt them.

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Even Miriam did not know the person! She merely found a note informing her to go somewhere at
such a time. The writing was somewhat familiar and she had assumed it was from one of her many lovers.
She had decided to go anyway, fascinated by the unusual style of the person, and there she had found
Martie.
Her joy had known no bounds. She had hugged her and laughed and cried and laughed and
praised God sincerely for the first time in a very long time of indifferent worship, clinging to Martie for all
she was worth, until Martie had managed to grab her head and force her to be still.
Yes, yes, I love you too and I am very impressed by your demonstration of love. Had you shown just a
little of this before I left home, you scallywag, and I wouldnt have been able to stay away for so long. And
she had hugged Miriam tightly for a long while.
That soon calmed Miriam down, and gradually they had exchanged news weeping together for
some time over what had happened to Miriam, and rejoicing at Marties bold escape. Martie told her how
thankful she was that Miriam had not yet been given away in marriage, and promised her everything
would be alright now. Then she continued her own story in the past few years.
Martie's elderly husband had died a couple of years after the marriage. She had had no children.
Her parents had expected her to come back home to wait for another marriage proposal, but practical,
bossy 'Madam' Martie was not having any of that.
She had worked like a slave for her husband and she had had nothing to show for it when he
died. Now he was dead, she had no plans of returning to her parents to become either a victim or a pawn
all over again.
As expected, Martie had recounted, her husband's children, all old enough to be her parents,
soon came to pack all his belongings, leaving Martie with only enough money to make the return journey
home. Smart, practical Miriam had neither wept nor complained. She had thanked them for the money
politely, and soon after their departure, had made directly for the house of their biggest customer.
Martie had already become popular in Bethany for her weaving skills, which was taught her by her
husband when she had moved in with him. The improvement on his products were so obvious that
everyone knew they were Martie's work. Money flowed in, her husband was happy, and Martie too had
been relatively happy, dedicating herself completely to the work.
As for the other thing, she often used the excuse of being too tired from work to escape from her
husband's amorous advances, if one could call it that. Sometimes, said Martie, she suspected she was
actually helping him to save face anyway. The man had been old and tired, and his awkward attempts had
seemed to Martie to be no more than his effort to keep her in line, and to protect his image as a
man. Poor guy, Martie had said. Apart from being mean with money, he had at least provided her with
other basic needs. It could have been much worse.
Finally, Martie had informed Mary: Ive come to take you with me. There is not much time. You
know how news spreads in this village. Can you come with me right now? Thats the best way to do it.
Before anyone think about what is going on, you are already gone!

33

Miriams excitement had surged up. She had jumped and hopped and hugged Martie all over
again, in a tight grasp, both of them laughing joyfully until they realized they might be heard and calmed
down.
Before taking off, Mariam had insisted on collecting her book of Scriptures. Her hope had been
renewed then. Maybe this God had not given up on her after all. She begged Martie to give her a few
minutes to run home and pick it up. Martie had agreed. And that had been their undoing
Miriam, stubborn and bold as she was, had decided that she had not come so far as to give up
now. She would pick her book alright. It meant too much other now. Then she would sneak out again and
go meet Martie for their escape.
She had indeed managed to sneak in to pick the book, but she had not planned for what she had
heard next;
Lock up all the doors in this house her father had instructed the four hefty men he had summoned.
I want to know every movement in this house. Who is going out and who is coming in. When you finish
doing that, go round the village and find me those girls and bring them to me! I can almost swear they are
both together right now
Miriam froze in a couple of minutes, she heard one of the men shout out;
All locked up! We are on our way now
Trapped, Miriam peeked out of a window and saw her father had planted himself in the only
position where he would be able to monitor any movement towards and from the house!
What was she to do now? She was trapped in here and she couldnt get out without being seen
by her father, and even then, only if she could manage to force any of the doors open without being heard.
By the time Miriam finally gave up hope on getting out of the house, she started panicking about
the fate of Martie. Who would warn Martie! How long would she wait before heading for the house looking
for her? Was she to be the cause of Marties being caught? Why was she so unlucky? Did God really like
her after all? It was almost too cruel to give her hope one minute, only for it to be dashed the next.
As these thoughts ran through her mind, she suddenly saw Laz coming towards the house. Hope
soared again. Perhaps she could use him as an excuse to get out of the house. But she soon jettisoned
that idea. Her father would never allow her out of his sight.
She imagined Martie coming to look for her in the house and meeting her father. No! She could
not allow that to happen! She would have to trust Laz.
As soon as Laz entered the house, she ran to him. He looked shocked finding her in the house
and blurted out;
You are still here? I thought Martie then his words trailed off as he turned around immediately and
hurried off with his father calling after him:

34

Whats the hurry? I need to talk to you about your sisters!

Martie was never found. Miriam was too busy rejoicing about her escape to think about her own
loss. Also knowing how much Laz cared about her was a great comfort. It dawned on her eventually why
the handwriting of the letter had seemed so familiar. Laz must have tracked Martie down and told her
about the changes in Miriam and that was why Martie had come to take Miriam away. Two little spaces for
love opened in Miriams heart.
Miriam was sure Martie would make another try. But so much time had passed since then, and
she had not shown up yet. And now this

35

CHAPTER 11

So, seen from this perspective, Miriam's decision to run away was not completely irrational. She
had dreamed up a perfect plan in her prison. Recalling Lazs role in what she liked to term as The first
coming of Martie, she decided firmly that she would involve none of her brothers.
In the first place, she was sure they would support her scheme, and if not, telling them would
mean she would have lost the advantage of secrecy which was fundamental to the success of her
escape.
Secondly, telling them would expose them to pressures and conflicts she would rather spare
them. Choosing between concern for her, obedience to their father, loss of privileges, and tension in the
house would stress then out unduly. Let them be as shocked as all others. That way they would be
completely innocent in the matter. So Miriam thought and thought and she soon came up with the perfect
collaborator, ready to step out again.
And so began Miriams transformation into the perfect representation of her community the
great pretender. First, she pretender to be suffering terribly. Then she pretended fatigue for her
predicament. And finally after that, she pretended submission. She had been so good at it that only Laz
had some vague suspicion that this could not be real. One day, she noticed him staring her closely as she
sighed, and moaned.
He stayed with her in her prison for much longer than usual, trying to catch her eyes. He did so
once, and Miriam quickly avoided his deep scrutiny by quickly bowing head. She knew it was now time.
She would not be able to fool Laz for much longer, and she might end up giving away more than was
prudent about her plans.
Very early in the morning of the following day, she started wailing:
Please papa I am sorry. I will do whatever you ask me to do. I am suffering here. I am tired. I am sorry, I
am sorry
Her wailing was loud enough to raise the dead and it was only the living she planned to wake.
And it worked beautifully.
Her brothers had gone our early so had not been around, or they would have been the first to see
her. Miriam was thankful for this. Deceiving Laz was becoming more painful by the day. It was best this
way.
Her mother and father soon emerged from their rooms. Miriam heard fumbling with the door and
as they entered her prison, saw wide smiles on both their faces:
I am glad you have come to your senses, her father said. You simply cannot continue to defy the
authority placed over you. Life is not like that. Then he had turned to his wife.

36

Mama, prepare something for her to eat and later we discuss the wedding plans with our in-law to be.
The wedding must take place soon. We have wasted enough time.
Noting this, Miriam realized she had no time to loose. She therefore ate the meal mama prepared
with gusto, pretending to be famished. After that, she asked quietly to go and sleep for a while.
Of course, said her mother. You need a lot of beauty sleep now, in addition to food, so you can recover
your glow, read for the wedding.
This woman is not real was the thought that came to Miriam. My glow for what? An old man next
to his grave. With a soft thank you she headed for her room.
As soon as she shut the door of the room, she galvanized into action. She packed a few
important things. This time it did not include the Book. The God of that book obviously wanted nothing to
do wither apart from torturing her hope today, gone tomorrow. No more of that for her. She would handle
things herself from now on.
Satisfied she had the essentials, she sneaked out of the house to Zarahs house. Zarah was her
best bet. Not only would she understand her predicament, but she was also the only one who would have
the guts to assist her to implement her plan. Besides, Miriam was sure that even if they found out that
Zarah helped her, she would escape any sanction. She would deny her involvement to high heavens, and
swear on her fathers grave and people would end up believing her. She was that good at lying and
manipulating.
Zarah, as expected, allowed Miriam to hide in her house for a few days. While everybody was
looking for her, Zarah was comforting her father. There was even a day when Miriam was hiding in a
closet as Jehobab cursed and railed at her for being such an impossible child, right from the day she was
born. Zarah had whispered a supposed scripture verse softly to him to the extent that God will
recompense the just Whatever that meant, grinned Miriam in her hiding place.
In any case, her father soon calmed down.
That Zarah, Miriam had smiled to herself. If she had not been so scared, she would have loved to
watch the scene.
By this time, Miriam had shared her plans with Zarah who gave her some money for
transportation to Bethany, where she claimed her sister was. She also provided her with the name of one
of her friends near Bethany that Miriam could call on for help to trace her sister. Before leaving however,
Miriam had insisted on doing something she considered very important.
Seeing the mean, puffy face of the nasty, sanctimonious old pervert on the high place, teaching
people about Gods ways, had over time, become almost unbearable for Miriam almost to the point of
madness. Maybe that was why people said she was possessed, she reflected.
But would it not run any normal person mad to see Jehu, Lydias father had continued his life as if
nothing had happened, while her own life had been turned upside down because of what he did to her.

37

In any case, possessed or not, she was certainly mad at many things around her. Maybe they
were right, at that. She wanted her revenge and she had been dreaming up ways to teach him a lesson he
would never forget. Some were so gory that she knew she would never have the opportunity to carry them
out. But others were very subtle, although she had never really believed she would ever have an
opportunity to carry any of them out. Women were so powerless in their community
But now she knew she was leaving the community, she felt she had to carry out at least one of
the more subtle ones. She had dreamt it up right there in their assembly, while others intoned the psalm. It
would do as her own special exit flourish.
The day after she ran away from home and went into hiding in Hanas place, turned out to be the
day before Sabbath. Therefore, while others observed the preparation day, cleansing their homes, Miriam
consolidated her own preparations for her revenge. Her choice of the Sabbath had been deliberate. She
felt it was the day that symbolized the height of hypocrisy in their community.
When the time came, she asked Zarah to apply make up on her face the way she did on hers.
This was something she had never thought of doing before even at her wildest and most rebellious.
Zarah, asking no questions, gave her the works, a puzzled smile on her face at Miriam's unusual request.
She was beginning to get used to Miriams impulsive and radical nature.
Lipstick, rouge, false eyelashes, and all finally perfectly in place, Miriam asked to borrow one of
Zarahs dresses.
She remembered Zarah had borrowed her a tight sleeveless, bright yellow dress with a low
dcollet.
Finally, putting on the highest heeled shoes she could find in Zarah's wardrobe, she headed
resolutely for Lydias house.
Zarah had insisted on going with her because she was very curious about what Miriam was up to.
When Miriam could not persuade her to stay, they both went off together.
They hid in a bush by the side of the house and waited patiently. As soon as they saw Lydias
family approaching, Miriam rose from her crouching position in her hiding place. The timing was perfect,
as there were many other families returning from the Sabbath celebration at the same time. For her
revenge to be effective, she needed a lot of witnesses.
When Lydias family came close enough, Miriam stepped out, and without saying a word, swayed
provocatively from one side of the house to the other several times. Then, turning around, she waved at
the passerby with a wide smile on her face. She needed to get them to stop.
There were loud gasps and finally a hush. It was clear that only then had some passers-by
registered the fact that the apparition before them was no less than Miriam, the girl everybody had been
looking for, for the past couple of days.
This was when Miriam assumed a seductive pose in the middle of the street and turned slowly
towards Lydias father to ask in a shrill, loud voice:

38

Am I still sweet, elder? How many sweets have you raped today elder? Want some more sweet, elder?
You cant get any more elder. The she started insulting him uncontrollably;
You old decrepit! Hypocrite! Pervert! Rapist!
In a frenzy, Miriam continued to rain curses on Lydias father and she couldnt stop. She uttered
the meanest, ugliest words that she herself did not know where they came from. By now, many others had
gathered round, wondering what was going.
Zarah soon caught on to what Miriam was about and stepped out of her hiding place as well, and
added her own wild laughter to Miriams railing. This had encouraged some other people to join in the
laughter.
Miriam had tasted the sweetness of revenge at that point. These elders greatest source of pride
was the respect of the people they abused. She had successfully robbed Jehu of his this day in the
community.
Meanwhile, Lydia and her mum were frozen in place like blocks of ice, mouths agape, staring at
Miriam and Zarah. Miriam had stared right back, straight into their eyes, one after the other. She could
see that both knew or at least suspected the antics of their husband and father with defenseless young
girls of the community.
Suddenly she had felt a great sorrow for the pain she was causing them as she knew how
powerless they were to so anything about it. However, this regret quickly passed when she caught a faint
glimmer in Lydias eyes. She had suddenly realized that Lydia was happy at her fathers humiliation and
embarrassment, and this gave Miriam new impetus. Who knew if wicked man had been abusing even his
own daughter? You couldnt put it past the likes of him.
She had rained more descriptive curses at Jehu until her head had started aching. Zarah had
continued laughing wildly. Then, she had turned slowly to look around her again, stretched out her hands
to her fathers other woman, and they had both swaggered off laughing wildly to the applause of the
younger onlookers who probably wished they could show up their elders for what they really were.
Most of the older audience hissed and slapped one hand repeatedly against the other as a sign of
disgust. For those who had cupboards in their wardrobes and knew they did, disgust for Miriam as a sign
of sympathy for Jehu, and for the busybodies who knew Jehus reputation well but did nothing about
denouncing it, disgust for Jehu.
Well, Miriam had sure given them something really funny to laugh about. The memory of that
should lighten up their miserable lives for a long time to come. There was no doubt most had enjoyed the
drama enormously. Anything out of the ordinary spiced up their humdrum life so long as it was at
someone elses expense. Accounts of it would become exaggerated over time and last for a long, long
time, if not forever.
By this time, Lydias father had recovered somewhat, and started to shouting This girl is
possessed! This only made the two girls laugh even harder as they now took to their heels. Nobody in the
audience moved to pursue them as they would have done if they had believed what Jehu was saying.

39

Should Jehu and his henchmen bother to take any of the witnesses on about the matter at a
future day, most of those who, by their reaction, had approved of what Miriam had done, would deny it to
high heavens, and as soon as the back of their challenger was turned, would give one another a knowing
wink and snigger behind their hands.
No. Jehu would never be able to live it down except he let things be. But many parents had been
warned and he would become some sort of pariah in the community since most parents would take
exaggerated measures to protect their daughter from any contact with him. The community as Jehus
comfort zone had definitely come to an end. He would finally pay for what he had done to her. But Miriam
knew her time in the village was definitely up. She would leave with the satisfaction of knowing that she
too had disrupted his life.
Had they been pursued and caught, her father would probably have protect Zarah, but she,
Miriam, would be tied up and taken to a place where they would claim to be performing deliverance on
her, but where she would be abused both physically and mentally. Who knew how many of those
deliverance sessions, mostly on girls and women, were caused by men like Lydias father.
As soon as they reached Zarahs house, Miriam quickly cleaned her face and changed into her
normal dress. The dressing of the loose woman would expose her too much during her journey and she
was not ready for that. She was off to a new beginning, and while she was anxious and even afraid in one
sense, she was very excited and hopeful in another.
When she got to Bethany, she would find Martie, and everything would be alright again. But
whatever happened, one thing was sure: she was gone forever from this community and was never
coming back! Miriam had hurried to the square where she would get transport

40

CHAPTER 12

At this point, Miriam suddenly came back again to the present. And now see how far that journey
has led me, she ruminated.
Miriam was a very unhappy woman today. No, she was certainly no longer a girl. Her experience
in the past four years had made her a woman. In fact woman might not be the right word. Grandmother
might be a better way of describing how she felt now
Not yet twenty years old and already weary in spirit, soul and body - a childless grandmother with
no illusions left, thanks for her vast, varied and terrifying experiences of life in the past four years. She
found it difficult to believe that the period was less than a quarter of her whole life However, no one
would guess how she felt judging from her carefully contrived appearance, seductive posture, chirpy
personality, witty retorts and flirty manner, especially when surrounded by past, present and potential
customers, all men, of course at least for now.
But among her colleagues, it was another story entirely. When they were not trying to scratch
each others eyes out over a lucrative business or wealthy customer, they were weeping on each others
shoulder.
The Great Paradox, Miriam liked to call it. Not having anyone who really cared about them, they
tended to lean on each other during rough periods. But this naturally had limits. The bottom-line was
survival of the fittest. She had to keep up appearances or her source of livelihoods would be
compromised. The alcohol and drugs helped a whole lot.
In fact Miriam knew that without these drugs, she would not be able to keep up. She alone knew
how many times she had wept in total despair on her bed. Every night without exception, she slept in a
stupor, barely conscious of her days activities. And every morning without exception, she awoke with that
lurking fear and simmering anger, now mixed with total despair, not knowing what to do about any of the
feelings. The alcohol and drugs dampened the pains only for a while no matter how much she increased
the dosage.
Whenever she came to, her demons were always still there, waiting to torment her. She couldn't
figure out how come she was still alive. Since she started the trade, Miriam had committed several
abortions when the medication she took to prevent pregnancy failed. So much for her dreams of raising a
wonder-child like Moses, she thought cynically. Now she killed them just like the wicked Pharaoh of the
Scriptures.
O God! How low am I to get!, she cried desperately to herself. Perhaps that particular terrifying
experience had be Gods way of showing his disgust with how low she had descended. She had done
that abortion and it seemed it had gone as smoothly as all the previous one but then she started bleeding
profusely a day after and it had continued for days on end. To make matters worse, in addition to the
bleeding, she was aching from limb to limb.

41

The drugs had not helped and she had found herself crying out in the terrible pain to the God she
had completely abandoned. In her muddled mind, she was sincere with herself, wondering how she could
expect him to help her now, after she had violated every one of the laws she had so carefully memorized
from the scriptures when she was a girl. But she had prayed anyway. She had called for mercy. She had
promised, first not to ever do abortion again, and then to abandon the trade. She had pleaded and
negotiated until she had become delirious Then this one clear thought had pierced though her delirium
I know I dont have any right to call on your name and that was when she had heard those startling
words very plainly:
Am I complaining?
Till today she wondered to whom the voice belonged, and where it had come from. But the fact
that her prayer had been answered was there for her and everyone to see The shock of the Voice and
what it had said had shaken her to the roots of her being. She had stopped her groaning to listen. She did
not hear the voice again but the pain had left her immediately, and here she was today.
It had been difficult persuading her colleagues that she had not discovered a special charm or
spiritualist. Many of them consulted spiritualists who gave them charms of all sorts for protection. And
since many of them had been witnesses to the miracle, it only made sense that they ascribe it to what
they had put their faith in. So, how could Miriam, who had joined them in consulting these spiritualists,
now make them believe that she knew it was the God of her Fathers that had come through for her? A
God she had never mentioned to them before.
She had lost one or two friends after that incident. They felt it was the ultimate betrayal for her to
hide such important information from them, her two closest friends. The others too had ostracized her for
a while, but since they had no special relationship with her, soon forgave her. It had been a wonderful,
yet frustrating period of her life.
It had been a wonderful time because she had enjoyed hugging her secret to herself. During that
period, she remembered her promised and in fact stopped her immoral life for a while, using the excuse of
convalescence to get her colleagues off her back. She had not felt that fit for a long while, and she
wanted to keep the promise she had made to the God who had healed her so marvelously. Thus, she
would lie in bed and converse often with the God who had heard her cry, although it never went beyond
the same series of sentences:
You are there, arent you? Caring about me Listening to me telling me something trying to get my
attention. But what is it you are trying to tell me? Why cant I hear you anymore as clearly as I heard you
the other day?
The frustrating part was that she had no one to explain what was going on to her. She
remembered the story of Samuel. Eli had explained the voice he had heard to him. It was easy for him,
wasnt it? Son of a mother of faith, working with a servant of God, and backed by a promise from
conception! And here was Miriam in the midst of people she dared not even talk to about that God or they
would get her really mad by laughing at her.

42

At a point, she had considered sharing it with one of the elders in the local assembly but she gave
up that idea completely when she realized a lot of them had been her customers, Besides, they reminded
her too much of Lydias father. She would rather die than do that. They would humiliate her so How
lucky could a girl get? She had hated not having anyone to counsel her
Pressures from all sides soon got her back to where she had left off pressure from colleagues
who kept asking her when her convalescence would finish; customers who kept calling and fixed new
appointments when she said she was not available; her pimp who threatened her regularly, and most of
all, herself
Her savings had run out, and she had to eat... Yes! Food only because during that period, she
had even stopped taking any drugs or alcohol and had no withdrawal symptoms to show for it! That was
how good and conclusive the healing had been And here she was today, back to her old ways and back
to her suffering. She just wanted to die... or did she?

43

CHAPTER 13

Miriam started preparing for her next customer. If she didn't make twenty of them a day, she was
done for. She had to pay her rent and she had to eat, in addition to the alcohol and the drugs she needed
for the next day.
What a vicious cycle, she thought. The money she made, she spent on the things she needed to
keep making the money. She had never been able to make any savings as she had planned at a point
when she had finally resigned herself to her fate. The money she made was never enough for her to
change her lifestyle as she had determined a year after she had started the trade. At that time she had
thought she had control over the drugs. Now she knew she was totally addicted.
Thanks to her fury against the harm that one old hypocritical pervert had done her, and the
subsequent betrayal of the friend of a friend, here she was plying the same trade as the friend without
any hope for the future. Here she was, having to entertain so many other old hypocritical perverts over the
years, still against her own wish. How unfair could life be!
So the fury had multiplied a thousand-fold as had the pain, and yet she had to continue doing it
over and over again to stay alive. Whenever she tried to stop over the years, the pressure from her
handler, her colleagues the drugs, and simple survival instinct kept her going back again and again.
What a big mess! One step forward, two steps backwards. Miriam wanted to die... or did she?
Well, she had better hurry now, as the next client would be around very soon. She quickly pulled
her hair back. It was now so dank and sparse unlike when she left home. All the products she used and
probably the secondary effects of the alcohol and drugs, she guessed. Well they still kept coming, so
thank God for that.
She knew of many like her who had aged much faster and could no longer continue the trade.
Now, if they were lucky they were either madams to some poor young girl who had run away from home
like her, and whom they managed to force into the into the trade. They then could make a living off the
poor young things.
Otherwise, if they were unlucky, they would be ill, unable to continue practicing their trade, and at
the point of death. Zarah's friend, Rebbie, had been at that point of her life before Miriam appeared like a
lifeline. She had wasted no time drugging the gruel she had given to the rebellious and gullible Miriam on
her arrival at her place. The drug that had left Miriam helpless to defend herself in the first round of
assault by conscienceless men who would assuage their sexual appetite on a young girls who was
obviously in distress.
Obviously the money Rebbie had made in those three days that Mariam was in a drugged stupour
was enough for her to get the medication she needed to recover her health a bit. That was how she had
become Miriam's madam for the next one year.
When Rebbie had died, Miriam had needed protection, as well as her alcohol and drugs. One of
the savvy hangers on who had claimed to 'love' her had offered that protection and Miriam had jumped

44

at it, since he was closer to her age and quite good looking. He had soon taken over from Rebbie and she
had discovered to her horror that good-looking was as good-looking does. Miriam remained a sex slave.
Now, Miriam wondered which of the two would be her fate. As she prepared herself for her next
encounter, she wondered which would be preferable. A madam, or death? She could practically see
time running out on her but she knew she simply could not do what Rebbie did to her, to another gullible
girl. Or could she? For survival? Had she no decency left? Was there still some depth of this awful pit she
had yet to descend to? She was deathly afraid. Why didn't she just sleep and never wake up one day?
Perhaps death without the agonizing pain of a septic abortion would not be so bad?
Miriam's thought went back once again to the original plan, as she liked to call it. She had made
it to Jerusalem alright without any incident. She had thought the plan was fool proof, and she had become
even more convinced of this when she had been able to track down Zarah's friend, Rebbie, so easily in
the town.
Of course she had been not a little surprised at meeting the old worn-out woman who had opened
the door for her. The person Zarah had described should only have been a few years older than Zarah
herself. Furthermore, she did not look like the fun-loving young girl Zarah had talked so fondly about.
Rather, she seemed to be a woman in her fifties. However Miriam eventually learnt, after submitting to her
deamnds, that she was actually twenty-five years old! The life she had led had left her in this state and
now business had run aground and her situation was desperate.
In any case, the woman had welcomed Miriam as warmly as she could in her sickly state and
smelly abode, promising to take her to Martie, whom she claimed to know very well, the following day.
Miriam was very touched by such kindness from a total stranger, and being very tired from the long
journey accepted her suggestion quite cheerfully. One day would not make much of a difference since the
woman was too busy to take her to Martie immediately.
After drinking the porridge that the woman prepared for her, Miriam felt amazingly drowsy - the
kind she had never felt before. She soon fell into a deep sleep and thus commenced her horrifying
nightmares
Instead of the sweet dreams she had expected to focus on her reunion with Martie, she had
several nightmares, and they all had the same theme - hands all over her body. A sensation of being
raped over and over again by Lydia's father although the faces were different. Pain. Vomiting. Blood... and
finally darkness. By the time she came to, her fate was sealed.

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CHAPTER 14

Occasionally, over the years, her mind would stray back to dear, beloved Martie, wondering where
she was now and what she was doing. But she would quickly turn her thoughts from all this wishful
thinking. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, as they say. And here she was worse than a beggar.
Besides, even Martie was not likely to want anything to do with her now. Too many waters had
passed under the bridge. All hope was lost...
Miriam had just finished with her make up when she heard the knock on her door.
Ok. Yet another performance about to start. She put on a false smile and shouted:
Come in!
Well, she charged top price and that was the least she could do. She was a master pretender
now. Irony of life. When had she left home she had despised the people in her community for their
hypocrisy and had been glad she was leaving behind a bunch of pretenders for life. And here she was
now, worse than any of them had been and for all the wrong reasons. The chicken had come home to
roost.
Those outside the trade thought she enjoyed it! If they but knew she hated every minute of it.
Thank God for the drugs and alcohol. They clouded her mind and helped her to be as uninhibited as they
liked. The weeping, she reserved for her own secret place. Her own closet, as she called it. And she was
doing more and more of that in recent times, especially since she had heard that Voice that said: Am I
complaining?"
He was not complaining that she was calling on Him for help when she had abandoned Him in
anger? How could He not complain? How could a holy God like Him accept to have an immoral woman
like her call on Him for help? He had every reason to strike her down at the mere mention of His name.
And yet He had said he was not complaining. He was the only one that could have said that, since it was
to Him she had called that day. She dared not call again. She had gone back on her promises over and
over again.
Who knows, He might just decide to strike her down for continuing in this lifestyle after that
miraculous healing He had granted her. She almost started weeping, but quickly took a swig of her
alcohol as her latest client stepped into the room. She couldnt afford tears just right now.
The elderly scoundrel stepped in surreptitiously, glancing behind him to make sure nobody saw
him enter.
The old fool, thought Miriam disdainfully. The whole neighbourhood knew he was one of her
regular clients of course. People were supposed to grow smarter with age but she often felt that it was the
opposite that happened with these men. She imagined they had started this kind of thing at about the
same age her brothers had started.

46

Miriam's mind wandered for a second, as it did more often in recent times, to her brothers. What
did they look like now? What were they doing now? How had they taken her disappearance? What had
they done to find her? What would they do if they saw her now? Were they still continuing their amorous
escapades with the girls in the community?
Miriam struggled back to the present. Well, as for these old men, they were obviously still at it.
Actually, it was another form of addiction, Miriam reasoned to herself. She smiled at that. It would seem to
be a case of one addict entertaining another. So be it. The show must go on.
Come to Swinging Miriam" she crooned, "let me soothe your sorrows away. She wanted to scratch his
eyes out. She wondered what would happen if she did, as she reached out for him.
The elderly man allowed Miriam to pull of his clothes, slobbering all over her as if drugged.
She too had started to strip when all of a sudden, the door burst open and five men appeared at
the door. They stood akimbo at the door with the light behind them framing their figures, even as they
leered at her.

Miriam was so startled that all she could do was stare back at them, mouth agape. She
recognized at least three of them as former customers. And the other two were guards in their
neighbourhood assembly, whom she had paid off well. What was going on here? she wondered. Group
orgy was not unheard of in her business but it was usually planned well in advance except when used
as bribery to gain access to some important man.
After the first few seconds it took her register the strange behavior of the men, her mind worked
very quickly. She had a yet unbeatable strategy in place for the unexpected and this, she figured, was a
perfect example of the unexpected and she wasnt about to wait to find out what was going on. Miriams
survival instinct took over and she simply flowed with it.
She opened her mouth and started shouting wildly at them the way she often did whenever she
found herself in a tight corner. She usually got away with this tactic, thanks to the fact that they had all
agreed among themselves that she was possessed and usually backed off and left her alone whenever
she started her shrieking.
Even as she did so, her mind went to the accounts circulating about a new movement working to
rid the community of prostitutes like her. Some self-appointed community-cleansers from the assembly
were tracking down women of her trade and stoning them to death. Not so long ago she had heard of one
being stoned to death in a nearby district.
The male partners involved were always released after a hefty bribe had been extorted from
them. They would ransack the womans abode and steal all they could before they dragged her to an
isolated place and stoned her to death. No religious court consulted, and only the woman punished.
I jumped from frying pan into fire, thought Miriam in a panic. It had not taken her long to find out
that her community was no different from the rest of the world. How she wished someone had told her that
before she ran away from home without making sure she knew where she was going. But there, still

47

niggling in the recess of her mind, was the thought that this was not one of those random attacks. It had to
be more than this. She could not figure out where that thought came from.
Maybe it had to do with the account of the girl that was massacred recently. Word had it and
word in their part of the city was often very close to the truth - that the attack on the girl was plotted by
one of the members of the religious court who had wanted the 16 year old all to himself. The girl had
refused the offer declaring that she could not continue to do what he required of her. Man had been so
furious ather adamant refusal that he had shouted at her that it was him or nobody!
But Miriam did all they wanted. That was how she got her name Swinging Mary. Besides, she
was on good terms with all the stakeholders. What was this all about? Why had they burst in like that?
She was still ruminating on this even as she screamed and screeched, when she suddenly heard
a familiar voice shouting from outside:
Bring her out! She must be stoned to death!

CHAPTER 15

At that point, Miriam understood everything. It was Lydias fathers voice. A couple of years back,
he had discovered her hiding place and had offered himself as a customer after reassuring her that he
had forgiven her since everything had worked together for good. He had left the village and was now
someone in the city synagogue.
Miriam had refused bluntly and embarrassed him in front of the other girls, revealing his religious
position to them, and telling them what he had done to her when she was barely twelve years old. It had
been one of the happiest days of her miserable life. And of course she had packed her bags and run form
that city, hoping to leave a great distance between her and him. She knew just how fake his forgiveness
was and how vindictive he could be.
So now she understood. He had caught up with her again after two years, and come for his
revenge.
So this is how it all ends, she thought to herself as the men grabbed her and dragged her out of
her room, half dressed. I have become a victim all over again of exactly what I ran away from. And
through the instigation of the same man that made her a victim in the first place. Can life be so unfair?
Would it have been better if I had simply laid down, grinned and borne it, or died as a victim, just
like her mother had counselled, than fight for freedom? They all ended up the same way, after all.

48

Miriam wept bitterly as they dragged her along the street. As they went the men were talking and
laughing. After a while, she could no longer scream, and that was when she overheard part of their
conversation:
Your plan is great kill two birds with one stone. That rebel preacher will either have to drop the love part
or his impossible teachings, or get into trouble with the religious leaders. If he does the first, his followers
will lose confidence in him. And if he refuses to soft-pedal on his teaching about love, then his days are
numbered, and we will have every reason we need to stone him to death publicly for speaking against
Moses' teaching and supporting an immoral woman
Then another voice suggested: It would be much more fun still if we could spread the rumour that
he was the one with her! Bottom line is that we finally get rid of him as well as this troublesome prostitute!
So this is finally the end for me, thought Miriam when she heard this.
Then she suddenly remembered the Voice and His Words again and decided she had nothing to
lose. She would call on Him again. He had saved her life once. He could do so again.
Miriam started praying. She called for help from the 'God Who Does Not Complain' as she now
loved to refer to Him. She loved doing this to make a clear distinction between the god 'they claimed to
serve, and the God she had encountered personally. The God who heard the heartfelt groaning of even a
sinner like her, when she cries out to Him.
Please save me, God!, she whispered in fervent prayer. Please save me. I know that I have been angry
at you unjustly all these years. I should simply have turned to you for help about anything that happened
to me. You would have helped me cope. But I did not. Instead I equated you with men. But you are not a
man. You are the Creator of men, not a man. You would have found a way out for me if I had called on
you. I should have clung to you. I am the cause of my own suffering not you, not any other man. I have
wasted so many years waking up to the fact that you are ever merciful. You answered me in my distress
once, in spite of my sinful ways. Please hear me again now. I call on you, God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. You said you will not complain if I call on your Name. Help me, please! Save me from this horrible
death and I will ever serve and worship you!
Miriam came to herself when the men dragging her suddenly released her, dumping her on the
ground like a sack of potatoes. By now, her face was smeared with tears mixed with dirt, her dress in
shreds. Her eyes were closed in shame, her body bruised all over. She heard one of the men asking
someone:
Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such
women. What do you say to that?
Miriam heard no answer although she could feel the presence of many other people around her
she still kept her eyes closed.
Then another man shouted:

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Teacher, we asked you a question. Do you not claim to be the teacher of the real truth? What are you
afraid of? Speak! What are you scribbling on the ground? Its your voice we want to hear. What do you say
we do with this woman?
Yet another voice insisted:
Choose between your so-called love and forgiveness now and the law of Moses. Should we allow her to
go or should we stone her as Moses declared in the scriptures?
When all the heckling and harassment got no response, the place became as silent as a
graveyard. My graveyard perhaps? Miriam thought, as she opened her eyes wide in fear and noticed
vaguely that she was in a worship place.
Then everything else disappeared as her eyes met and drowned in the most peaceful eyes she
had ever seen. And the peace in those eyes seemed to have been transferred to her. She could not take
her eyes away. Those eyes spoke calm to her very being. She did not want to take her eyes away. So
reassuring. So soothing. So calm. Transmitting hope. Healing her spirit, soul and mind.
God is here, she thought. The One who does not complain is here. The merciful and kind God is
here. He has answered my prayer! Then she heard the most amazing voice finally speak:
Let the one that is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
And the voice registered. Miriam had heard that voice before! It was The Voice. The one that said
he was not complaining when she, a dirty sinner had called on Him for help. Miriams heart almost
jumped out of her chest. She stared at the man as if her life depended on it. What manner of man is this?
But the man merely stooped down again to write something again on the ground.
There was silence again for a long while. Then Miriam turned to look around her. Her eyes caught
that of Lydias father. She saw fear in his eyes but there was only peace in her heart.
He shifted his eyes from hers, shifted his feet for a while, then slowly turned around and walked
away. He was the oldest among them. Each of the five men who had dragged her to this place followed
him. Then came the turn of some younger ones who had joined her accusers on the street as they
dragged her to this place. Soon, the whole crowd had dispersed leaving only the Voice and His disciples
behind.
Miriam looked around her again. She could not believe it. The wild, loud crowd had dispersed
silently without a single argument. And she was left alone on the ground where they had dumped her. And
she was still alive! God had answered her prayers again! The most important in her life!
The teacher stretched out his hand to help her up. Miriam grasped it as if in a dream, eyes staring
into his again. Then she heard The Voice again that Voice that did not complain:
Woman where are the people who accused you? Has no one condemned you?
No one, sir Miriam whispered, voice trembling, eyes glued to the Peace.
Then neither do I, the Voice declared. Go now, but do not go back into your sinful life.

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51

CHAPTER 16

As if in a trance, Miriam started walking away from the Teacher and his followers who remained
beside him. As she did so, someone put a cloak around her shoulder to cover her exposed and bruised
body. She did not know where she was going but she just moved on, taking one step after another, in
obedience to the Master's instruction to her. Her body, soul and spirit relished the new peacefulness and
joy, the type she had never known before in her life.
Instinctively, she realized that anything linked to her old life would mar that delightful new feeling.
Consequently, without even considering the implications, she moved in the direction leading away from
her house. She continued to walk in that direction without another thought until she was too tired to take
another step. Then she sat down and on the ground, resting her back against an old enormous tree, and
slept off...
The next thing she knew was someone's hand was shaking her awake, and a womans soft voice
was murmuring:
It is not safe for a young girl like you to be sleeping alone in a place like this at this time.
Confused, Miriam looked around her. It was dark, and she wondered where she was. She felt so
refreshed. Then her mind cleared suddenly as she recalled all that had happened to her that day. She
realized that she had just had the most peaceful sleep in many years right there on the streets the same
street that had been one of her greatest fears! and from broad daylight till evening. Maybe living in the
streets was not so bad after all, she reflected. Yet another fear dissipated forever in her spirit. God would
take care of her wherever she found herself. He would make a way for her
Now, she looked up slowly at the old woman who was now gently patting her back. Then she
said:
He said I should go and sin no more. I could not go back to my house. You see, I am going and sinning
no more, but I have nowhere to go.
The elderly woman beamed at her. You met him! Then she babbled on:
Such occurrences are being recorded daily in our community these days. He is changing the lives of
many. Praise God! You are blessed to have received His touch.
Somehow, Miriam understood: You mean the Voice?
The Voice? said the woman.
Then Miriam started talking excitedly. She shared her testimony without shame. She talked about
her past, the pain, the sorrow, the anger, the rebellion, the betrayal, the immoral and dangerous life she
had lived. The addiction, the abortions, the hopelessness, the despair
She shared how she had been saved by the Voice the first time she thought she was going to die.
How she had finally met Him. How he had saved her by the skin of her teeth. How she had felt when she

52

met him, and how determined she now was not to go back to her old ways, and how she needed to stay
away from her room because she knew it the pressure that staying around her old friends represented.
How she intended to make a new beginning
The elderly woman did not interrupt her until she had spilled everything out. Then she smiled
gently declaring:
I knew there was a special reason I passed this way today at this time. I felt the Lord guiding my steps in
spite of the late hour and the dangerous environment. Get up child and come with me.
Without a word, Miriam got up and went the woman. Anyone that had met the man was safe to go
with. Meeting Him transformed a person within and without. She could feel that the woman was
transformed herself.
As they went the woman shared her own experience of the Masters touch. How she had lost all
her wealth looking for healing for a hemorrhage for over twelve years. How she had dared to touch the
helm of His gown. How she has been healed instantaneously. How she was now convinced that He was
the promised Anointed, and how she was now His follower.

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CHAPTER 17

By the time they reached the womans house, they knew each others life story fully. Rejoiced
together at the great favour the Lord had shown them, and marveled at how He had brought them
together.
Over several months, the woman taught Miriam her trade and smart as she was, Miriam soon
mastered it and started making a living. She and the woman go for worship and prayers at the synagogue
every Sabbath to worship the God who had been so kind to them. They also attended every gathering of
the disciples of the man called the Anointed whenever they had about it, and made many friends among
those who had also been favoured by His special touch: former lepers, lame, blind, publicans
However the crowd around Him was always so great that neither of them could ever get close to
Him again, much as they desired to thank Him personally for his love and mercy.
Then one day, Miriam heard about the dinner being organized for Him by a certain Simon, one of
the leading Pharisees. It would seem as if at least some of them were honest with themselves, so they
were opening up more to receiving him in less religious places.
After The Teacher healed Simon, one of their very own, of his leprosy, some of the Pharisees
admitted that this Jesus the Galilean must have the power of God on him. They had been witnesses to the
healing and seen no questionable gestures. A mere touch, and healing was immediate.
In spite of Simons urging, he had refused all the gifts he wanted to shower on Him. The only
thing he had asked Simon to do was to humble Himself before God and lead a clean life. Even then, they
had suspected that perhaps he did not want to take anything from Simon because of his high religious
status so they had carried out an investigation among other people he had healed and the story was the
same. So they were now more disposed to receiving him and hearing his teaching, although such were
very few. Besides, youd have to kill them first before they would admit that publicly.
As a compromise, they would invite him to dinner in their personal houses, knowing that wherever
He went, there would be some exposition of the Scriptures and with luck, miracles which they could
further check out.
Miriam knew the district where the next dinner being organized for Him would hold. It was not very
far from where she was staying with the old widow. Most of the Pharisees lived in the area.
In her past life, if you wanted to be successful, you needed to know where the rich, old men lived.
They paid very well for their services. She even knew one or two of the guards in that area whom she had
paid off in the past. They should be able to help her this time, although she did not know if it would be
right to still bribe them to get in.
However, she was determined, and nobody and nothing would stop her. That same God who
could save the likes of her would make a way for her to get in.

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Before hearing about the dinner, Miriam had been saving all the money she had made to enable
her go home to share her good news with her family. However, but before doing that, she was now
determined to do this one thing first. There was no deterring Miriam from her plan which she shared with
her hostess. She would use the money for something much more important. She would attend that dinner,
come what may.
As the fateful day approached, Miriam became so excited she could hardly sleep. She woke up
early in the morning of the fateful day with a song in her heart. Her morning devotion was full of songs of
praise worship and supplications for Gods support on her mission.
Her voice had been healed from the effects of all the alcohol and drugs she had been using. Her
former passion of praising God had returned with a vengeance. She sometimes felt she was dreaming.
Her prayers had been answered over and above what she imagined or deserved. God had turned her life
completely around. Praise be to His name.
When the time came, Miriam dressed up carefully and made for the house of Simon, the former
leper without even knowing how she would get in. But for some reason, this was no longer of concern to
her. She trusted the Lord to make a way for her. He it was who had laid this on her heart to do. And she
knew He was able to bring it to pass.
As she approached the guards sentinel, he saw her, smiled and said, So you got invited to this
one, eh? I wonder how you managed it. You must tell me about it sometime soon. I hear the man is
strange but powerful.
Miriam did not reply. She smiled at him and simply walked into the premises as if in a dream. No
attempt to block her passage. No challenge to produce her invitation card. No demand for bribe. No
threats. Just a complete neutralization of the greatest threat to her mission. Her God was too much. Now
to the task.
Miriam had a mission and she went about it straight away. Walking in confidently, she looked
around her to locate her target. She walked towards him, sat down calmly on the floor at His feet. As
everyone watched, amazed at her audacity, and wondering what was going on, she placed the spikenard
oil container she had bought with her on the floor beside her. This was what she used nine months of her
savings from work to buy.
She felt like Esther, the famous Jewish queen who broke all protocol to do what she had to do,
and got away with it. She was going to do this and nothing could stop her now. The God that can do the
impossible was on her side. The Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and morning Star, the
King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Holy One of Israel, the Wonderful, the Merciful
Miriam found it very difficult to define her feelings, but all of a sudden, she started sobbing silently
and copiously - from gratitude, for joy, for mercy, for love for peaceThe tears poured down her face, and
dropped on the feet of the Master who was reclining at the dinner table.
The Master turned and looked into her eyes again, this time with a smile on His lips, as if He knew
her, knew what she was about to do, and approved of it. Miriam drowned in those eyes again and smiled
back. Her confidence soared. Still without looking at anyone else, she removed her scarf from her head.

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Yet another protocol broken. Now she would behave like the beloved king David, who while celebrating
God, forgot his position and removed his clothing to dance in His praise. And as for those who felt strongly
about this, let them all pretend not to know her without covering.
And as for those who were ready to excuse her, thinking perhaps that she was going to use her
scarf to wipe off her tears from the Masters feet, let them think again. They were totally wrong. While this
was not originally part of Miriams plan, she felt compelled to do this and she was going to yield to the
impulse of adoration. She was filled with the Spirit of love. Love never fails. Nothing could go wrong.
She used her hand to spread her tears over the Masters feet, washing them with her tears. Then
she bent forward to wipe them dry with her hair! She could just feel the guests staring, mouth open wide.
There was silence everywhere. But what did she care. She had learnt to focus on God by now. Focusing
on men got one distracted. She continued her adoration by calmly breaking the bottle of perfume, which
she then poured over the Masters feet.
She heard a hush. Then she heard murmuring. She heard reproaches, rebukes, complaints. But
she didnt care. She looked at no one but Him. She smiled again at Him. She had accomplished her
mission. She was now ready to leave. Then she suddenly heard the Voice speak.
I have a riddle Id like you to solve, Simon, said the Master.
Ill give it my best shot, Teacher, said Simon in false humility, quickly rearranging his expression of shock
at what the immoral woman had done. He had noticed that the Teacher did not seem to find the action
inappropriate. In fact he seemed to be quite pleased by it! Therefore it was more politically correct for him
too not to show any negative reaction.
He still wondered what this man was all about, in spite of the healing he had received through
him. And the fact that he did not recognize that the woman He had just allowed to touch Him was an
immoral woman only buttressed his doubts. A true prophet would have immediately known that woman as
an immoral and would not have allowed her to touch him! Now he was unclean because that woman had
touched him, and Simon knew that only his well-known radical stance on such external issues spared him
from being insulted and rejected by the other guests.
Oh, how Simon knew the taste of such repudiation when he had his leprosy! All his closest friends
now seated in his dining room feeding voraciously on his food and gulping down his wine had abandoned
him completely at that time. Only his wife visited him occasionally and brought him food at the lepers
colony. Were it not for this man, where would he be now?
Simon now wondered if the man used the same exorcism method that those sons of Schevi, one
of the chief priests used. Disciplined Pharisees like him were still arguing with other leaders about the
practices of these exorcists, especially since they hardly ever achieved anything tangible. Caught up in his
thoughts, he almost missed the beginning of the story.
Simon now focused, listening carefully to the question. If this was one of those enigmatic
questions the Master sometimes threw at people, Simon felt confident he would solve it easily. He had
been taught by one of the greatest,

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Two men owed a moneylender some money. One owed him five hundred dollars, the other owed him
fifty. The money lender knew how bad things were going for the two men, and that neither of them had the
means to refund what they owed, so he decided to cancel their debts. Now heres the question: Which of
the two men do you think will love the money lender more?
Without missing a beat, Simon answered: The one with the bigger debt naturally; the one whose
five hundred dollar debt was cancelled would definitely love him more.
Correct said the Teacher. Simon preened, happy to be thus publicly commended.
Then the Teacher turned towards Miriam who was still sitting head bowed, staring at the floor, and
said:
Simon, look at this woman again properly. After a pause he continued.
I came to your house at your invitation. Going by the quality of guests present, the decorations and the
food and drinks, you must have given a lot of thought to your dinner list, and spent a lot of money on
making sure it was perfect. That is a good thing to do when you want to impress the world.
However, it seemed that you were so busy thinking of your own image, that you forgot one of the
simplest, and yet most important courtesies due a visitor in your house. So we have the extended menu
and vast array of drinks, and eminent personalities present, but not the one thing that is of direct benefit to
your guest of honour the milk of human kindness.
Having no means of transportation, I walked here. I was hot and tired, and my feet burned from the dry
heat of the land. But you did not think of having even a servant wash my feet and anoint my head to cool
me down.
But this woman you see here, this woman who you consider immoral, this woman who was not invited to
this gathering, personally provided me with everything you overlooked in your desire to impress.
She washed my feet with her own tears. She wiped them with her hair. Then she used her hard-earned
money she had been saving for a long time to buy one of the most expensive perfumes to anoint my feet!
She has honoured me and soothed me, and surrounded me with her warmth to show her love and
appreciation for the blessing she had received from me. She gave me her best, her heart, at the risk of
being insulted and ridiculed.
See the proof of love now Simon? She loves me with all her being and showed it without restraint, and
because of that, all her sins have also been forgiven her for she is not ashamed of associating with me
publicly no matter what people think of her. But you, Simon, in spite of being healed of the worst disease
ever, receiving something you can never pay back for, you still draw back from following me because of
the position and influence you have in the society as a member of your group. These things are still more
important to you. You are still sitting on the fence, neither here nor there. Your miserly demonstration of
love has limited what you can receive of me.
Then the Master turned back to Miriam and said to her: Be reassured that I have forgiven you all
your sins. Your faith has saved you. Shalom.

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Miriam looked up, stared into those eyes again. Drowned in them once again for a long minute,
then got up with a smile and walked, head high, towards the exit door. Her mission was accomplished.
And it had blessed her even more than she had ever imagined. She had not only been defended and
affirmed, but she had also been reassured that all hers sins were forgiven! She was no more an immoral
woman. Now she was pure through and through. The only way was up! Her future was secure and bright.
As she went towards the exit door, she started to sing:
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrow like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul
There was a spring in her steps as she walked toward the exit door. As she passed the guard at
the gate, her laughter rang out merrily. She paused from her song and she said to him:
The Anointed is here. Follow Him, and all your sorrows and pains will be soothed away. Mine are! She
continued her way, singing.
The guard stared after her mouth open wide in surprise. Miriam did not look back. She had just
turned the corner when she heard someone shouting her name. At first she did not look up. So many bore
that same name. Then the person called her by her pet name, Miri!!
Miriam looked up immediately, straight into the eyes of her beloved sister Martha, ten metres
away. She stared for moment, mouth agape then she smiled wide, and the smile gradually widened as
she ran hands opened wide, towards her sister. She did not even have to save money all over again to
share the Good News with her family. The Master had arranged everything beautifully.

Miriam fell into the arms of her sister and started weeping all over again. Tears of joy. Tears of
hope. Tears of relief.
What manner of man is this? He had control over everything A trustworthy God. She was now
sure she could go and sin no more. If he required it of her, he would make it happen for as long as she
clung to Him - and that would be forever! She prophesied. Amen!

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TEACHING POINTS
1. IDENTITY: WHATS IN A NAME? Exodus 6:2
Human beings of all cultures give names to communicate different messages like, for example, what ones
birth signifies to the parents or family, events surrounding ones birth, the faith or hope of parents for the
child, who or what the child resembles, or even Gods name/declaration about the child or adult . Miriam
for her part, assigned a negative or positive value to her name depending on the situation in which she
finds herself any given time. To determine the relevance of this attitude, we shall now explore the value of
names in the Bible.
a) The NAMES USED OF GOD in the Bible are part and parcel of His Identity and they are closely tied to
His Personality and Attributes. This is why they are so many and suit any occasion. Here are some
examples:
- I AM that I AM. God says this of Himself, and it basically means I am the Self-Existent, Uncreated
One, meaning I have always been, I am, and will always be whatever I want to be whenever I want to,
and however I wish to. How reassuring
- ADONAI: God is called this name by His servants and could be said to mean that God is our Master,
our Overseer and our Lord
- JEHOVAH JIREH: This means God is Provider of all things. It is also prophetic because the
Lord God would provide the Perfect and Supreme Sacrifice of the Lamb of God in Jesus Christ.
- EL SHADDIA is translated as Almighty most times in the Bible, meaning God is sovereign over all
the earth, over all the nations, over all things.
- JEHOVAH SHALOM means The Lord is Peace for those who are His own
- JEHOVAH ROHI means God is Shepherd meaning He will guide, protect, provide and care for His
own
- EMMANUEL means God with us.
- JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU = The Lord Our Righteousness
- YESHAU = (Y'shua) Savior (Is. 43:3)
ALPHA AND OMEGA The Beginning and the End; The First and the Last
b) The NAMES OF JESUS also vary widely depending on the relationship. For example:
- God the Father calls Jesus His Beloved Son in the Gospels of Luke, John This is my Beloved Son in
whom I am well pleased, listen to Him
- Other names very suggestive of His purpose on earth were given Him by God through angel Gabriel
when His birth was announced e.g. in Matthew 1 ???? Emmanuel which means God with us, Jesus,
(the Greek version of Joshua, which is also a variant of Hosea), meaning God is Saviour, a common
name among Jews of the time.
- God also gave Him other names through His prophet as far back as in the Old Testament e.g. in Isaiah
6:9 we have Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
- Jesus Himself sometimes calls Himself by the same names used for God e.g. The Good Shepherd in
the gospel of Matthew, The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the End in the book of Revelations.
The Son of God John 14??? When you see me, you see the Father; In my Fathers House are

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many mansions I go to prepare a place for you I will come back for you, where I am you
will be). The Son of Man as if to emphasize His kinship with human beings.
- His Apostles and called him Master, Lord, Son of God, God, The Messiah (which is Christ in Greek
and means the Anointed King).
- Going by the reports of His disciples about what He did, said, promised, and by His followers, based on
their personal experience of Him even till today, call Him The Risen One, Healer, Deliverer, Life-Giver,
The Resurrection and the Life John???, Sanctifier, Rest-Giver, Lord of the Sabbath,
Forgiver of sins; Messiah Christ; King - of a heavenly Kingdom (John??? My
kingdom is not of this world otherwise my guards would have fought to protect me; Do you
think I cannot ask my father and He will send thousands of angels to protect me? Only
access to heaven (John 4 I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the
Father but by me;
c) Names God/Jesus gave some of His servants: God changed Abrams name which means exalted
father, to Abraham, father of many, and Sarais name, meaning princess, to Sarah, princess of many, as a
sign of His Promise to multiply their line. Jesus also gave Simon, which means He has heard, a new
name, Peter, which means rock. How nice. This may imply that whatever negative or idolatrous name we
had or were given in the past, God has a special name for us which not only indicates the value he places
on us, but also His plans and purposes for our lives which He means to accomplish through us on earth if
we allow Him to do so.
d) Names some Bible characters gave themselves or were given:
- Naomi, whose name means pleasant, when going through some difficult times, changed her own name
to Mara, meaning bitterness, and when God intervened, was called Naomi once again. This was referred
to in Miriams Delight.
- Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were Babylonian idolatrous slavery names for Hananiah meaning
Jah is gracious, Mishael meaning Who is like God and Azariah, meaning Jah has helped. But in
spite of man changing their names, they glorified the Name of their God even in captivity.
- Jabez was given this negative name meaning distress or pain by his mother but the Bible tells us
immediately in 1 Chronicles 4:9 that he was in fact more distinguished than his brothers, and he prayed to
God to remove the negative implications of that name from his life and God answered his prayers.
e) There were also negative names that stick because some choose not to apply faith to change the
negative implications of their names on their lives and/or eternal fate. For example is
- Nabal, which means fool and who behaved foolishly all his life and died as a drunkard. See 1 Samuel
25:14-36 for details.
- Son of perdition, which Jesus used to describe the person who would betray him, but in spite of
warning the disciple to reject that role, Judas Iscariot still went ahead to betray Jesus because of money,
and ended up committing suicide.

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e) What is your own name? Did your parents ever tell you why you were given the names or is it simple
to figure out? Why do you think you were given the name? Have you ever been given other names
because of your behaviour? Would you like to embrace any of those names now or pray any away like
Jabez did? Do you think Jesus has given you a new name? What is it?
Miriam, in the novella, had a special name for Jesus before she had a personal encounter with Him. It
was The Voice that does not complain". After she had a personal encounter with Him, she started
calling Him by His correct name. How about you? Do you call Jesus by His correct name? A Christian
chorus goes:
He did not come to judge the world, He did not come to blame.
He did not only come to seek, it was to save He came.
So when we call Him Saviour,
And when we call Him Saviour,
Yes, when we call Him Saviour,
Then we call Him by His name.
Indeed, one cannot call Him your Saviour except you believe He can forgive sins, heal and deliver as
contained in the story. Do you believe that? What proof do you have? Will what He calls Himself or says
about Himself strengthen your faith? How about what others say about Him?
2. RELATIONSHIPS: WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?
a) PARENTAL FIGURES: What do you think of Miriams relationship with her parents? Is it important to
have a good relationship with ones parents? ( Honour your father and mother that thy days may be long
.). What does honour mean? Give money? Worship? Total obedience? What are the limits of ones
obedience/relationship with parents? Who brought you up? What good things did they teach you? How
many of those things do you still practice? How do those practices strengthen your faith in God? What
negative influence would you say the practices had on you? How do you think that has that affected you?
- Compare and contrast with your relationship with God as your Father in heaven. How do you rate
yourself in honouring your parents and God so far? Would you like to correct this? Would you like to pray
for God to help you forgive and forget? (And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us)
(Joyce Meyers example); Repentance/Restitution (Luke 15; I shall go unto my father and shall say unto
him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.)
b) CHILDREN Do you have children? Boy or girl? Where are they now? Why are they not with you?
What are your responsibilities to you child/children according to Gods word? Will God be pleased with the
kind of parent have you been? Will your child/ren be pleased? Would you like to change this? How can
you change this? Prayer of faith and restitution.
- Have you ever abused a child sexually or otherwise? What do you think abortion is? Do you know od
see it? Do you know its implications? (It is better for anyone who abuses eventhe smallest of this not to be
born..) Do you believe God will forgive you if you ask Him sincerely? Do you want to?

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c) OTHER RELATIVES: Note Miriams plan in the book before and after she met Jesus. Why do you think
she made those plans? Have you made similar plans in the past? Would you do the same today? Why or
why not? Were you sexually abused by any close family member or fiedn when you were young, like
Miriam? How did you react? How do you feel today? Would you like to correct this? Forgiveness (Joyce
Meyer).
3. SIN: I TOOK IT, I DID NOT STEAL IT
Sin is a transgression of Gods law and it automatically deprives us of Gods glory originally intended for
man (Roman 3: 23??). But in spite of this, we often feel that if we can justify the sin, then it is alright.
Other times we make up excuses for doing it, or treat it casually or water it down by using words like
mistake. Because of this attitude we often do not feel true remorse for our sin in spite of its grave
consequences. And sometimes when we do, we either do not know what to do about it, or cannot be
bothered to do anything about it. In this part, we shall examine what exactly sin is, why God hates it and
why the consequences are so serious.
- Do you see any signs of sin in the story of Miriam? Mention them and who committed them?
a) PRIDE: What is pride? Gods view for the Bible first and worst sin Lucifer in the Bible Isaiah 14.
Adam and Eve in the garden Genesis 3. Do you see any manifestation of this sin in Miriams life? And in
the life of any other character in the book? Do you see it in your life? What to do?
B) IDOLATRY: What is an idol? Anything created by the only True God that is worshipped i.e. given more
importance than God, whether by tradition, fear, unholy passion, desire for gain, ignorance, etc. - e.g.
lifeless objects Isaiah ; 1 Corinthians 8; Do you see any signs of idolatry in the book and who committed
it? Human beings (including self - Miriam), religion (the Pharisees), money (the guards), hobbies, position
(the Religious leaders), family, film stars, sport stars, food, drugs, etc.; Why do you think they worshipped
these idols? What do you think was Miriams idol? Why do you think so? Do you have an idol yourself?
What do you plan to do about your own idol?
c) IMMORALITY: Mention all the cases of immorality you can see in the book (All members of Miriams
father and brothers, Lydias father, Lydia, Miriam herself). In your opinion, why did they go into immorality?
Is ignorance an excuse God accepts? Why can God not accept ignorance as an excuse? What is peculiar
about the sin of immorality? 1 Corinthian 6; 13, 18-19 - you hurt even your own body. What did God prefer
to do about the sin of immorality? What are the consequences of not seeing immorality the way God sees
it?
d)

How does God feel about sin? Hates them (????) Mention some of your sins past and/or present.

How do you feel about them? What do you plan to do about them? Why do you want to do that? What do
all the sins mentioned above have in common? Is any of the sins worse than the other? Is there any other
sin you would like us to discuss? Why?
4. CONSEQUENCES OF SIN: EXTEND A FINGER AND THEWHOEL BODY IS DRAWN IN
a) POSSESSION BY EVIL SPIRITS What part of the story referred to possession by evil spirits? What
was suggested as the cause? Do you believe evil spirits can possess a human being? Explain why or why

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not? Does Jesus believe it? What did Jesus do to deliver those possessed? What did the apostles do to
deliver the possessed? Have you ever met anyone possessed? Should you be afraid of the possessed?
Do you think you are possessed? Why? Do you believe you can you be delivered? How?
b) OTHER CONSEQUENCES OF SIN - The soul that sinneth, it shall die Hell (????)
5. TREATMENT FOR SIN: UNMERITED FAVOUR
What did God do about the sin He hates so much? This is what we shall found out in this section.
- For without the shedding of blood, there is no remissions of sin (???). Therefore only blood can cleanse
sin; The blood of animals cannot take away the sin of human beings (Hebrews???)
- Jesus is The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John ???); John 3: 16 (For God so
loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life)
- What does Jesus have to say to a sinner today? Sin no more (????). Your sins are forgiven you
(????)etc.
- Does the sinner have to do something to earn forgiveness for his/her sins? Ephesians 2:8-9; Does the
sinner have to d anything to receive forgiveness? Yes believe; pray
- What does forgiveness mean to you? Have you received Gods forgiveness through Jesus Christ? How
do you know? What does that mean to? How can we tell? Would like to tell us about it?
- What is expected of those who have enjoyed this gracious forgiveness? Can you notice any of this in
Miriam after she was forgiven? How many times must we forgive? Is there anyone you want to or should
forgive? How can we truly forgive? How does forgiveness benefit the forgiver? The person forgiven?
Testimonies?
6. THE GRACIOUS TWINS: LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
One of the greatest benefits of Salvation is the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ. This means
that even if one dies, one is assured of access to God for ever more. But over and beyond this is the fact
that one immediately becomes part of Gods family, beloved of Him, and entitled by faith to all He has to
offer! Knowing this automatically generates reciprocal love of God by the former sinner, which in turn
opens the door to many other unspeakable blessings. This love is very different from the common concept
of love. In Miriams Delight we see different types of what the common kind. Can you recognize any
expression of love in the book? How many are there? Explain why you think they are love? Describe what
you think love is. What examples of love can you see in Miriams life? What was their impact on her life?
How did Miriams concept of love change? What made it change? This is why it is important to explore
how wide, high and deep the love of God is for His children who come to Him through Christ.
a) LOVE OF GOD: Ephesians 3:??? Wide as the ocean High as the heavens above, deep as the deepest
sea John 3: 16 (For God so loved the world); Apple of Gods eye; Everlasting love (????) ; Shall
never leave or forsake; heirs with Christ.

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b) LOVE FOR GOD: How does God define love? 1 Corinthians 13 etc. What do you think the Bible means
when it says God is love? How do we recognize Gods love for us? John 3:16; How does God want us
to love Him? Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all
your soul and with all thy strength; He who does not love father or mother more than me cannot Why
do you think God wants us to love Him like that? To stay united with Him - John 17 so we can be safe. Do
you think this is possible? How can you love God? 1 John Obey Gods commandments.
c)

LOVE OF OTHERS and the second is like unto the first, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself

- Can you mention other types of love you know? What do you think God feels about these other types of
love? Is there anybody you love like this? How did you express your love to them in the past? Now that
you know how God loves, how would you like to express your love to them from now on? How can you
ensure you do so? Prayer of faith.
8. VANITY OF VANITIES: LOVE OF LIFELESS THINGS
Do you see the love of money in the book? What do think about loving money and material things; What
do you think God thinks about love of money and material things - Gift of God; to be used, not
worshipped; the love of money is the root of all evil - 1 Timothy 6: ; to be sought for through legal means
(i) to meet ones personal basic needs - Prov; (ii) to meet ones domestic responsibility one who does
not care for his family is worse than an infidel; to assist other believers- James ; to be invested for
heavenly purposes - promote Gods kingdom on earth; for the glory of God; Would you want to change
the way you think about, or use money now you know Gods view about it? How would you do this?
Prayer of faith.
9. MIRACLES
Did you note any miracle in the book? Who was blessed with a miracle? Why does the book say she was
blessed? Do you believe in miracles? Can miracles replace salvation? Say why or why not. Are miracles
and magic the same? How do you know the difference? Does this mean that you wont have problems,
difficulties, challenges once you give your life to Christ? NO!! NO PROBLEMS = NO MIRACLES. THE
LINK IS FAITH
10. FAITH INDISPENSABLE FOR BECOMING A FOOL FOR CHRIST
What is faith? Hebrews 11. Did Miriam have faith when she was going to church regularly? How do you
know? Did the religious leaders have faith? Did Miriam's mother have faith? Do you have faith? What do
you have faith in? What is the difference between the faith of Miriam before she met Jesus and after? Any
change in your faith? What is the proof?

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CHAPTER 1
Yes! This guys cute, rich, young enough, a go-getter, sleek, savvy, dappy,
sharp and smart. Not particularly popular but what does he care. Hes got it made.
After all, wasnt he in cahoots with those that matter? I mean when you have what
this guy has, youve got it made... Or so youd think or want everyone to think.
True, Zachy was not a tall man, but he worked out regularly in his home gym
so he was in pretty good shape. And with his wealth and position and the Chief Tax
Officer for the region, he had married one of the most beautiful ladies in the city. He
was envied by his peers although he had several other playmates at his beck and
call whenever he felt like it.
He had two wonderful sons and one adorable daughter using common
parlance, that is. He more than anyone else knew they were not quite that fantastic.
An addition to his growing worries was what they were. Yes, most people would
envy Zachy judging from the outside which he tried his damnest to keep up with.
But not if they knew the gravity of his situation and just how desperate he was
becoming, they would have a quick rethink
The fact was that Smart Zachs got problems nobody else but he knows
about starting with a serious guilty conscience piled on a mountain-high inferiority
complex, kneaded with a good dose of fear. The reasons were pretty obvious.
The source of his wealth for example, is a public secret a well-known secret
that has robbed him completely of anything called friendship, multiplied his
inferiority complex tenfold, and annihilated his peace, if he ever had any such thing.
But they didnt know the half of the secret of his wealth. Oh, no. that was the
mother of all secrets. And the day it stopped being that would be the end of him!
There was so much more to it than anyone could ever imagine.
Nevertheless, Zachy defiantly strutted down the cobbled street this beautiful
spring morning, pretending he had no care in the world, but - and here comes one
of the many big BUTs in Zachys life he did have many cares. How on earth did I
get here? he wondered silently, squinting at the morning sun.
He had a good suspicion about the genesis of the whole thing. Wasnt it the
day he decided to adopt everyone for himself as his lifes guiding principle? Or
was it the one of survival of the fittest that soon superseded that one?
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So far as Zachy was concerned then, this was a natural evolution. I needed to
do what had to be done to survive. But why did that word keep popping up so
often this days? it was ironic that that was about all he had to show for his pains
after so many years! In spite of his wealth and position, he was just barely
surviving.
Come to think of it, he wondered yet again to himself, is this even what one
call surviving? If this is surviving, then I think Id rather not survive anymore. How
he wished he had a chance to go back and start all over again. One would have
thought that all the money he had made since then would have made him happier
and surer of himself; would have compensated adequately for his abnormal physical
starue and soothed his guilty conscience. But Zachy knows better today.
The nightmare - the same one every night was agonizing. The fingers of
dead men, women and children, pointing at him and shouting Murderer!
Murderer! Over and over again. Every single night! It was unbearable.
But I have never killed anyone in my life, he reflected, so why this recurring dream?
And most importantly, why do I feel so guilty about it?
If they had shouted Traitor! Traitor! Zachy could have dealt with that.
Somewhere along the line he had come up with his own warped logic to counter
that now overused accusation of his compatriots. If he was a traitor, then so were
they, and doubly so. If these fingers had called him traitor, then he would not feel so
terrified and would simply have called them traitor right back!
Imagine a Jew, reporting a fellow Jew, their own brother, to a Roman! Some of
them tried that at first, forgetting that the Romans were actually the ones behind
his selection, and that someone had to do the job. If while he was about it, he
decided to butter his own bread a little, why should they feel so aggrieved about
that? Most of their religious leaders did just that, and all they did was smile and give
even more! So why not Zachy? Besides, he could bet his last drachma that most of
them would do exactly what he was doing if they had the opportunity he had.
Nothing as detestable as a sanctimonious hypocrite, was Zachys furious mumble.
Well, at least they now knew better than to complain to the same
government officials who gave him in the authority to do the job in the first place.
Moreover, Zachy always made sure those who got him the position got their share
of the loot and he kept them happy in other ways too! Many were the daughters
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of his people who were being kept in a style they were not accustomed to because
of him! And their families benefited indirectly too although they only seemed to
hate him even more for the favour!
In any case, everyone knew better than to report him to the officials
anymore. They always paid up nice and quiet most of the time now. Of course some
still pleaded and tried to cajole him to relent, but Zachy never yielded to all that. He
didnt give damn if, as he suspected, that made them have him even more. Zachys
annoyance was soon replaced by that feeling of unexpected remorse that crept up
on him unawares more and more often these days. This was probably because
Zachy really did give a damn.
There was time a very long time ago but maybe he had better not think
of those days now. They were in the past, and it was much too late in his life to
think about that. The bottom-line was that the wealth he had been able to amass
had transformed itself into an albatross around his neck. Its weight was pressing on
him much more than he could bear. He felt shorter than ever before in his life in
spite of the fact that fought it furiously by always applying his own peculiar logic in
an attempt to reduce the pressure. One of the strongest was linked to his pet hate
although you wouldnt know it when they got together to do business. Well as
they say, business is business. No point getting all emotional about it.
If their religious leaders who skin them alive can get away with it, so can I,
Zachy sniggered silently to himself. Let them hate me as much as they like. At least
he was not pretending to be holier than thou like those nasty Pharisees!
Why are these people so dumb? he wondered. I guess the Good Book did not refer
to them as sheep for nothing. Sheep, after all, were dumb. Zachy would have been
much more liberal with some of those he handled if they would only be a bit more
reasonable. But they were often so, so proud even in their poverty. They never
bothered to hide their disgust of him except of course when they were in truly dire
straits and then they would snivel and beg like the beggars that they were which
would make Zachy feel even irritated.
He sometimes day-dreamed about what could have been if he had not
chosen to flee to the city where he believed things were happening. A very short
while after arriving in the city, he had been forced to compromise every single ideal,
value, and ethical standard he ever knew or had ever been taught. Worse still, he
had also compromised many along his way to becoming the Chief of the League.
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And all he had to show for it today was this constant fear, this feeling of impending
doom, threats on his life, sleepless nights, nightmares, a nagging wife, and wayward
children. What a choice!
This thought made him reflect on what used to be. Had he not rebelled
against the oppression and stayed in the village to farm his family land, he probably
would have married his childhood sweetheart. Then he would have remained close
to his beloved God-fearing parents, and raised simple obedient children peacefully
in a close, loving, community. There, he would have had fresh organic food to eat,
fresh air to breathe, and joy, peace and laughter all around him especially during
community events
Hey, cool it! he spoke quickly to himself. Now he was beginning to
romanticize village life, when he knew very well that this was not necessarily so
pleasant, either. Was it not the oppression, poverty and hardship in his village that
had gotten him where he was today? Had the sick oppressors disappeared from the
village? The only valid reason for any nostalgia for village life was his devoted and
God-fearing mother. Otherwise, corruption in the village was just as bad as in the
city. The only difference was that they manifested in slightly different ways.

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CHAPTER 2
Zachy now recalled how bitter he had been back then and still is against
the greedy oppressors of the people who used either power and/position to compel
his people to bear an increasingly greater burden than they could bear, and thus fall
deeper and deeper into bondage.
The administrative authorities demanded too much from the poor
communities, supposedly to implement projects for the good of the people when
they were in fact diverting the funds for their own personal use. At least the ruling
power did not use the name of any god to rob the people. Rather, they declared a
law and used human agents to enforce its application, steering clear of religion.
Furthermore, to a large extent, they abided by the laws they made, and welcomed
and treated anyone that was ready to work with them very well. That was Pax
Romana for you!
On their part however, the religious authorities, appointed mostly contrary to
tradition by that cunning fox Herod, manipulated the people shamelessly in order to
control them and defraud them of their hard-earned but scarce income. Oh yes!
Zachy had almost always seen through them all. It was in fact because he first
noticed this trend at a very young age among the religious authorities of all places,
that his bitterness against them was so deep-seated and fierce.
Meanwhile in contrast to the hatred that his people had for the Romans and
even Jews they called liked to call collaborators, the religious leaders still had
such great and loyal followership from people they treated worse than their cattle!
Well, Zachy wasnt standing for that and he had taken action.
At that time, he had considered himself an activist, a radical, a rebel, and no
apologies to anyone. He had strongly believed that, with a few more Jews like him,
power would change hands in no time at all. He had started by trying Johnnys
approach. But all that sitting down to read the Book and memorizing it was moving
much too slow for him. There was the here and now, and there was the soon coming
Liberator. But after thousands of years, who knew if he was even ever coming. With
the persuasion of another group, he had soon imbibed and started applying the
principle of doing what you need to do to get where you want to get.

69

But, yes, another big but, the problem was that he was beginning to realize
more and more that in the process of making it and freeing himself from the
oppressors, he himself had become just like them!!!
Zachys mind now drifted to what he now considered to be the perfect analogy of
what had bad been his undoing sin.
Sin was like this terrible plague that springs up from time to time in some parts of
the world. All that you needed to get infected was to be physically close to a person
infected when it starts manifesting, and you would catch it! And there was no need
for any particular intimacy at that! Just simple close like caring for the person was
enough as even the sweat of the sick person was infectious. And the victim sure
produces many different kinds of fluid from the orifices of the body during the last
stages so the possibility of being infected only continued to grow as the disease
attacks all the tissues of the infected person.
It was so bad because the internal organs of the victim would start rotting
and melting, oozing out of all body orifices. Even the brain, it would seem, was not
spared as some kind of dementia could set in towards the end! But the worst part of
it all was that the corpse of the victim was even deadlier than the living victim and
ends up infecting even a greater number if care was not taken to quickly burn it
along with everything it had touched!
There was no known cure for it, and the only people who had a good chance
of escaping or surviving an infection were care-givers who had access to the special
clothing required for protection, infected persons who surrendered themselves to
the authorities and received appropriate care right from the early stages, and
people whose blood group naturally produced antibodies to fight the disease. But
even this group could infect others who have no such protection if they did not
adopt a high level of hygiene by burning up whatever they used or touched!
Yes that was how bad sin was, only to the soul and spirit of man. Zachy knew
about sin and knew he was a carrier. He knew how much harm it had done to him
and many others who had come in contact with him. The effect may not be
physically perceived immediately, but oh, the sin-carrier knew what was happening
alright, if he was lucky enough to have a mother like his. But even then, the worst
part of it was that just like this terrifying disease, sin also affected the brain. The
reasoning becomes warped in its desperation to escape the consequences of what
he is carrying
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There was the true story of a big man that was infected, and who, instead
of surrendering to the caregivers in his country, figured he could do better for
himself by evading the restrictions put on him by his own country and escaping to
another country where he believed he could get it. The man had been so desperate
to survive that he could not reason right. It did not occur to him that the energy he
spent travelling could further deplete his ability to resist the effects of the disease
and suck out his last resistance.
Worse still, on arrival, instead of quickly declaring his status and receiving the
assistance he had taken so much trouble to seek, he lied for days before the truth
became was discovered and by then it was too late for him. He is remembered
with a lot of hatred as the man who brought death into a country where he had
hoped to reap life!
The saddest part was that in not giving a damn about what could happen to
others in his desperation to live, not only did he sign his own death warrant, but he
also spread death around. That was exactly what sin did to the sinner. Any sinner
who sought life without surrendering to the prescribed protection was hurting
himself most of all, and other around him. Only, sin was a slower killer than this
terrible virus, and if what he had read in the Holy Book was correct, the
consequences of sin lasted beyond your lifetime... like forever!
Zachy shivered. He had been doing a lot of that of recent. Sin sure was a
terrible thing, and more and more, Zachy recognized himself in that man who only
cared about number one, only to end up signing his own death warrant! And going
by all he had been experiencing recently, the physical death was sure fast catching
up with him. That analogy was so perfect that Zachy could hardly bear to look
himself in the mirror these days. He had corrupted everything that came near him
just because he wanted to take care of numero uno. If only he could go back and
start all over again... But, did he really want to? This was the constant source of
confusion in his life.
He had felt he had the legitimate right to do what it takes to free himself from
all the oppression around him. However, after many waters had passed the bridge,
and with all the wealth he had amassed over the years, he still did not feel free. In
fact, he felt more trapped than ever before. Maybe Johnnys idea was better after
all. Maybe he should have stuck with Johnny. Johnny seemed to have one of the

71

protection needed to survive the virus attack. What exactly was it, Zachy
pondered. He needed that protection, and right there and then.

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CHAPTER 3
What did Johnny have that Zachy did not have? Johnny was a Jew, and so was
Zachy. Johnnys parents were one of the few sincere worshippers of the only True
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and so were Zachys parents. True Jewish blood of
the Chose people ran in Zachys veins just like Johnny. In fact they both grew up
reciting the Torah together in the same village. And they both loved justice and
righteousness
At this Zachy hesitated.
But I still love justice and righteousness, he thought to himself. I do! I do! I
do!, he insisted vehemently to himself. Then a voice asked him:
Really? Then why go tell your people you love so much about justice and
righteousness like Johnny does.
But I cant do that! Zachy exclaimed in shock at the mere suggestion.
And why not?, asked the voice.
Theyll laugh at me!
And why will they do that if they dont laugh at Johnny?, asked the voice
again.
Because they wont believe me!
And why wont they believe you?, taunted the voice again. Your pedigree is
as good as Johnnys, after all
Because.
Zachys thoughts drifted at this point. He knew very well why they would not
believe him. He himself had violated every law of justice and righteousness and had
force many of his people to do so. He might love justice, but he certainly wasnt
practicing it anymore like Johnny did;
Was that the catch then? Johnny wondered. It was not enough to love justice
and righteousness. You had to practice it too. But that was impossible! Who
practiced justice and righteousness today? Nobody! Then the troublesome voice
came with its arguments again.

73

Really? Did you not just say your parents and Johnnys were sincere
worshippers? They practice righteousness and taught you to do so as well!
But that was in the past generation! Life is much tougher now. You have to do
what you have to do to survive!
Yeah, like the infected man who signed his own death warrant in his
desperation to survive?
Johnny stood stock still. There it was again! Signing my own death warrant!
But what do I do? He screamed to himself. I want to live! I want to practice justice
and righteousness but I just cant! Its impossible today!
Johnnys of your generation, said the voice, and he practices justice and
righteousness. What does he tell the people who come to him to do?

Zachys mind went to Johnny. So they were different where it most mattered,
after all. So that was the secret behind Johnnys protection against the sin virus? He
practiced righteousness and justice. He practiced what he believed in without fear
of any man religious leader or political authority. He served and worshipped only
God and had absolute faith in Him to defend him and provide for him. But wasnt
there something special about Johnny? Perhaps that was why he could do that? Was
Johnny not like those who had been born with natural resistance to the sin-virus?
Zachy now recalled the story surrounding Johnnys birth. A miracle from God,
they said. The only son of very elderly parents. Actually any fool could see that
Johnnys birth could have been nothing but a miracle. Johnny was definitely not
adopted. That was clear. You could see his resemblance to both parents clearly.
Even the way he spoke. The old folks, Lizzie and Zachar were his biological parents
all right. And going by Lizzies age today, and the fact that Johnny was only in his
early thirties, yes, Johnny was a miracle baby. Something like Isaac had been for
Abraham and Sarah, and the kind that Israel had not seen for generations. Word has
it that an angel actually appeared to Zachar to announce Johnnys birth while he
was going about his business in the House of God.
Yes there had always been something special about Johnny although in
retrospect, Zachy realized that Johnny, as a youth, had been a simple everyday guy
like the rest of them, participating in their pranks. Many others would have
exploited that story about his birth to the fullest, whether true or false. Some have
74

even been known to set up shop to skin the people alive, turning themselves into
some sort of seer, soothsayer or anything that would work to their advantage. All
the frauds needed to do to make it big was to settle, as the local parlance puts it,
with the religious leaders. But not Johnny. Never Johnny. Perhaps it was in order to
resist that temptation that he had chosen to withdraw completely from society at
the point he and Zachy finally parted ways.
Today, Johnny was loved because he was not making money off the people.
Johnny was accepted because he was telling them the truth. And people were now
flocking to Johnny almost as much as they flocked to the synagogues. But Johnny
was still not asking them for anything but to repent.
Aha! That was the answer to the question the voice asked him. Repent was
always the theme of Johnnys preaching to anybody and everybody. Repentance
he wondered if that would do it.
Zachy had good reason to believe Johnnys teachings. There was something
that made him stand out not the least of which was the fact that what he
preached was very clear in the Good Book. His time swotting and delving and
digging had paid off after all. Zachy was not ignorant of the content of that book in
spite of what people may think. He had excelled after all, during his Bar Mitzpah. He
was a Jewish as the best of them, and even more so than that Herod. But he had
dropped off when he realized that his and Johnnys views about taking over power
were poles apart.
Another thing that made Zachy to now give a lot of credence to Johnnys
teachings was his consistent devotion to serving God since his youth and the fact
that he had successfully separated himself from the traditional leadership, thus
preserving his credibility with the people. No Pharisee was going to be able to put
one over Johnny, no sir! Zachy recalled that his knowledge of the Scriptures had
been monumental when they were youths, studying together.
Who would have thought that kind, simple, direct Johnny would have turned
out as he did? Fiery and bold and unkempt. Zachy almost burst out laughing at
this point as he recalled the sight of him at River Jordan a while back. He wondered
how people could even imagine for a moment that he could be the expected
Messiah! That one was supposed to come riding a white horse to do battle with the
oppressors of his people, and to free them once and for all. Johnny sure did not look
like a warrior king in his clothing of animal skin and rugged, famished looks. And in
75

all fairness to him, from what Zachy had heard, he kept insisting that he was not the
expected Messiah, but that the Messiah would soon be revealed.
Oh, Yes! Johnny had changed drastically and he loved the way he simplified
true and godly religion down in practical terms when he spoke to the people:
You brood of snakes! He had once said so very boldly. Who warned you to flee
Gods coming judgement? Prove by the way you live that you have really turned
from your sins, and turned to God.
And many had lapped it all up too, going by the numbers that went to him for
the ritual cleansing. Guess some of us dont fool ourselves about who we really are.
It occurred to Zachy that perhaps things would have been different if he had stuck
with Johnny and his calm integrity and sensible approach to things. Well, all that is
now in the past. It was too late now.
But of course the religious leaders did not like his preaching and he could just
imagine the reasons for the hostility. One, Johnny drew crowds. For the religious
leaders, this translated into loss of influence and control. Two, Johnnys teaching
drew a following, and for the religious leaders, this might spell unpredictability and
possible rebellion. Three, Johnnys teaching transformed lives positively, and for the
religious leaders, this suggested ineffectiveness of their teaching and loss of
credibility. N doubt they would have loved to do something about it, but they dared
not touch him. If they did, there would be an uproar among the people and what
they feared would come upon them. Furthermore, the Romans would accuse them
of not being able to control their people by the powers that be.
The great contrast in their situations today suddenly dawned on Zach. The
common people now loved Johnny about as much as they hated him Zachy. As for
the religious leaders, they remained constant in hating them both even if they
dared not touch either of them, Johnny, because they feared the common people,
and Zachy, because they feared the Romans authorities! Obviously, hate was one
thing these religious leaders knew about!
However, Zachy had to admit, while Johnny was free, bold and fierce, he,
Zachy, was scared unhappy and constrained. And it was ironic that while Zachy
admired Johnny exceedingly without his knowledge, Johnny rebuked the likes of
Zachy without knowing he was now one of them! Johnnys counsel to tax collectors
was pretty damning.
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Show your honesty. Make sure you collect no more taxes than the Roman
government requires you to, he had declared to the tax collectors who went for the
baptism, and asked him how to live a life of true repentance. As if they needed to be
told what was right. As if they didnt know.
Zachy had had to hide himself that day for fear that Johnny might recognize
him and rebuke him publicly for compromising on the radical stance for justice he
had once taken when they were youths. Zachy did not need to go to Johnny to know
what the right thing to do was. Johnny would never understand why he had chosen
not to do the right thing, and could not afford to do the right thing now. Obviously,
in spite of his gaunt, craggy looks, his terrible clothes and tough lifestyle, which
were all clear proof of his limited means, Johnny was as free as a bird unlike
Zachy
Lucky Johnny, thought Zachy. Since he admired Johnny so much, would Zachy
change places with Johnny if he had the chance? He was not so sureHowever, he
was at least sure of one thing: the decision he had taken some years back had not
been the right one. He could have been as free as Johnny today if he had gone with
him to his place of retreat.

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CHAPTER 4
As for the religious establishment, Zachy had had it with them. The priests
were feeding fat on the hard labour of ordinary folks like his parents, breaking every
one of the laws they themselves established, and making excuses for doing so by
using complicated, contorted and distorted theological arguments. They were
manipulative and controlling in their effort to keep the people in line and contain
any rebellion among them. But they also were not free, as they had to kowtow to
the Herods and Roman officials to keep their position. Meanwhile, they showed no
mercy at all to the people they liked to call their flock when it came to applying the
so-called disciplinary measures, fines, and sanctions instituted by their religion
Zachys father was a shepherd and he grew up in a farm, so he knew no
shepherd would treat his flock the way these men treated the human beings they
liked to call their flock. Shepherds, for example, knew the names and
characteristics of each lamb in their flock. They knew which one was likely to fall
into a ditch, which one was likely to lag behind and why, which one seemed more
tired than usual, which one was pregnant and needed extra care, and so on and so
forth. Always alert, they stepped in promptly to avert any mishap or disaster,
chiding, encouraging, smacking back into line, soothing and generally caring for
their flock according to the need of each one. ,
Those pompous cheats, unlike a true shepherd, did not even recognize the
face of most of their disciples. They are so busy looking for new adherents to
expand the treasury they rob, to have time to attend to the need of their vast flock.
Zachy wondered why the people found it so easy to rebel against the righteous
leaders, while they tolerated the wicked ones. The history of the Jews proved this
over and over again.
Of course as a Jew, and nobody could change that, Zachy made sure he
continued to pay his tithes regularly, just to curry their favour, and it worked like a
dream. And he still attended Sabbath services regularly a habit he preferred to
keep to take the hounds off his tracks. But his Jewishness stopped right there. All
that fasting and daily prayer times and seven-day cleansing rituals puliiiz!!!
Zachy had never been able to understand how the people could tolerate
those kind of leaders. Why even a dog would run away from a wicked owner!
Something was definitely wrong with the human nature. It would seem most human
78

beings were intrinsically masochists, liking what hurt them most. Maybe they got
what they deserved after all, and who gives a damn
But Zachy gave a damn. Zachy cared about his people much more than he
himself would admit. But him they now hated, and there was no going back for him
now. What a mess!
Zacky had cared when the son of that widow from whom he had collected an
extra six drachmas died from his sickness. He had cared when the mother bluntly
refused any help from him. He had cared when those traders, including the men,
had stared at him with tears in their eyes, not daring to say a word in protest when
he told them the new amount he would be collecting from them.
He cared that the only friends he now had were either heartless opportunists
like him, who call themselves tax collectors, or insincere sycophants like he had
been before he got where he was today. The leeches would eat off his table and
laughed at his every joke, only to insult and plot against him behind his back. They,
it was, who leaked many of his secrets to his enemies, he knew. And identifying the
culprit was always an impossible task because they were so good at the game. But
rather than have no friends at all, Zachy preferred to keep the fake hangers-on,
hoping that one day he would be able to filter them through to determine which
ones really loved him, and which ones to get rid of.
But then again, one had to be fair, thought Zachy, whose fundamental love
for truth was still deeply ingrained in him. He had to admit to himself that before he
joined the League of Publicans as a young man and became wealthy, he had done
exactly the same thing they were now doing He too had fed fat on the fares
provided by his benefactor, who happened to be his wifes stupid uncle, and had
laughed at his every silly joke. He had followed him about like his shadow, bowing
and scraping, just waiting to learn the secret. He did learn it eventually, even to the
extent of becoming the Chief in his region to his own undoing.
When you look at it again, perhaps those accusing fingers were right in
calling him a murderer after all! The extra amount he extorted from his people was
probably needed to care for their loved ones in one way or the other, just like in the
widows case. Why hadnt he ever seen it that way before? How many of the people
he over-taxed did he know like he knew the widow? Perhaps many more of them
had lost relatives like the widow because they did not have enough money to care
for them and nurse them back to health. Those fingers might have a point after all.
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But there was no going back now for him. He had gone much too far. Zachy
couldnt afford to show mercy; that was clear enough. Penetrating the tight circle of
publicans was no joke. He still trembled today whenever he thought about the
initiation process as well as the oath of allegiance he had had to take. He would bet
his last drachma that it was no different from the one that the religious leaders he
so much hated swore to in secret. And yet, the mean old rascals would not even
allow him marry any of their daughters, simply because he was a publican As if he
would not take better care of her than they did of their insipid, terrorized, oppressed
wives. Johnny was spot-on alright! Generation of vipers is exactly what they are!
So, cleansing rituals were no longer part of Zachys life as if all those
ostentatious long-drawn out prayer recitations and rituals made them any cleaner.
As for the special clothing, the self-promoting publicity strategies and enormous
phylacteries of those Pharisees, may they get so heavy on them someday soon, that
they stumble and tumble face-down rolling in the hot sand into their graves. As
vicious as this thought was, it only made Zachy giggle to himself. Yes! Zachy hated
them that much. Generation of vipers!!
Looks like their nemesis had finally caught up with them, reflected Zachy.
First, there was Johnny denouncing them boldly and publicly, and now another
preacher of righteousness who was said to be even more powerful than Johnny, had
ticked them off, well and proper without mincing words and in public too! He
grinned at the thought of their faces when the now famous seven woes had been
declared on them in no uncertain terms.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees,
Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in peoples faces. You
wont go in yourselves, and you dont let others enter either.
They certainly had it coming if the Torahs delivery of the words of the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are true. Furthermore, hypocrite was a perfect
description of their behaviour.
They knew how to put up an act better than the professional actors although
they were fast to condemn and denigrate the profession at every opportunity. It was
more fun watching them perform than going to the theatre to watch the
professionals. Zachy would applaud them heartily if they didnt annoy him so much.
May their sorrow come quickly! Then a thought occurred to Zachy, and he trembled.

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81

CHAPTER 5
Thank God the new preacher of righteousness had not said the same of tax
collectors. He even dined with them from time to time, and taught them from the
scriptures with great authority. Some publicans had even been drastically
transformed inot his most devoted followers as a result. And this was the most
amazing thing. Zachy would love to meet this teacher.
When he had taken the oath of the publican, Zachy had been warned about
the consequences of divulging the secret, and the obligatory nature of collecting
more than was authorized to remain in favour. He knew of the consequences of
disregarding this warning on the lives of some who had made the mistake of taking
it lightly. Why, some had even been known to have paid for their negligence with
their lives.
That was what so amazing about the transformation of some of his
colleagues in the league. Of course they had lost a lot of money in doing so, but
they didnt seem to care. Why, even one of them was said to be in the inner circle of
this new teacher. Now he reflected on the change in his former colleague. That was
a more drastic change than even Johnnys. Imagine Levi, now a member of the inner
circle of the Preacher of Righteousness!! Zachy used to know him pretty well. A
mean son of the devil in those days
Talking of which, Zachy could remember the ferocious fight among the tax
collectors for the accounts that Levi had left behind when he quit to join this
Jehoshua full time. Zachy had lost out on that one in spite of all his cunning
maneuvers to corner the loot. His escape without consequences and the powerful
change in him was something Zachy could still not get over. From the worst sinvirus carrier to the well protected healer! Those who now following this new
Teacher had defied the League terms and conditions, and gotten away with it!
Maybe this new preacher would be a better bet than even Johnny, thought Zachy. It
suggested that there was hope for sin-virus bearers as opposed to being born with
the natural resistance like Johnny.
And how the Pharisees had hated that transformation! As the song says,
really contrary people, those guys. Imagine! They had hated Levi the tax collector
when he was a mean son of Lucifer, and they seem to hate him much more now he
had changed into a loving, righteous, God-fearing man! In fact, word had it, they
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hated the person who influenced his life so positively most of all. That was just like
them. You just can never satisfy them. Finding fault was their forte. And how they
enjoyed adding one more unattainable rule at every opportunity only waiting to
gloat and sermonize when you couldnt meet up, while pretending to have scaled
the ladder themselves, although it was common knowledge that they never even
bother to give it a try. Mean and arrogant in the inside, although impeccable on the
outside...
Zachy thought back to the history of his people. The origin of these Pharisees
was truly impeccable. They were the ones who had stood up to the Greek empires
attempt to do away with the Jews true worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. Such a shame that somewhere along the line, after gaining recognition by the
people and attaining important positions in the religious community, they had
gradually forgotten about the need to apply their knowledge of true worship to
themselves, because they were too busy looking over other peoples shoulders to
ensure they were applying it. How dangerous it was to forget that the word was first
and foremost for you before any other person! Now the preacher has made it very
clear that only woe is what awaits such a person!
As all this went through Zachys mind, something suddenly struck him. If this
Jehoshua had declared woe to the Pharisees, then would the woe not also be
applicable to him and his likes as well? Had he too not become like the Pharisees?
Did he not also proffer arguments he knew were lies to justify the extra tax he
imposed on the poor folks. So even if this new preacher had not called woe upon
him, Zachy knew he deserved it too.
Fearing the directions of his thoughts, Zachy disciplined himself to reflect
rather on the propaganda used by tax collectors: To some extent the Pax Romana
was working fine. At least they allowed his people to keep to their traditions and
religions, unlike the Greeks. And they did maintain a certain level of governance and
justice, didnt they? And money was required to keep law and order, among other
things. Were they not the conquerors for now? And they made no apologies to
anyone for winning fair and square. So far as he was concerned, collaborating with
the Romans had some merit, no matter what anybody said.
I bet some of these folks who hate me so much sometimes wished they could be in
my place. Zachys candid nature however quickly qualified this thought - he was
sure many would have a rethink if they knew the price he had to pay to get where
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he was. Pagan sacrifices of all kinds that cannot be mentioned in public, and which
he still had to continue servicing.
But does all that justify overtaxing the people just to line my pocket? And the fact
that it flows out as fast as it comes in just keep up appearances and meet up with
the rituals does not help either? So after all my criticism, radicalism, rebellion and
rejection of my religious traditions, I end up having no choice but to do exactly what
the Pharisees I criticize so much do, only worse still, in a pagan setting!
How ironic! And what a vicious cycle. I detested them and withdrew from their
authority, only to get caught up with another group which has now turned me right
back into one of them! From frying pan into fire, as they say. And I have to keep
doing what they do to remain part of the new group which I fear! Going back would
spell misery and death for me. How did those ones who are now followers of the
new Teacher escape the horrific consequences of withdrawing from the League?
Zachy knew the terrible things that happened to two or three who had attempted to
withdraw from the League in the past. But these ones had escaped!
He wondered again what the Preacher was teaching those who had met him
from the scriptures that made them change so drastically. He imagined how
wonderful it would be like to sit at table with this Jehoshua someday. Perhaps if a
little more money exchanged hands, something can be arranged...
Zachys thoughts kept going back to the enigma represented by the new
Preacher. How come he did not declare woe on the publicans as well when they all
knew very well they deserved it? Come to think of it, mused Zachy, maybe we are a
bit better than these Pharisees? After all, we do not pretend to care for the flock,
although I really do. We do not aspire to lead them and have them recognize or
appreciate us in any way. We simply squeeze money off them and leave them too
free to do their thing. Could this be why this Galilean teacher has treated us with
calves gloves?
Or perhaps he is only ok with the ones he has dined with and if he met me in
particular, he would say woe unto me as well, given the opportunity. In any case
heres another thing I am sure about: this Jehoshua of Nazareth, if he is as honest
and fair and bold as they say, will not be saying blessed is Zacky to me. So the big
question is, would he be saying woe is Zacky?

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Oh, God!!! he sighed, I wonder if he has anything to say about anyone in

between these two extremes? Turning back the hands of time might just do it for me
if that was possible, thought Zacky but then again do I really want to go back to
that? So far, three options down. He would not like to go Johnnys way. He was not
sure he would like to start all over again if he had the chance, and he did not want
to continue down the road as he was treading. What to do?, he wondered.

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CHAPTER 6
At one time, soon after he left the village, Zachy had very briefly entertained
the thought of teaming up with Johnny although he had quickly jettisoned that idea.
What was good for the goose may be good for the gander, but what was good for
Johnny was definitely not good for Zachy. Imagine locust and honey as a daily meal!
Manna was one thing, but insects like locust, or honey from bees as a permanent
diet were simply not for Zacky. Even if people claim it these healthy food, Zachy
didnt think they meant it for a daily diet. In any case, he was not about to prove
them right, so he had quickly gone his own way to do his own thing.
And then there were Johnnys clothes animal hide!!! No way! Johnny was
one crazy guy, never mind if he was a miracle baby on not. Zachy was not for all
that.there must be at least a minimum of comfort to be able to achieve ones aim in
life.
Zachy thought of the poverty in the village and wondered once again how his
mum was coping. Now had finally made a lot of money, his only surviving parent
neednt suffer any more hardship... but his mum was still suffering, even as she
kept on singing that same old song about repentance. How far has a lifetime of
repentance taken them?
He had known for a very long time that he did not want to go their way, and
planned assiduously to depart from that way, and succeeded too. But how about
now that he had seen the other side of the mountain, as the childrens nursery
rhyme suggests, and discovered first-hand how empty and deceptive it was?
What made it worse was the fact that his parents never accepted any
financial help from him. He still couldnt understand that, try as he would. After all
Hanny had done exactly the same thing and his parents had loved him for it. They
had accepted every gift he had showered on them, the big house he built for them
in the village, and they had become very important people in the village... While his
parents had refused everything he had offered them, preferring to remain poor.
Meanwhile, it has given the whole village yet another reason to hate him
even more. They were now cursing him for neglecting his parents, unaware that
they were the ones that had refused his help. So today, contrary to the blessings
pronounced on the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy in the Pentateuch,
Blessed will you be in the city and blessed in the field, Zachy was hated in the city
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and hated in the village; hated by strangers and hated by his people. He could feel
the weight of this hatred pressing down on him all day long and all night long.
Till today, his parents still enjoyed the respect and love of the people in spite
of their material poverty - even more than Hannys parents who were now
considered accomplices in crime with their son, although strategically respected.
But what did he have to show apart from his money which was not even really his?
Even his Gentile wife neither loved nor respected him, and why should this be a
surprise to him, after all, she had been nothing but a negotiation package towards
his making the League. His money hadnt taken him very far, had it?
As much as he would have loved to pray for himself as well, Zachy was
convinced this was yet another of the many options that would not work for him. He
knew without any iota of doubt that God would not listen to him, talk much less of
answering his prayer. Not after he had gone so far away from him as to embrace
what he knew He hated or would He? His mother had always claimed He would,
but He thanked God every day that his kind, loving, gentle mum was still praying
for him. Strange how much comfort he derived from that fact. That his mother still
loved him and prayed for him constantly was one of the rare things he could be sure
of in his miserable life ... even if she continued to reject any part in his ill-gotten
wealth.
Imagine! Zachy pondered anew. Unheard of! A beloved mother refusing to
accept her loving sons freely offered gift. It simply broke Zachys heart. As he
reflected on this, his emotions rapidly swung between rage and sorrow, confusion
and respect for his mothers stance. He would have loved to visit her more often to
share his dreams and fears, but the hatred he could feel exuding from the people in
the community whenever he forayed into their midst was simply too much for him
to handle. Nothing would pacify them. Not his many gifts and bright smiles. Nothing.
So he kept away from his only source of comfort and hope.
The village setting simply suffocated him whereas the city had many
distractions to take ones mind off ones woes. There! He had said it himself,
although unconsciously. He needed no Jehoshua to tell him he had woes in front,
behind and all around him. He knew it himself. It was terrifying to think that, going
by what Jehoshua said, more was still coming!
Zachy recalled all the arguments he had used in his attempt to persuade his
mother to accept his gifts and some financial help. He had argued that the extras he
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collected was his right: that if he did not do so he would not be able to make ends
meet; that he worked very hard at it: that business was business and should be
separated from religion. And her reply was always a quotation of the book of
proverbs in the scriptures:
It is better to have little fear of the Lord, that to have great treasure with
turmoil, she would say.
At other times, her words would go something like the Lord hates cheating,
but he delights in honesty or The Lord demands fairness in every business deal.
His own arguments against this often bordered on why his mother, if that be
the case, would continue to submit herself to the leadership of those greedy men
whom she herself knew were corrupt and wicked and yet refuse his own. And her
reply was wise not to say the least.
Zachy, they must give account before the Lord for all they have done with the
responsibilities He has given them. I pray that they may have a good report on
Judgement Day, for their position is even more delicate than mine or yours. Be not
many teachers, the good Book says. Why do you think it says so? Because those
who teach Gods Words will be judged with a higher yardstick.
But you, as my son, are however my immediate responsibility, not them. On
Judgement Day, I must give account for you before the Lord who gave you to me to
raise on His behalf. If I fail to teach you the Truth or correct you, then I would be
guilty before Him. In the same way that I would be if I fail to intercede on your
behalf while I am still alive.
She would thereafter point out that religion was one thing and faith was
another. Religion might be under the control of man, but her faith in God is what
sustains her because she knows personally that He is the Ever Faithful, the Ever
Merciful, the Holy and True. Then she would ask Zachy if food was ever lacking on
the table when he was a child, though they had little, the answer to which was a
resounding No. The next question would be to enquire if in spite of their poverty,
he did not enjoy peace, joy and perfect health from childhood till when he left the
village. And the only answer he had to that question was Yes.
The conclusion would then come That is because I serve the Yes and Amen and I
will continue to trust and serve Him. After which she would burst into her favourite
song:
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Repent, Zachy, please repent, and the Lord will give you peace, and heal you in
your spirit, soul and body an dyou will have peace. As your mother and a servant of
the Most High God, I am convinced that your ulcer and chronic headaches and
nightmares are linked to your lack of the peace that passes all understanding. Think
back Zachy. When did all this start? Although you had a small stature, you had
always enjoyed excellent health until when you got involved in this sinful lifestyle. I
brought you up to excel Zachy, but not this way. This is not the right way. Please
repent and come back to the Lord.
As if it was that easy. She only said that because she didnt know the half of
it she knew nothing about the League and the things he had done to get to the
Chiefs position Things she could not imagine in her wildest nightmare! She did
not know how far he had gone from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If she did,
she probably would not love him anymore.
This was why he kept a distance from his mother who was a very
perspicacious woman. Come to think of it, he would be surprised if the village
gossips had not yet given her a hint about his current position if they knew the half
of it, that is. Zachy could not bear the thought of his mother knowing all those
details about him. His simple, gentle, soft-spoken and loving mother He wished he
had listened more to her before embarking on his perilous adventure.
Zachy had always known his mother was smart and often right about many
things. Her arguments were always as sound as her counsel although he would
never admit it to her face. He was a man, and no Jewish man would ever admit that
a woman, and an elderly one at that, had things in a better perspective than
himself. Imagine! She had always known something he had failed to recognize.
Some of her other exhortations now came to mind a lot these days:
There is a path before each person that seems right, she would say, but it
ends in death. How right she had been. He wished he could do what she had been
counselling him to do for ages - repent.
It suddenly struck Zachy that his mother had been saying to him for years,
what Johnny was now teaching the people, and what the voice had drawn his
attention to! Johnny too has been harping on the same thing since he emerged
from his isolated retreat hideout, transformed into a fiery teacher of Gods Word.

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I wonder if that is where my mum got this foolish idea? But not likely, since she
didnt move around much these days. As unkind as it may sound, this was another
thing Zachy was thankful for. If she could still move around as before, Zachy was
sure she would have visited him regularly in the city to see how he and his family
were doing. And in so doing, she would have been able to discover the depth of his
depravity first-hand. He couldnt bear that!
Once again, Zachys thought drifted to the issue of repentance. Lucky folks
who could repent.

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CHAPTER 7
There was a rumour flying around that Herod had issues with Johnny because
he had told him right to his face, and in public, that he had no right to take his
brothers wife, and that he was out to get him for that. Word has it that Herod was
not the first big man Johnny had cut down to size with the word of God. Everyone
knew that preachers like that had not been seen in Israel for a very long time now.
Johnny was no doubt in the caliber of the old time prophets whom God defended
vigorously when they were mistreated. Herod had better be careful the way he
handled Johnny or he might risk bringing down the wrath of God upon himself.
He had gotten so big for his boots lately. He seemed to have quickly forgotten
that the only reason he got to that position was because he had joined the Roman
cult. Although even Zachy had to admit that his strategy to curry the favour of the
Jews was masterly indeed. Completing the work on the Temple at great cost - and
no skin off his back either, since he taxed the Jews heavily to raise the funds to do
so would please most of his sworn enemies.
Zachy, alias Smart Zac knew a lot of top secrets. Thank God that this Herod
was not as violent as his father. The lust for power had no limits, it would seem. But
how foolish can men be? , wondered Zachy. The once so-called great Herod was
now dead and gone. He, who had wiped out all two year old children and below in
Bethlehem some three decades earlier, simply because he feared that the Anointed
King who would bring an end to his own dynasty had been born. All that power and
oppression could not save him from the fate of all men. Some sycophants still tried
to persuade people it was just a malicious rumour being spread by the opposition,
but Zachy knew it was true.
Yes, Zachy knew a lot of things and even though his people hated him, at
least he was popular among members of his League, and he knew why. He was
better at ferreting useful information from high places, about high places, to use
against highly placed persons if necessary. That was how he got to be Chief Publican
and he needed to continue to do so not only to protect himself, but also to be able
to control some strategic officials of the realm although a little financial
settlement also sometimes came in handy. What fun they had had laughing over
the different strategies he had come up with to get some of those eminent
personalities to pipe down, when they wanted to impose some new rules on
Publicans, he smiled to himself now.
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The smile on Zachys face quickly faded as he reflected on this. He wondered,

and not for the first time, if he was really popular, even among his peers He
suspected that even his so-called friends were in fact very jealous of him. Was that
not why Nicky spread that rumour about him a few months back? And if he had not
narrowly escaped the ambush laid by Jerub the other day, where would he be
today?
Zachys mind went again to his mother. He was convinced her prayers had
something to do with all the unbelievably narrow escapes he had enjoyed so far. But
they were getting much too frequent and much too close each day that passes by. If
their traps didnt get him someday soon, reflected Zachy, then the ulcer or chronic
headache would. The drugs were not helping anymore without the alcohol, and the
alcohol worsened his ulcer! Story of my life! One step forward, two steps backwards.
Zachy reflected again about the radical things people were saying about the
new Preacher. He seemed to have heard somewhere that some claimed he was the
Anointed King. Wishful thinking obviously, since every Jew, man, woman, boy, girl,
was looking forward to the promised Deliverer. And another big joke, as the idea of
the Love preacher leading a revolt against the greatest and fiercest army the world
had ever known was even more ridiculous than that of Johnny doing so! He
wondered where this rumour originated from since all the Preacher taught about
was forgiveness and humility and mercy, and the love of God for man and the need
for man to love God.
Zachy could certainly do with some loving in his life, although he was
convinced that this preacher could not know much about real life. Probably floating
in cloud nine like Johnny.
There was a smirk on Johnnys face as he imagined what would happen if he
should get up today and offer his sick neighbour a soup or porridge. His neighbour
would either throw it right back at his face, or faint and die from shock. Then they
would say he was the cause of the death. Culpable homicide because he wanted the
mans property hich wouldnt be too far form the truth as Zachy had made the
man an offer to purchase his property, although the man had rejected it. But it
would be even much worse if they ever discovered that Zachy had been sleeping
with the mans teenage daughter for a while now.
Stupid girl, he reflected. Greedy as hell. There would be hell to pay if his wife ever
found out about the affair. Well maybe not so bad. He would just bold-face it by
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accusing her of sleeping with one of his friends. Stalemate. Anyway, so much for
loving your neighbour in this jungle where fear prevailed, cheating was the order of
the day, and survival of the fittest held sway.
They said this new prophet, Jehoshua, was much more approachable and
authoritative than even those spiritual snobs called Pharisees. Something about him
fascinated Zachy. He was different; his teachings were different. How Zachy would
have loved to invite him someday for dinner as he heard some others of his
colleagues had done. If he really said the things they said he said, then it would be
a lot of fun to hear him speak directly. He gave hope and represented change, and
Zachy needed both desperately.
Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble at heart, and
you will find rest for your souls
Creative and compelling! Fancy, a prophet that spoke like a poet although
word has it that he was in the carpentry trade before he went into full time
preaching. And he must have done well in the trade too because no one was paying
him anything, or making any financial contributions to his Ministry to enable him do
what he has been called to do. In contrast to many other itinerant preachers
around, he seemed to be taking care of many of his followers. Moreover, going by
what Zachy had heard, it was obvious the guy was not only very knowledgeable but
also very smart.
When taken up on the issue of taxes, for example, his reply had been
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.
Everyone had been amazed, not least the religious leaders who had been, trying to
trap him with the question. Had he said, pay your taxes they would have been
accused of being a collaborator and friend of tax collectors. Then the followers
would have been discouraged an perhaps stopped listening to his teachings. And if
he had said Dont pay taxes, then they would have accused him of being a rebel,
and demanded he be arrested!
They really thought they had him in a tight corner with that one, but he had
slipped right through their fingers! and not for the first time going by the different
accounts that had reached Zachy. Furthermore, he had used the forum not only to
teach, but also to rebuke the corrupt religious leaders. By first asking whose image
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was stamped on the coin, he was actually reminding tall the listeners that man was
created in Gods image, and God should therefore be the only object of their
worship. At the same time, he was rebuking the corrupt leaders for worshiping
money, and indirectly, Caesar. He could use any topic like an expert to speak about
God. His teachings were often presented in such a down to earth manner, using
simple day-to-day illustrations.
Zachy suddenly recalled some of the more frightening teaching and activities
of the man. For example, all those things he had heard he said about the Day of
Judgement and hell being the final destiny of sinners. There was also the casting out
of demons from people, rebuking the devil Two extremes. Love one minute, hell,
demons and judgement in the other. However, frightening or not, Zachy noted that
many people still followed him to hear more. The examples or illustrations he he
had heard he used to buttress his teachings were always very graphic. Zachy
shivered.

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CHAPTER 8
If I were to die today, where would I go?, Zachy wondered, once again, as he had
done ever so often in recent times.
Zachy knew he would not be going into the Kingdom of God. Again, he
needed no one to tell him he had done terrible, terrible things in his life. No God of
his mother or father would want him nearby, talk much less of the God of the
patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or that of the many dedicated and bold
prophets he had learnt about since his childhood. If Paradise existed as described in
the Book of the Law, Zachy had no doubt he would not be entering there. So where
would he go after death? Since it was either heaven or hell, it looked like Zachy was
going the way of those pompous priests and Pharisees he so much hated.
What a fate! He groaned. The concept of hell couldnt be worse than that! Zachy
didnt want to go there. He did not want to have to rub shoulders with those
hypocrites. But could that place be worse than what he was going through now?
Sickness, fear, confusion, sorrow.
Hell comes in different shapes, forms and sizes, Zachy concluded. But then
perhaps the ultimate hell wouldnt be so bad after all. They say the fire there is a
thousand times worse than the furnace Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego into. That fire killed even the men who threw the three boys into the
fire. Surely a fire of that intensity would destroy everything in sight in a matter of
seconds! Zachy pondered this seriously for a minute or two. No god was going to
spring him the way the God of Jacob sprung those three. Horrific fate! He shivered
again then tried to weave a joke into the thought as he always did when he was
scared about something.
Hey, look at the bright side! He forced himself to laugh. If that was the case, then It
means I wont have to rub shoulders for too long with those hypocrites whom I am
sure would also be there with me. The fire would go woosh, and that would be the
end of it.
Maybe he should consider ending it all. At least then he would have some
peaceAs he reflected on this option, a voice recited a verse into Zachys heart:

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And those who worship me will go out; they will see the dead bodies of all those
who rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the
fire that burns them will never go out.
Zacky started, stumbled and almost lost his balance. There it was again!
Why did that voice keep haunting him wherever he went? Was he now beginning to
hallucinate? As if the nightmares were not enough, he was now hearing the voice
repeating those terrible things in his waking moments! Was there no place to hide?
To get some peace? O, for some peace! screamed Zachy silently
Zachy found himself mulling over the words all over again. What did they
mean? Why on earth would the worms not die in that terrible fire? And burning
forever?!!! Unimaginable horror! Everybody knew that Gehenna, the refuse dump of
the city, eventually burnt up the maggots and any other thing that came close into
ashes eventually. So this forever thing simply makes no sense Everybody knew
that fire would automatically kill maggots. But a fire that keeps burning? And worms
that keep devouring for ever and ever?! After a few minutes of deep reflection,
Zachy tried to trivialize the thought.
This must be the ultimate rocket science, he joked to himself, and I sure am no
scientist. Money, I know about. Counting, no problem. Weaning it of people, Im
good at. But science, especially the rocket type, simply freezes me to death!
The last word brought him back to reality with shock. For once, Zachys joke did not
achieve its purpose. This one, he had to think through. No avoiding it.
After a few more minutes, Zachy recognized that he now had to contend with a
bigger question mark than any other he had had to face before... Perhaps even the
biggest so far. Maybe the idea of suicide was not such a good one after all. Not
being sure of what happens after death makes it a dangerous option to embrace.
Oh God! Zachys silent scream forced itself out of his mouth. This is terrible! I
cannot go forward; I cannot go backwards; I cannot even end it all. What shall I do?
God, if you truly exist and if you are as merciful and kind as my mother says, please
help me. I am completely at a loss about what to do with my life. I am confused,
frustrated and depressed. In fact everything that is bad has fallen on me!
Right at that moment, Zacky saw his best friends streaming into the Temple.
That probably meant it was time for the afternoon prayer. He stood for a while
watching them, wondering why his attention had been caught so suddenly and so
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effectively by the sight. Then, he suddenly felt a strong compulsion to enter and
take time pray to this God of his mother. He hesitated for a moment or two. He had
just creamed out his recurrent silent wail of distress, and it was a striking
coincidence that it happened to be prayer time., and here he was right beside a
prayer place. He could not help feeling this was a sign a personal call to prayer?!
The thought embarrassed him somewhat. He, smart Zachy, called to prayer
No, drawn to prayer, compelled to prayer but by whom? Was he expected to be
able to pry in the midst of people who despised him and did not attempt to hide it?
At a place he had disdained for so long? At the busiest hour of his working day?
He could just imagine their reactions if he should walk inside the assembly
hall. And what if any of his colleagues should see him walking in? He would never be
able to live it down - a perfect pun to describe what would happen to him should the
men and their religious leaders might trample over him literally and squeeze his
miserable life out of him in their attempt to rush out of the prayer place at the sight
of a terrible sinner like him entering the same place! Then he wouldnt have to face
his colleagues, would he?
He stood there for a while struggling between the weight of his fears, and the
powerful compulsion to enter and pray. People passed by him, pushing against him
and staring at him strangely. He did not notice any of it. The urge was too strong for
him to resist.

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CHAPTER 9
Suddenly a defiant thought took over and penetrated him deeply. All Jewish
men were expected pray several times a day. He was the one who had opted not to
observe the prayer times anymore since he became a tax collector, because of the
hatred he felt whenever he joined them was often palpable. Nevertheless, he had
paid his fair share for the construction of the building after all never mind if it was
ill-gotten. There were some who didnt give a drachma but milked every drop of
money that came in, and still sat in Moses seat in the same building. Therefore,
reasoned Zachy, he had as much, if not more right to enter the hall to pray to day
or any old time he felt like it.
Yes! He interjected vehemently. Today, Zachy was going in to pray. He would
enter to do what the Temple was meant for prayer. Did the scriptures not say
Gods House was meant for prayers but had been turned into a den of robbers? The
fact that what was predicted so long ago was now happening in his own time
amazed Zachy. If this God knew this was going to happen all the way back then,
then perhaps all Zachys fury and anger over their behavior had been wasted
emotions, as they changed nothing at all. God Himself must be able to see them all
and was certainly powerful enough to deal with them in his own good time.
Why hadnt Zach seen things this way all that time when he was still a firm
practitioner f the faith? Young blood, he presumed. Young blood that could have
been used vigorously pursuing the interests of God like Johnny. I should simply have
concentrated on personally obeying God instead of allowing those wicked religious
leaders to rile me so much that I eventually had to get out of the system only to
end up in another just as vicious.
Well, today, Zachy too would enter the temple to pray at prayer time. He was
not going in there to impress anyone. The compulsion to pray was just too much for
Zachy. He flowed with it. He was desperate to check out this God that his mother
always talked about and called the Yes and Amen. The only way he knew about
communicating with Him was through prayer. Prayer was the only way mortal man
could speak to an immortal God. Perhaps He would show mercy and answer his
prayer. Who cares what anybody else thinks, he whispered to himself angrily as he
strode confidently into the hall.

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As Zachy entered, a group of Sadducees sitting facing the congregation

stared at him with a glassy look in their eyes. Zachy stared right back as he
continued to a corner of the prayer space. Today he meant business with God and
he would allow no one to distract him. The situation was desperate as he knew
something was going to get him soon if things did not change fast. The list of dire
possibilities scrolled before him again - insomnia, ulcer, chronic headache, enemies
after his life, enemies feed at his table, enemies all around him and the list goes
on. Zachy knew he had exhausted all other avenues of escape, and now that he had
suddenly realized he did not know his fate after death, this prayer matter was
crucial. The thought of Where the fire never goes out; where their worms never
die was unbearable. Zachy shivered again as he headed for a corner of the hall, by
this time, head drooping by this time.
By this time Zach got to the corner he considered to be the perfect place, he
suddenly realized his thoughts had protected him from the embarrassment of
staring eyes. People like him were not known to attend normal meetings very often,
talk much less of attending prayer session during the day, when they should be
busy collecting taxes.
Head bowed, Zachy started praying. Where the words came from he did not
know. But he started by thanking Fod for the sepcail attention he received by
compelling him so strongly to come in and pray. He promised he would make it a
regular part of his life form now on. Then he thanked him for protecting him form
the embarrassment of staring eyes, which might have discouraged him form
entering. Before he kne what was happeneing, the words just kept bursting out from
his heart into words.
No, he was not shouting. He could not keep up with the speed with which the
thought were transforming into words. He might be a witty person ordinarily, but
this was not about how witty he was. Shouting would have distracted his
concentration He was whispering. whispering like the voice that had been
reciting to him for some time now, what he now knew were scripture passages to
him. He was not quoting the psalms. Of course he had been taught them form
childhood. He knew them well. But no single psalm he could remember said
perfectly what he wanted to say right now. So he let his heart have its way he
spoke simply, as if to one standing there before him. He told God of his sorrow, his
pain, his confusion, his need

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Before he knew it, tears started flowing down his face. Zachy wailed to the
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Oh, God! he wailed, I am a sinner. Will you not have mercy? Please forgive me.
My mother says you are Yes and Amen. You will answer the prayer of repentance
made by any sinner, no matter how bad he has been. I am one of the worst sinners
alive God. But today I pray the prayer of repentance with all my heart. The
repentance my mother preaches to me all the time; the repentance Johnny
preaches; the repentance Jehoshua and his followers are still preaching today.
I ask for your forgiveness today with all my heart. I rebelled against you in my
anger against men. I went my own way instead of going your own way. I looked up
to men instead of looking up to you. How foolish I was! Now I am tired and
confused, and without direction and it is nobody elses fault but mine. I am
burdened day and night by the consequences of my evil deeds. Death knocks at my
door day and night and I fear that will seal my eternal damnation.
And I am now so, so afraid, Lord God. I cannot continue this way. I want to start
again. God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I am tired of the life I am living. It has
brought all terrible the things in the world into my life. Indeed the love of money is
the root of all evil. In loving it, I have sacrificed all the ideal of my youth. Instead of
using the money I make to help my poor people, I am robbing them of it. How low I
have fallen! And even in keeping it all for myself, I cannot enjoy it for I have no
peace. Will you not forgive me, Lord God, and give me another chance? Are you not
the Yes and Amen my mother assures me will answer me? Help me o Lord!
Zacky wept and wept as he had never done before in his life. He was unaware
of everyone around him. He was unaware of time passing. Finally, when he had
become hoarse and could speak no more, Zachy kept silent and just waited,
listening for what he did not know. And that was when he heard the voice,
whisper:
Hush, child, I have heard your hearts cry and you are forgiven. Everything will be
fine, youll see. Just stay focused on me.
It sounded like a mother comforting and reassuring a broken child. Only it
was a The Voice. Zachy could swear it was the same one that had talked about fires
that burn forever, and worms not dying. Now it was saying all Zachy had ever
wanted to hear. He drowned in the calm transmitted by the words. A great peace
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settled in his body, soul and spirit. He remained there silently for a long time,
relieved and joyful. He didnt want to move away from that place of peace and he
didnt know he was being watched by somebody
When he felt he had absorbed all there was of Gods answer to his prayers,
he finally started to get up from his knees. He raised his head and looked up, and
his eyes were drawn like a magnet deep into the eyes of a thirtyish year old man
who was also looking him straight in the eyes. After the initial shock resulting from
the power in those eyes, Zachy found himself once again absorbing an
unexplainable power. Then the eyes smiled at him as if he was a long lost friend and
turned away.
Smile? Can eyes smile? Well these ones did and Zachy could not explain it. If
he was going mad, then madness was a wonderful feeling of joy and peace. He
embraced it with all in him. Zachy felt a deep sense of loss when the eyes turned
away.. He could have stood in that place just drowning in those eyes for the rest of
his life. He was sure nothing would trouble him if he had that opportunity. He
watched the man leave with about four other men who looked like fishermen. Zachy
stood a while thinking but finally had to move as well.

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CHAPTER 10
As he did so, he wondered to himself: Who was that? How could compassion
speak so clearly and loudly just by a look? That was no ordinary man. In retrospect,
Zachy wondered if he should have run after him to ask him who he was, but it was
too late for that already. The man was gone. Nevertheless, hope surged in him.
I believe I have just experienced the Yes and Amen my mother often talked about,
he thought. Suddenly I have such peace and hope for the future! Imagine!! A sinner
like me prayed, and He answered! This is awesome!!
Zachy wiped his face as best he could and now looked around him. Most of
the priests and religious leaders had already left. People said their timing was most
perfect where prayer time was concerned, although they were more likely to arrive
late and stay late for other religious ceremonies because they wanted to be sure
that everyone saw them. Well Zachy was glad that they kept to time today. Seeing
them after such a joyful moment might have turned out to be an anticlimax. But
now his head was still in the clouds and he just loved it. A song he had known as a
youth surged into his mind. No it was not really a religious song . Rather it was a
love song, but it said everything he wanted to say right now. Strange that it should
come into his mind now, since he had never thought about the words much
although he had always liked the melody. Zachy tried humming it a bit, and then
boldly moved into the words, adapting it slightly to his own feelings.
Such a feelings coming over me.
There is wonder in most everything I see.
Not a cloud in the skies, got the sun in my eyes,
And I wont be surprised if its a dream.
Everything I want the world to be,
Is now coming true especially for me.
And the reason is clear, its because you are here,
Youre the only hope of heaven that I know.
Im on the top of the world,
Looking down on creation
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And the only explanation I can find

Is the love I have found, ever since you looked my way
You have put me on the top of the world!

Zachy was not faking it to make it anymore as he stepped confidently out

of the temple with a spring in his steps. Somehow he knew the Yes and Amen had
heard him. His will would be done in Zachys life as it had been done in the life of
the widows son. He had finally found love and life. He continued the song as he
bounced along, grinning happily. People stared at him strangely, but he merely
smiled at them without missing a beat or word of the song.
Zachy did not even realize when his thoughts shifted from his miseries to the
faith-inspiring testimonies he had been hearing so frequently of recent about what
this Jehoshua guy has been doing in different places in the region. And they say did
never asks for anya seed-sowing or donation to ministry unlike many other
supposed healers around! Nor did his miracles favour any particular group, rich or
poor, male or female, young or old. No particular rituals or ceremonies were
involved. Simple, straight-forward, unplanned, unrehearsed, un-strategized. All they
targeted was the need and all that was required was the contact or link! And the
testimonies just kept coming, especially since that scary experience he had
personally witnessed with the widows son, which he would have preferred to forget
or at best, ignore! Could this recurrence of what Zachy liked to refer to as
externally-imposed testimonies reaching him over and over again whether he
wanted to hear them or not, also be a sign?
Then it suddenly hit Zachy even harder that even beyond testimonies, he
himself had been a direct witness of one of the most spectacular! His mind now
highly sensitized, he now reexamined the details of that occurrence in a less
prejudiced light
He recalled how bad he had felt when Joel, the widows son, had died. It was
just a few days after he had extorted the extra tax from his mother. He still recalled
how the woman had appealed to him insistently to relent, explaining that she
needed money to buy herbs to treat her ailing son. But Zachy could not afford to be
merciful. The issue was not whether the people had needs. Who better than tax

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collectors who assessed their income regularly to know that the issue was not, and
had never been whether they needed more?
The point was that if he had shown mercy to one, then he would be expected
to show mercy to another, and then another, and before he knew it he would have
become popular as a soft touch and his business would be ruined. The reason he
had felt so bad was because the widow was one of the most tolerant among his
accounts. She was always polite and even gentle.
To salve his conscience when he heard that the widows son had died, he had
visited her the same day and offered her money for the burial. However, the woman
had refused it, telling him that she didnt need it now and advising him rather to
repent of his sins. Not only had this been the first time the woam had spoken
sharply to him, but it had also reminded him of his mother.
Very irritated, Zachy had stared at the body of the dead son for a long while
in deep, sincere sorrow, and gone his way, more upset than before he came. He
personally knew that Joel was the only relative left to her and that she loved him
dearly, and Zachy could relate with this deeply. He knew his mother loved him very
much too, even in spite of his bad ways, and imagined the pain it would cost her to
look down at his own dead body. But it also had more significance for him
He knew the widows son had a very close relationship with his mother and
was the one providing and caring for her. Now more than ever, he recognized this as
a great privilege which should have lengthened his life rather that cutting it short.
After all, every Jewish child knew that honouring ones parents was the first law
attached to a promise, one of which was long life!
He now recalled his mothers response to his most manipulative argument
that she was helping to curtail his days by refusing to accept his help:
My son, I know you love me and honour me, and would give me half of your wealth
if I asked for it. But money is not the only way to honour your parents. I do not need
your money to enjoy the most previous gifts of God. The best way you can honour
me is to give all that ill-gotten wealth to those who truly need it most, and follow
my God, as he desires of you.
As for enjoying long life, I pray for you every day and I trust my God, the Yes and
Amen to show mercy by protecting you until you come to your senses, and to save
your soul when you cry out to Him in true repentance. Do not worry about the
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length of your life. God is the only One who has control over that. He will not take it
until He has given you enough opportunities to repent. However, responding on
time is solely in your own hands. Meanwhile, all I can do is to continue to ask the
One who has control over everything to continue to watch over you.
Zachy had chosen to believe his mothers words because, as usual, it soothed his
soul. But looking down at Joels dead body had struck deadly fear in him Why had
God not honoured His promise of long life to a parent-honouring son like Joel? He
wondered what his own chances were. He, who was now avoiding his mother who
had rightfully rejected his help because of the questionable source of his wealth.
The comfort he had derived from his mothers words had been greatly shaken.
When, a few hours later, the rumour had started Zachy had waved it off,
irritated. He had hissed furiously, still struggling with his depressed thoughts. God
save him from those fanatics! Why were they all so eager to share the supposed
testimonies with him these days? He just wanted to be left alone! A dead boy he
had seen with his own eyes, raised from the dead! Really! That proves that all the
other testimonies were all lies. Pity! Although he would have been the last to admit
it, the testimonies had buoyed up his spirit somewhat. But now his hopes were
completely dashed, even as his thoughts became more morbid.
As he passed by the widows house later that day, he had heard singing, as
expected, coming from inside, only Zachy stopped in his tracks. This was not the
mourners dirge you would have expected after a burial, but songs of praise. Even if
he had not recognized the song, being one of his personal favourite when he was
still a faithful practitioner, the rhythm and melody would have made it clear to any
ordinary person that they were songs of rejoicing. And beyond that, they were even
playing instruments, laughing, and dancing!
As true as it was that one was to praise God for all things and at all times,
and though he was aware that the people who followed the new Teacher sometimes
behaved strangely, nobody, but nobody mourned a young mans death in that
manner! This was too much for him to swallow. If he hadnt heard the rumour about
the young man coming back to life, he might have shrugged and walked on. But
having seen what he had, and having heard the rumour, he just had to check out
exactly what was going on in there.
Zachy had peeped into the courtyard and gaped in shock. Indeed, as the
sound filtering into the streets suggested, men and women, young and old, could be
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seen, some playing drums, trumpets and other instruments, while another group
danced like crazy. But the look on their faces were not that of crazy people. They
looked euphoric!
As it was Zachy, mouth still agape, frowned in confusion, he saw the widow
emerging from the midst of the rejoicing throng, looking ecstatic! She was definitely
not the same weeping women he had seen earlier in the day. It was as if ten years
had been removed from her age! She saw him then and beckoned to him with a
happy smile.
Come in and rejoice with us Zachy the Publican! You see, I really did not need your
money. The Lord Jehoshua has raised my son from the dead!
Another shock for Zach. This time from the horses mouth. And to think of a
fervent Jew like her inviting a Publican like him into her house... and especially one
that had deprived her of the money she needed to care for her now dead son, and
whose help she had soundly rejected only a few hours earlier! Something strange is
definitely going on. This is crazy, he thought.

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CHAPTER 11
Ordinarily, Zachy knew better than to honour any such invitation. The
meanest of them could poison you if you were not careful or you could simply just
disappear, never to be heard of again. That was how much they hated tax
collectors. But this was worth the risk. He just had tocheck out what really was
going on himself. So, mentally pushing away his usual caution what harm could
come to him in the house of a poor widow and her poorer friends, he walked slowly
towards the inner part of the house. One crazy widow who had just lost her son was
a very different matter from twenty crazy people of different ages dancing and
singing merrily in the house of this same widow. This one he had to see
And Zachy had seen, as soon as he had stepped into the house, to his
endless shockThe dead youth, looking healthier than ever before, was standing in
the middle of the dancing circle, grinning happily at him!
Was this some kind of trick? Was he hallucinating again? Mouth now wide
open, eyes almost popping out of their sockets in shock, neck stuck out as if
straining to see more clearly, Zachy froze in place. Silence reigned. Somewhere in
the deep recesses of his mind, Zachy could understand why they had stopped their
singing and dancing. They too must have been battling with the shock of the
presence of a publican in their midst.
This scene also froze for a about minute before the chattering started around
him again. Zachy shook his head vigorously like a wet dog struggling to get rid of
the water on his body, and some of the childrens tittering could be heard - their
response to his strange reaction. The adults were a bit more delicate although, as
Zachy was later informed, they had found it just as funny. No change in the
apparition before him although Joels expression changed to register concern.
Zachy tried again. He rubbed his hands over his face as if to wipe away a
disagreeable picture, then looked again, mouth still agape. Still no change. Zachy
then looked around at the other faces in great confusion, as if asking: Could ghosts
look so real? Zachy knew a dead body when he saw one and what he had seen
earlier had been a lifeless young man Who or what was this in front of him? And
why was he the only one that seemed bothered by his presence? The young man
stretched out his had toward Zachy with a smile, getting ready to speak, and Zachy
had slumped down in a faint...
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He had come to, struggling like a mad man to ward off the many hands
stretched towards him, shouting. It was bad enough when just the one set of hands
of the apparition stretched towards him. Now there were so many. Those hands! Not
pointing this time, but stretched. He was not yet ready to go to the land of the dead
where their worms never die!. He continued to struggle, screaming I am not ready
yet! I dont want to go to hell! Get away from me! Get away from me!!
In his shock, Zachy had mistaken the hands stretched out to assist him for
the hands he had so often seen in his nightmares. He had thought he was already in
hell, and they were now ready to attack him in revenge. It had taken quite a while to
revive and calm Zachy down and when he finally came round, was reassured that
he was not in hell as he had cried out in his panic.
After a while had studied their faces closely and was comforted by the fact
that there was no animosity reflected on any of the faces, but rather concern. Then
he looked round again, thankful that he was still among the living. Then his eyes
had met those of the widows son, and he went rigid again, only calming down after
several minutes.
This time, Zachy took his time to study Joel very closely all over again and
finally asked for some water. Someone had stretched out their hands to him with a
glass containing some liquid and he gulped it down quickly like someone who had
just survived a desert trip without water. After drinking deeply from the cheap wine,
Zachy wiped his mouth and, still staring hard at Joel, tried to speak but nothing
came out at the first few attempts. Finally, he put the cup down and managed to
stutter, pointing to the once dead boy:
Who what. dont understand Then the testimony came in bits and pieces
One voice said:
Its alright. We understand your shock. This kind of miracle has not happened since
the days of the great prophets. The Anointed One has finally arrived.
Then Zachy had turned his head towards another voice which was saying:
The Prophet called the Jehoshua of Nazareth saw Mamas pain and brought her son
back to life. Our Deliverer is here with us. His mother can tell you better, although I
was right there beside her when it occurred.
Yet another voice said:
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Dont be afraid. Just listen to what Mama has to say. It will change your life for
good.
Finally he had managed to stutter a complete sentences: But I saw his dead body!
He was dead!
So did we. He has been brought back to life someone replied. Then every head
had turned towards Joels mother at this point and Zachy hear her speak. Zachy
listened real hard.
On our way to bury him, the widow started, Jehoshua the Anointed One met us. I
was weeping terribly. My sons death spelled complete disaster for me. I would
rather I had died in his place. He was still so young and vibrant! Besides, with a
dead husband and now a dead son, - she had looked lovingly at her living son at
this point - we all know how the rumours would start that I was a witch; that I had
killed them myself; that I was cursed; that I had a deep, dark, secret sin, and many
other things that people often say in such circumstances. And we all know what
that implied: no one would hire me and I would not be able to earn a living. In fact, I
had decided to take my own life after the burial.
As I lifted up my eyes to wail again, His eyes met mine, something I still cannot
explain happened to me. I stopped wailing and simply stared at Him. It was as if He
had read the story of my life in that one single glance. He came up to me saying
kindly,
Stop crying lady. Everythings going to be alright.
Somehow I believed what he said, and before I could respond in any way, he
walked up to the pall bearers and touched the coffin, stopping their advance,
looked down on my son for a few seconds, then he spoke to him!!!
Get up, young man! he said firmly.
Immediately, my son got up and as he descended from the pall, asking the people
around why he was on a pall and what was going on! By this time, I was on my
knees thanking the Messiah as I held tightly to my son.
Joels mother started laughing again to herself as if she still couldnt believe what
happened, and looked at her son lovingly. She was obviously enjoying sharing the
account.
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Meanwhile, Zachy picked up the cup again to take another sip of the wine,
reflecting on what he had just heard. He was the kind of guy that needed to check
out every little detail so he could find the loophole. There had to be a catch. Doubt
first, believe never was another of his slogans. In other words, dont believe
anything they tell you. But this was more than what he was being told. This what
about what he had seen! Then he heard the mam continue her testimony.
All the mourners around me reacted differently. Some ran away at first. Others
stood frozen in place. Yet others looked back and forth at each others faces as if to
ask; Is this really happening? I was the only one shouting out praises, as I hugged
Joel to me. Soon, what had happened sank in with some and they joined me in
praising God. But would you believe the silly boy did not even thank the Master?!!
He did not even realize he had been raised from the dead at first! It took a while for
him to absorb the implications of being borne on a pall in the middle of the street.
However, by that time, the Master had left. I still cant understand how he managed
to get away so easily from our midst so fast.
In any case, to cut a long story short, here I am and here is my son, alive and well.
I am now a firm believer that the Power of God is on the Anointed One. I thank God
that my son and all the other people who witnessed the miracle and who are
rejoicing with me today also now believe.
There was a pause before she said; Now I have shared it with you as well Publican
Zachy, what do you intend to do about it? Your decision about the Anointed One,
Jehoshua of Nazareth will determine your eternal destiny. Sir, you must repent and
follow the Messiah.
Once again, Zachy had remembered his mothers words as he stared at the
previously dancing group now gone silent around him, waiting for his response. The
eloquent Zachy who could spin a yarn to get what he wanted, could only stare.
Finally, he managed to mumble something unintelligible, ending up with a brusque
I have to go now. I am late. Thanks. You could hear a pin drop as Zachy got up
from where he had been sitting. He was brushing his now rumpled clothing as he
stumbled out of the room.
In his mind, Zachy was screaming: A dead man brought back to life?!! I am
going crazy! I saw that boy dead with my own eyes! It cant be true. I saw the dead
body! As he stumbled on home, Zachy could hear the singing starting again and he

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shook his head wildly. Zachy had not been able to rejoice with them because he had
been too scared and confused...
All the way to his house that day, he had thought about it, only to get home
for his wife to accost him with the same story. He had quickly made for his room,
when his wife accosted him with the same story, pretending not to believe because
then, he would have had to admit things he was not yet sure he could afford to
admit. He would rather continue to be perceived as his usual tough and cynical self.
He could only hope the story of his fainting would not spread along with the story of
the miracle but he had known it was true. He had seen the dead Joel, and he had
seen the living Joel. It was true.

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CHAPTER 13
However as the days went by, Zachy had persuaded himself not to dwell on
what he could not explain. He had had time to consider several possible scientific
explanations for the supposed resurrection, and finally persuaded to dismiss it as
an unexplainable scientific oddity rather than a supernatural manifestation of Gods
Power through Jehoshua. Things like that were simply not possible, and it had
gradually taken less and less importance in Zachys preoccupations. He had finally
managed to bury the whole event in the deep recesses of his mind until now.
As his mind drifted again to Joels miraculous resurrection now, his faith burst
forth again in full force. He had reason to believe. He had witnessed it, and now he
had experienced his own. It was cheering to know deep in his heart that God had
been present all along, and that all the miracles being performed by Jehoshua were
done by His Power. Zachys joy was unbridled as he contemplated the fact that
these were not ordinary times, and that there was a reason miracles were
happening so frequently now and why God had used them to draw Zachy to
repentance
Although his first instinct after his wonderful experience of divine forgiveness
was to rush home to his mother to tell her, there was still one more important thing
he felt he needed to do before that. He was now more desperate than ever to meet
this Jehosua, this Preacher of Righteousness who teaches that if you believe in him
you will enter the Kingdom of God and enjoy eternal life. It may sound crazy, but a
man who can raise the dead, can do anything. Was that not part of the prophecies
mentioned about the expected Anointed One in the Holy Book? Zachy believed,
after all, he had many good reasons to do so. Now he knew he had a promising
future ahead of him.
He briefly recalled his awkward attempts to arrange an encounter with the
Preacher after Joels miraculous resurrection. He had even gone as far as bribing
one or two of the Pharisees to organize a meeting! Of course he had called it
donation or sowing a seed, but all parties concerned knew what it really meant.
As could only be expected, the corrupt frauds had taken his money and of course
they had not been able to arrange a meeting. Zachy now knew why they couldnt
ever have delivered on their promise
This Jehoshua was neither in their group nor under their control at all!! There
were even rumours they were trying to kill him! Typical. He knew they loved lies and
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wickedness so there was no way they could love truth and kindness. The two were
poles apart as far as light was from darkness as far as goodness was from evil.
Why hadnt Zachy thought of that before he came up with the idea of the
donation. It should have been obvious, and he could have saved himself some
money and time to the bargain. Suddenly he could see more clearly. Looks like he
had been blind before. Now Zachy could see. He smiled to himself happily at the
thought.
Now he was going to change tactics. He had been approaching the wrong
people in his desire to see this Jehoshua the Messiah. The religious establishment
could not help. Only those who truly followed Jesus could, and they were not
necessarily part of the established religious system. The only person he could think
of was the widow and her son. He was going to get close to them to see how they
could help him.

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CHAPTER 14
Zachy got home that day, still very upbeat. His wife could see something was
up and tied to badger him to disclose why he was so unusually elated. Since he
didnt quite know how to explain the experience, Zachy avoided her questions and
went early to bed.
His sleep that night was the most peaceful he had had in a long while. No
nightmares. He woke up in the morning, and the headache was gone. He felt so
good his mind did toeven consider the thought of using drugs or alcohol to survive
the rest of the day. He felt sure that his ulcer too had gone but well, that still needed
to be verified to be proclaimed. Could it be that he had experienced a healing
miracle, just like that? From one day to another he had been transformed from a
troubled, depressed, guilty man to one full of the peace and joy of theLord just
because of a sincere prayer of repentance? Impossible! Or was it? After all, was he,
Zachy, not the living proof that it was possible?
Zachys agenda for that day had nothing to do with collecting tax. He was
swallowing his pride; he was taking the bull by the horns; he was going visiting with
the widow and her son. When he got to Mamas house, he hesitated for a moment
before knocking on the door. As soon as she opened the door and saw him, she
welcomed him with a happy smile.
Ive been expecting your visit she said simply. Zachy looked at her in askance but
she simply murmured Never mind. Please come right in. She then called out Joel!
He is here as the Lord said.
Zachy looked up quickly again to ask her what she meant, but she just waved the
question away. By this time Joel too had come into the room to sit beside Zachy.
However, before he could say anything, the widow said:
Can we pray first?
Zachy was the last person to have any objections to prayer which had done
him so much good so heads bowed, mam thanked God for fulfilling His promises
and bringing Zachy to their home, this time as a friend. She asked for His Wisdom
and Presence as they discussed.
Zachy did not waste his breth questioning them about how they knew he would be
coming that particular day. Instead, he too tried to be as direct as Mama had been.
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I want to meet this Jehoshua. Can you help me please? Mama looked at him
fixedly for a moment, then asked him why he wanted to meet Jesus. Before Zachy
knew it, he had poured out his heart to her and her son. That sealed the deal. Mama
and he son would let him have all the information they received on where the
Teacher would be going next. However, she pointed out, meeting him personally is
in the hands of God. All they could do was back Zachy up in prayers about it. His
response to that obviously delighted Mama;
If God took the trouble to prepare you for my visit today, then I am sure your
prayers rm will be good enough to arrange my meeting with Jehoshua. I thank you
from the bottom of my heart for receiving me so warmly. I know I do not deserve it.
May the Lord reward you for your kindness.
At that Mama and Joel looked at each other with a smile, then turned to Zachy a
while.
Shalom they both said in unison.
Shalom Zachy replied happily with a smile as he departed. He felt like he
belonged. Furthermore, rather than the shock, mockery or suspicion he had
expected, he had been received joyfully. Since that day, Zachy had strategically
attached himself to Joel. In spite of the wide gap in age and social status, and the
disapproval of the community, they got on well and became close friends.
Cultivating the young man proved much more rewarding than Zachy had expected
as Joel was not only fast to volunteer information about the Preachers whereabouts,
but also on other miracles he performed.
Among others, he had told him about the healing of the ten lepers, and about
the healing of Simon the leper. However, Zachy had soon become very discouraged
because it seemed as if that every attempt he made to be present where Jehoshua
was teaching was blocked by someone or something at the last minute. And even
when he did manage to make it there, he would discover that he had just missed
him!
This recurrence had become exceedingly alarming for Zachy. It wasnt even
as if this Jehoshua only ministered in synagogues and the Temple. Why, he
ministered by the sea of Jordan, by the Sea of Galilee, even in the villages of the
Samaritans! And yet Zachy had not been able to get to see him! Even outcasts like
the ten lepers managed to see him and receive what they desired most. And in
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Simons case, a Pharisee and a leper! - a combination of the worst there was, a
group even the Teacher had declared woe on. But even he had had his audience
with Jehoshua while he, Zachy, one of the richest publican around, after eating all
that humble pie, and even getting good information, could somehow not meet him!
Zachy needed cheering up and encouragement this particular day. So what
else but to head for the house of the person who always had cheery news for him.
Maybe Joel could explain what was happening to him. He hoped he would be well
received as usual. With the frequency of his visits of recent, he was beginning to
feel he might be infringing on their privacy although they never showed any
resentment whenever he called on them, in spite of the hostile looks on the faces of
their neighbours.
When the widow opened the door to his timid knock and saw him, she smiled
and immediately called out to her son to attend to Zachy. By the time Zachy had
finished explaining to his friend what had been happening to him, he was reminded
of the circumstances surrounding his first visit and exhorted to be patient. This
indeed reassured Zachy that nothing could stop him from meeting the Teacher. Joel
then prayed with him taking authority over all the obstacles blocking Zachys way to
meeting the Teacher! It took great assurance to do that and Zachy realized that this
was the kind of prayer he needed most at this time to sum up courage to leave the
League and never look back again!
Before he left, Joel regaled Zachy with the account of yet another undeniable
miracle had been performed by Jehoshua the Meshiach. Now a fervent follower of
the Teacher, Joel had witnessed it personally. The well-known blind man who always
sat at the Temple Gate had received his sight through the ministration of the
Meshiach! A man born blind from birth and condemned to a life of begging. A Jew
without a profession, dependent on others for a living. A terrible fate indeed. What
excitement for the beneficiary! What hope for the witnesses! What thankfulness
among the Jews - or so you would think. Because nobody reckoned with the hardhearted religious leaders who held power and authority in the temple!
Zachy and Joels delighted laugher spliced every stage of Joels account. It
would seem that the priests and religious leaders were not particularly happy that a
man born blind from birth had been healed on a Sabbath day under their watch!
Initially, they had looked on coldly as the multitude carrying the blind man
on their shoulders danced around the temple, singing praises to God. That was the

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first thing they had a problem with. According to them decorum had to be
maintained when coming into the presence of God.
Obviously, they knew better than the psalmist who composed the song: I will
enter into His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter into His courts with
praise! Joel laughed aloud. Definitely, those guys have lost it completely. He
continued.
By the time they had managed to browbeat the multitude into silence, and
had heard their reason for rejoicing, they had become even more furious. One of
them shouted:
You people are so impressionable. You let anyone fool you with false miracles!
Where have you heard of a man born blind receiving his sight? Even in the time of
the great prophets, did you ever hear of any such occurrence? Keep quiet and stop
talking nonsense!
At this, the man who had received his sight stepped forward and requested
to speak. Not knowing who he was, they had allowed him to speak. The man gave a
detailed account of how he was born blind and had never seen before, and how
every witness standing there knew this to be a fact. Before he could finish, one of
the leaders spoke up:
If you were truly blind, how can you recognize these people standing here, you
fake? Very pleased with his smartness, he looked smugly at his colleagues with a
smile, as if expecting them to cheer. A few obliged, patting him on the back;
however, their smugness was short-lived as the blind man responded calmly:
Sir, I was blind, not deaf or dumb. My auditory powers are powerfully honed to
compensate for my lack of sight. For example, I recognize you by your voice. Only
this morning, you fixed an appointment right at the entrance of this building with a
certain person whose name I would be glad to mention if you insist.
Laugher burst out, this time from the opposite camp, and the leader
concerned was livid. It was true he had fixed a discrete appointment for the evening
with a certain young lady by the gate this morning. And he had only dared to do so
around the premises because there was only a blind man sitting by the gate close
to hear him!
As he stared angrily at the man, who now had a smirk on his face, the others
realized something had gone wrong, and that constituted a serious threat to their

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power and authority. One of them, obviously to save face burst out laughing. When
all eyes turned to him, he declared loudly:
So I take it you people have come again with the nonsense stories about Jehoshua,
the carpenters son, performing miracles all over the place. A man possessed by
demons has become your champion. We only see this kind of thing in Jewry.
Another man from the opposing camp stepped out from the crowd
protesting angrily.
Shut up! shouted one of the Pharisees. How dare you speak up when a priest is
talking? It is not permitted for you to do so. There is no proof that the man who
claims to have been given back his sight is probably an actor pretending to have
been healed. We will soon get to the bottom of it
As someone else stepped forward from the crowd and started to argue
again, one of the leaders quickly interrupted him, however speaking in a more
placating manner:
Ok, calm down everyone, he said. You all know it is our duty to verify any such
miracle. That is all we are trying to do, and it is for your own sake. You can all go
outside now. Just leave us with the man directly concerned and several witnesses to
the event, as the law demands, once we have checked out the facts, we will get
back to you.
Now having control back in their hands, the leaders moved them into a more
private place.
So what happened after that? asked Zachy with a wide grin smile face. He
really liked this.
Oh, they asked the man again how he had received his sight and he obliged them
all over again.
A man called Jehoshua made clay out of his spittle and applied it on my eyes. He
then told me to go wash in the pool of Siloam. I did exactly what he told me to do,
and received my sight.
Amazing faith! Zachy burst out. Just by a word from the Teacher and off he
went!
Zachy doubted very much if he would have obeyed if he had been the one.
He suspected he would have been more like Naaman, the great Syrian warrior
whom Elisha had sent to River Jordan to bathe seven times in order to be cleansed
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of his leprosy. He had felt insulted to have been sent to a River his people
considered very insignificant and unhygienic. Probably thought the prophet was just
trying to humiliate him in revenge for his people being under their domination.
Joels voice jarred him back to the present: The next question came from yet
another leader.
Ok where is this Jehoshua now? another leader asked.
I keep telling you I dont know, answered the man. I couldnt even recognize him
if I saw him again, as we parted ways before I fully received my sight. He went his
way after applying the clay and telling me what to do, and I naturally headed
straight for the Pool of Siloam as instructed!
Such works are not permitted on the Sabbath day! shouted one of the Pharisees.
That Jehoshua is a sinner! He is not of God
The once blind man kept quiet for a moment, deep in thought, giving one of
the Pharisees, called Nicodemus, the opportunity to caution the other leaders.
Lets be careful here, brothers. How can you call a man who can perform such
miracles a sinner? I dont quite agree with you on that.
An argument over this immediately ensued among the leaders and when
they realized that it was not going to be resolved easily, yet another one turned
again to the once blind man and asked:
So what do you have to say about the person who healed you?
This change in the line of questioning by the Pharisees must have seemed
very strange to the excited man, but stranger still was their attempt to cast
aspersions on the reputation of the person who had been the greatest source of
blessing in his life. Nevertheless, the blind man had no doubt that the Healer had
the power of God on him, and obviously some of the leaders agreed and said so.
Firmly and calmly, in striking contrast to the dissention among of the leaders, the
man He is a prophet as of old sent by God.
They again tried to intimidate him, like the savvy lawyers that most of them
were, in the expectation that he would back down and deny what had happened or
how it had happened. They probably hoped to seize this opportunity to make
nonsense of all the other miracles performed by Jehoshua, but the neither the man,
nor the witnesses would back down.

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At this point, they demanded to see the mans parents to confirm that the
man had actually been born blind.
Imagine calling the parents of a 38 year old man supported by so many
adult witnesses to come and confirm if he had born blind! commented the widows
son. How hardened can you get?
Well, the parents soon arrived, looking very scared as they entered the
private room. Their heads moved in consternation from their son who was looking
upset, to the stern countenance of the leaders. They did not need anyone to inform
them that this was no time to rejoice.
Is this your son? demanded one of the leaders brusquely..
Yes replied the parents of the man. From the awe in their expression as they
stared at their son, it was clear that all they had wanted to do was to run to him
and hug him in joy. However the hard faces before them kept them rooted to the
floor.
Well, was he born blind? asked another leader
From the day I delivered him in to this world answered the mother promptly and
feelingly. I believe many of the people in here and outside know him very well, as
he is always seated at the temple gate, begging for alms.
Well, if that is the case, how come he can see now? asked another leader.
The parents looked at each other, then turned to look at the leader who
asked the question, and finally looked at their son, this time apologetically.
Please sir, I am sure our son will be able to explain all the details to you better than
we ever could. He is 38 years old and only his sight was affected, not his reasoning.
He is an adult. Please ask him.
Zachys comment here was The poor parents! They knew the repercussions
of being too eager to associate with the miracle. Excommunication! Then what?
Well then they had no choice but to admit that this was a true miracle from
God and they told the man to give God the praise and not Jehoshua since he was a
sinner.
Somewhat cheekily the mans reply was: Sinner or not, all I know is that I have
been healed by this man.

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Then the quizzing started all over again: How did you meet him? Where
where you? What exactly did he do to you? Did he touch your eyes with his hands?
And so on and so forth.
Well it would seem that the man had had it with them, and his way of
pointing out just how ridiculous he thought they were was very subtle but effective:
Please may I know exactly why are you asking all these questions? Perhaps I
misunderstand the reason for your interest? Could it be that you too are interested
in becoming his disciples as I am?
Zachy and Joel both laughed out loud at this point. He didnt need to be told
that the leaders must have been as mad as hell on hearing that. He knew them too
well. But apparently this did the trick.
While some in the crowd sniggered at this, some of the leaders started
raining insults on the man before finally pronouncing their sentence on him for not
being submissive enough - excommunication from the assembly for life.
Of course it made no difference to the man since he had never entered the
temple before, anyway, reflected Zachy as he made his way home later that day. He
knew very well how the religious leaders think. Being born blind, as far as the
religious leaders were concerned, was a sign of sinfulness on the part of the man or
his parents so they probably would have been discouraged him from entering
anyway. Besides a blind man coming in to worship would disrupt their very tidy
order of worship, and we couldnt have that could we? Keeping to the order of
service would be more important to the leaders, than helping a blind man worship
God.
So all a blind man could do was sit at the gate where the people passed every
day. Many ordinary people gave alms to such needy people, but rarely did the
leaders, except on special days they arranged to make a show of their piousness,
during which loud trumpets were blown to announce to the world that they were
giving stuff away to the poor. Otherwise, the few that did recognize the existence of
a blind man at the gate would, for whatever reason, whisper Corban as they
passed, without giving him anything As if the few drachmas they could have
dropped on his plate would affect any so-called Corban they had made. But
everyone knew that they were lying anyway. They claimed corban to get away
from giving anybody anything, and granted same liberally to the rich religious men
who wanted to shirk their responsibilities towards the poor.

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NEW CHAPTER
A couple of days later, Zachy became an indirect witness to yet another
miracle of healing of a blind man.
He was walking down a long avenue when he noticed in the distance, a man
standing in the middle of a crowd of people rejoicing around him. The man would
turning around slowly in a semi-circle, first in one direction and then in the other,
looking into the different faces in the crowd with a strange expression of wonder in
his eyes. Since he also had a wide grin on his face, as he did this and did not seem
to be tired of repeating the movement. Occasionally, he would stretch out and touch
the robe of someone in the crowd before repeating the movement all over again.
Zachy could not hold back his curiosity and stopped to look more closely.
It looked like a very weird dance, although the melody of the songs that
would burst out occasionally from the crowd were not in rhythm with the mans
repeated semi-circular movements. Al the while he did this, the crowd would laugh
out gaily and raise an applause. Then the man would move on a little, stop and
stare upward, this time, at the trees and the sky for a while in wonder, touch the
leaves on them and study them very closely as if he his life depended on whatever
he saw on them. Then he would move on again.
Then he stopped to stare at a baby in the mothers arms, his head swinging
from mother to child several times. They stopped for a while to stare at her robe,
and then swung to the robe of a man standing not far from her. He seemed to be
comparing the clothing. Someone would say something each time he finished his
examination, after which he would nod happily and move on, accompanied by
laughter or applause once again.
Zachy finally found the right description for the mans behavior he was
behaving like a very frisky puppy that had been left out of his cage for the first time
in its life...
This strange behaviour continued as they approached Zachy who now stood
still, a little scared, but much too curious to move. If the man was not violent, and
the crowd looked so happy, then not much harm could come to him if he took a
closer look at what was going on. As the crowd advance again, this man was the
one who now burst into a song in a pleasing, hearty baritone:
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the works thy hand hath made.
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I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour Lord to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour Lord to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.

Naturally every one of the rejoicing crowd joined him.

Since this had been one of Zachys favourite songs when he was still
attending assembly smetings regularly, he too soon too had joined them in singing
it aloud, smiling happily as the man advanced closer to where he was. That was
when the man saw Zachy and stopped as if in shock.
He stared, mouth agape, at Zachy for a long while and when the crowd
noticed that the man was no longer singing, they too sopped, and the song
gradually fizzled out.
Zachy, who was now close to the man to see the mans features, also
stopped in confusion at the way the man was staring at him. Initially, he was not
particularly bothered as he was used to people checking out his zappy dressing
whenever he passed. He liked it that way. It sure compensated for his lack of height,
and this particular man semed to have a special case for chcking things out closeup.
It was not until the crowd burst into laughter again that he felt rather
uncomfortable, as they obviously knew something he did not. He would have tried
to bluff his way out if he had not become very, very self-conscious as the man
continued to stare at him as if he was a strange specimen on a laboratory table. By
the time the crowds laughter died down, Zachy had become very furious indeed.
He had just opened his mouth to give them a piece of his mind when something
arrested him. The man looked very familiar, only
Now it was Zachys turn to behave strange. He pointed at the man and
looked around at the milling crowd stuttering: Is this not I mean, does the blind
man .? I mean

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This only made the crowd burst out into laughter all over again. Finally,
someone in the crowd shouted:
Yes indeed. It is Timeaus Junior, the well-known beggar that sit by the assembly
gate. He has been healed! He can now see! Jesus the Master healed him!
Zachy did not faint this time, but he stuttered for a while before a wide grin
split his face like the sun emerging from beneath a cloud.
Yes! he screamed. Hes for real! This does it completely for me! Not once, not
twice, not thrice! I am a believer!. He immediately started doing his own jig at this
point, which made the crowd resume their laughter.
He then rushed towards Timeaus Junior and embraced him with all his
strength, almost managing to lift him up. He had been laughing a lot these days. He
hadnt had so much fun in years. He joined the crowd as they resumed their singing
and dancing around the man moving forward together like a lively stream of water.
Now convinced that that there was a way of out of the shackles of the League and
the dire consequences that accompanied withdrawal, he was more desperate than
ever to meet Jehoshua the Meshiach.
I will never give up, he said to himself as he moved forward with the crowd. The
Yes and Amen will grant me this too. I know I will see Him someday and all my fears
will be a thing of the past. As he bounced along, full of hope, singing, dancing and
laughing with the crowd as if he had no care in the world.
After a while of this, he left the milling crowd, the constitution of which kept
changing as some dropped out and other replaced them. Someone would soon
replace him. This joyful procession may just last till the end of the day. As he went
his way, Zachys thoughts changed into a prayer:
Help Lord! he shouted almost forgetting where he was. God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, the God of my fathers. I know you exist and that you know all things.
How can the dead be raised and the blind see, if you were not in it? You are working
through this Jesus in a way we have never known in our history. I have felt your
forgiveness and your touch, but there is still this one little, but seeming big thing
still bothering me. Please guide me to this Jesus who is doing your work on earth
today. I know you are with Him and that when I meet Him, I meet You. Nothing I am
or have is more important than this to me now. I beg you to help me find this Jesus.
All of a sudden Zacchaeus was brought back to his surrounding by a great
rumble. He was so startled that for a moment he had thought it was the sound of
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Gods judgement about to fall on him. He looked back to where the noise was
coming from, and once again, saw yet another crowd moving towards him.
Ooph!! sighed Zachy. He laughed to himself uncomfortably, still shaken. The
timing of that rumble reminded him of the previous coincidences! What was it all
about anyway?
He had to be careful whom to ask. These people hated tax collectors. The
first man he asked just stared at him angrily and moved out of the way of the crowd
quickly. Another spit at him and moved away. Finally an old woman answered his
question:
It is the Son of David, the one called the Jesus. He is visiting our part of the city
today.
As the crowd descended on him, someone pulled Zachy out of the way,
murmuring Better get out of the way before you are crushed by the crowd.
Zacchaeus angrily shook the mans hand off. He could not see a thing
because of his height. The taller people surrounding him had blocked him from even
seeing a thing! He had to strategize quickly, and that was his forte.
He glanced up,looking for what exactly, he did not know. The he saw a tree
slightly ahead of the crowd, and that got his attention. He ran crazily towards it,
jumped and hooked his arms around to the lowest branch to propel himself
upwards. He grasped the next branch and hung on to it as if for dear life, then
propelled himself upward again, hanging on to the next branch, and then the next
one, until he was high enough to have a vantage view of the crowd. Good thing I
keep in shape, he thought, puffing heavily.
Forgotten was his zappy dressing; forgotten was his lofty image; forgotten
was the chip on his shoulder. He was desperate to see if indeed it was the Jesus he
had heard so much about. He strained to see the advancing crowd. But all he saw
was an ordinary-looking man in the midst of the people, striding forward
purposefully. Zachy couldnt see anything distinctive about him. He wasnt dressed
like any of the big prophets or teachers of the law, nor was he dressed like John the
Baptist. Rather, he was dressed like any other man, looked like any other man.
Nothing to make him stand out as Gods Anointed who performed such wonderful
miracles. Nevertheless, there was something about him Zacchaeus couldnt
explain...

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Could this be the Jesus they have been talking about? Zachy wondered.
Taking a closer look, something struck Zacchaeus. But something looks familiar
about this man. Have I seen him before? I think I know this man! Where could I
have seen him before? Why does he look so familiar?
As the crowd made their advance, they moved around the tree, some to one
side, some to the other. Soon the man in the middle whom Zacchaeus was staring
at suddenly looked up, and caught his eyes.
Then Zacchaeus knew. It was the man whose eyes he had met after praying
the prayer of repentance that day. The man whose eyes had spoken love, and
forgiveness and peace to hi spirit, body and soul, in spite of knowing what a sinner
he was.
And as on the other occasion, Zachy could not shift his eyes away from those
of the man. And he saw and felt all those things he had seem earlier in them, only
even stronger. He could feel power and authority exuding from him now. But not in a
self-conscious, contrived manner as you would expect.
Then the man smiled and Zaccchaeus was so carried away by the wonder of
him that he almost missed the sound of The Voice calling to him by name!!!
Zacchaeus, come on down. I need a place to stay the night and that will be at
your house.
Zachy did not need a second invitation. He did not bother to ask how he knew his
name. He quickly scampered down with the same speed that he had scampered up
the tree and kept repeating:
Gladly Lord. Thank you Lord over and over again. Bowing and bowing again, too
excited, too relieved to do anything else. This God truly answers prayers. He is
indeed the Yes and Amen. And this man before him could be nothing but His Son,
the Anointed that He had promised years ago. Zacchaeus prayer had been
answered far beyond his expectations. All he had asked was to meet him. And God
had granted his a special audience with Him. He would pass the night in his house!!
His house!!!
The possibility of becoming his friend, a member of his inner circle, filled
Zaccheaeus heart. With a God like this, there are no limits to what one can
become! His mother has said it to him many times before, and she had been proved
right once again! God answered sincere, pure and acceptable prayers over and

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beyond what one asks! This was too much for Zachy. Not only would this special
Peace be his, now he would also have a new beginning, a new purpose, a new joy.
As Zachy thought over all this even as he bowed and thanked Jesus, he
suddenly became aware of some murmuring around him.
Of all people, someone muttered aloud angrily. This mean publican who has
robbed us silly? How could he choose to stay in his house?
Fast thinker that he was, Zachy had no plans of letting this opportunity slip by
him. Before the murmurings increased and Jesus heard and changed his mind,
Zacchaeus quickly shouted out loud to drown the murmuring:
Lord! Right here and now, I promise to give half of my possessions to the poor. And
I will pay back anyone I have cheated four times the amount I cheated him of!
There was a hush in the crowd at this. Some people covered their open
mouth in shock. Others stared as if struck by lightning. Theyes of other narrowed in
distrust. Zacchaeus only stared hopefully at Jesus. He was ready to do much more
than that if necessary. Whatever it takes, he thought. This opportunity must not,
cannot, will not pass me by.
Jesus looked again into Zacchaeus eyes. He smiled again tenderly at him,
stretched forth his hand to pat him on the back, and said:
Today, salvation had come into your house. You also are a son of Abraham. You are
also among those I have come to look for. You got lost but now I have found you.
Come, let us go.
Zacchaeus ran ahead, clearing the path for Jesus, leading him to his house.

POSTFACE
I chose to do a Postface (although the word might not exist) for this novella rather
than a Foreword, because I am hoping that you will only discover the character on
which this novella is based at the end. However if you were so smart as to discover
the story was about Zacchaeus mentioned in Luke 19:8 before you got to the end,
kudos to you. And if you are the type of person who tends to check out the whole
package before delving into it like I sometimes do, then perhaps you knew whom
the story was about right from the start. And if that is the case, then I hope you
wondered for a long time what exactly I was getting at and that you got it
towards the end.

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The inspiration for this book was from the message of a pastor at a Businessmens
Fellowship meeting in Cote dIvoire some years back. I was struck by the pastors
remark that the illustrations of a man climbing a ladder to get to the top of a tree
gave the wrong impression about Zacchaeus emotional state when he climbed the
sycamore tree to see Jesus. According to him, Zacchaeus, the CHIEF of publicans,
although short in stature, must have been pretty desperate to see Jesus to have
decided to climb the tree the way he did. This was what led to my wondering what
could have made him so desperate. It struck me that identifying Jesus physically
was part of that desperation. And this in turn led me to feeling that may suggest
that there had been an earlier encounter where, like the blind man who could not
identify Jesus, although he knew he was the one who healed him, Zacchaeus too
might have met Jesus without being able to identify him.

But over and beyond that, I tried to imagine what could have made Zacchaues so
desperate. This was how I came up with this work of fiction, which, I would quickly
like to add again specifically or the attention of great Bible scholars who may
stumble across this novella one day, is not necessarily faithful to geographical
locations, characters etc. This also means that you may find loopholes in the web I
have attempted to weave.

Please forgive me for any lapses. My hope and prayer is that you who already have
a personal relationship with Jesus, would be encouraged to stay strong in Him,
knowing that he will never forsake you. And as for you who have not yet had a
personal encounter with Him, but are in a desperate situation right now like
Zaccheaus did, let me assure you Jesus is REAL and ALIVE and ready to save you
too. Call on Him. He rejects no one.

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TEACHING POINTS
1. Zacchaeus meaning? The Aramaic meaning is Pure; the Hebrew means Clean,
Pure, and the Greek derivation of the name is Zakkay. So the use of the short form,
Zachy is not too far fetched. What comments would you have about Zachy and the
meaning of his name. How about yours? What would you like to claim? How far from
it have you lived up to date?
2. Apart from the fact that he had to climb a tree to see Jesus, would you say there
was any other reason the Bible tells us about the height of Zacchaeus?
3. What other biblical characters were described physically? Moses, David,
Absalom, Esther why do you suppose this was done? In view of this, what
importance do you feel God gives to physical appearance?
4. Is there any physical description of Jesus in the Bible? The only reference to
Jesuss appearance in Isaiah 53 suggests there was nothing to recommend his
looks during His suffering?? What do you think accounts for the presentation of
Jesus as a tall, fit, good looking man as we see in pictures and films today? Shroud
of Turin in Christian History There is no consensus yet on exactly how the image
was created, and it is believed by some to be the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth,
despite radiocarbon dating placing its origins in the Medieval period i.e. 13

th

to 15

th

Century, around 1500 years after Christ!!! The good looking man probably form
the assumption that Christ, as son of God, full of faith must have developed
optimally physically, and must have looked compassionate and kind and attractive.
4. Since we worship a risen Christ with a resurrected body, how should we imagine
him today? Revelations description which is not physical but spiritual.
5. A tall young lady, the daughter of an almost 7ft tall pastor once came back from
a Chrsitian youth session slightly amused and perhaps annoyed because their
teacher mentioned a (scientific?) theory that tall people tended to be proud, while
short ones tended to be aggressive. Do you agree with this? How tall are you? Has
your height affected you personally in any way? Comments from Google: The
association of temperament with physical characteristics is a more difficult
problem, however. Stereotypes such as "dumb blonde," "fickle red head," and
maxims such as "fat and merry, lean and sad" reveal the general acceptance of an
association between physical characteristics and psychologic traits in our culture.
Of course, most of these stereotypes are false, even statistically, but they are
reinforced in our minds by those occasional chance instances in which the physical
and psychologic traits are seen in the same person (see Chapter 14 regarding
superstitious responses).
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6. Was Zacchy right to feel the way he did before he left the village? Have you felt
or do you feel that way about anybody or institution? Sibling rivalry/jealousy? A
brother who had exactly the same opportunity as a sister calling her bourgoise
because he felt she had advantages; A sister accusing her sister in anger of
behaving like a queen for no good reason. Are you right to have felt that way? If so
how did you react? Was it positive or negative in the sight of God?
7. Is there any comparison between the repercussions of negative response in
Zachys life and yours? If so would you like to change things like Zachy? In the light
of Gods Word, how do you think you can do that?
8. Can you relate with the fact that Zachy was a member of a cult of some sort?
Have you been or a you a member of a street gang, secret cult, professional mafia
or any such group. Do you share any of Zachys repulsion, regret and fear? Do you
want to get out of it? How can you get out of it going by Zachys experience?
9. Why do you think Zachy volunteered to give so much away in exchange for
hosting Jesus? How strongly do you feel about associating with Christ?

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FOR BACK PAGE COVER Front and back

The Conversion Testimony of the Author
Quite simple really. I knew and loved Jesus for many years from reading the Bible over and over
again after I was delivered from smoking just by praying in His name many years back. I loved
His great wisdom when He asked the Pharisees to show Him the picture on the coin and ended
by declaring Give unto Caesar what is Caesar, and to God, what is Gods. What wisdom, what
courage. You just cant trap this guy. Hes too smart to be had!
Then there was His great self-control towards such injustice (even then what struck me most was
that the prostitutes male counterpart was not dragged forward as well). Such injustice and
meanness towards one defenseless, socially-disadvantaged woman. I would have let them had a
piece of my mind! But Jesus was in control and merely let them have a Peace of his mind!):
Alright, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone And none of the accusers,
schemers, could stand the heat just because of a few words from Him. Then such great
compassion towards the woman: Where are your accusers? Didnt even one of them condemn
you? Neither do I. Go and sin no more. So, Yes
I was already in love with Jesus. He was cool. Wise and smart. The kind of man I could look up
to and live happily ever after with!
So this Saviour, blood shed thing rather spoiled things for me. Why dont they just let things be,
after all, does the idea of being a Christian not preclude all this bloody imageries and stuff? Bet
some people just liked complicating things. Today, some Bible passages still make me wonder
how I had such difficulty believing for so long. You see, since the day I was delivered of
smoking 7 years back by getting on my knees, all by my little old self, and praying to God
through Jesus for help and receiving an answer, I had read the Bible in excitement from Genesis
to Revelations several times over, yet without really seeing those passages that so clearly explain
how Jesus is the Saviour!!
For me then, it was pretty clear; This was a VERY GOOD man, in fact the PERFECT man, and
by my estimation, the full and COMPLETE embodiment of all previous prophets in the Bible (I
believed in some odd form of reincarnation then). That was good enough for me, and why dont
they just let things be instead of always talking about sacrifice and blood? Wicked men killed
Him, period. And now He is with God. Case closed!
I was also quite, quite upset with Jesus. I had no doubt whatsoever that He was in Heaven with
God. That is where good men go. I believed that implicitly as it makes simple sense. But why on
earth did this good man had to spoil everything by shouting at the end: My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me?!! It would have been great comfort if that part of the Bible had ended
with a voice responding, I have not forsaken you. Or they could have done me a great favour
by just leaving that cry out. Didnt make sense. Why tell me the story of such a great guy and get
me hooked on him, only to leave me frustrated at the end with that cry!

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I was quite upset with Him for that for years? Could He have been abandoned by God? And pray,
why? I refused to accept that possibility, yet did not know what to make of that cry.
How grateful I am that today I know the conclusion of the matter to His cry prophesied in Psalm
22. You see, Psalm 16 verses 9 -10, quoted by apostle Peter in Acts 2: 26-27 after the apostles
were baptized by the Holy spirit says it all: Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your
Holy One see decay.
So, YES!! He was forsaken and made to go to hell because He was actually carrying MY sin and
YOURS on that cross. And since sin cannot enter Heaven because God is too holy to behold sin,
(.) there was no way He could have entered Heaven in that state. So, Yes, He went to hell
for you and me. That was how my sins and yours were nailed to the cross with Him in death
But NO!!! He was NOT abandoned there. And that was how he saved you and I, as Hebrews
9:22 explains In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. That is how my sins and yours were
cancelled once and for all. That is why you can have salvation today IF you accept the sacrifice
and declare it.
He did come back to life after trashing all our past, present and future sins in hell, and to
convince and reassure us all of the fact that He had overcome death, He showed Himself over a
period of 40 days to those He had prepared to share the Good News with you and I. During that
period He declared All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth And they did
spread the Good News. And that is why you and I and anyone who chooses to accept this
sacrifice can have eternal life today.
Today, I know that that cry that so upset me was in fact the cry that reconciled me to God. Today,
I know He was NOT abandoned but rather He sits at the right hand of God the Father interceding
for me and all those who truly believe. Alleluia!

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