ELPIDA THE SYROPHOENICIAN
32 AD – Village of Cadasa, Sidon, Phoenicia
They arrived at Cadasa just before the sunset. Elpida hopped off the cart she was riding on at the outskirts of the town. Saying a fond farewell to the old cart driver, she headed for a pathway that skirted the town’s perimeter wall. She came to a cluster of farm houses and went straight to the farthest house. As she came close, she can hear a little girl’s screaming. Elpida quickened her pace. Not hesitating, she didn’t bother knocking and pushed open the door to find a woman, her cousin, and a young lad struggling to calm a smaller child girl shaking and thrashing on the floor.
“I expected you four days ago,” said her cousin calmly and like she expected her. “I hope you were successful this time.
“No. I just missed him in Galilee. But now he is nowhere to be seen.”
“So, what is your next plan, cousin?”
“I intend to search for him closer to the source. You remember my friend, Demacli, the one who wrote and told me about the man of Nazareth who is performing God-like miracles throughout the lands of the Jews. He convinced me to move to his city at Hippus… the free cities of the Greeks. He said that this healer will again stop by to his city.”
“How does he know this and why would this Jew go there… a city not of his own?”
“Demacli was just like my Yllana, in fact, he was a lot worse. I would know, he came to me once, but I could not help him. This man…” she paused in thought and then said, “This God-man freed him from not just one or two evil spirits, but a legion of them. He is the one I have been searching for. Yllana and I will leave the end of the week.”
A few days later, Elpida had picked up some produce from the marketplace, when she spotted four men who were clearly Galileans by their clothing and their accents. This was not as unusual, for many Jews have dealings in this region, but she recognised one of them. Demacli had pointed him out to her once. The older of them was clearly the disciple called Matthew, a former tax collector. They purchased food and started to walk away. She decided to follow them.
They went to a neighborhood near the center of the town where the rich tradesmen have their homes. They headed to a tall house with a stone wall surrounding it. The double gates were open and the four men entered it. Elpida lingered outside looking through the gates. Inside was an courtyard and an overhanging pavillion that lead into the house. The four were greeted by another group of eleven who were lounging on the pavilion’s steps. One of them stood up to greet them. Somehow, she knew that this man was him. It is Jesus of Nazareth. With no hesitation, she rushed through the gates calling out, “Lord! Lord!”
The men stood, startled by the entry of this strange woman. She went to the man who she believed is Jesus of Nazareth. She pushed her way through some of them then fell on the ground at his feet. When some of the men tried to pull her away, she cried out, “Lord, Lord… have mercy on me!” When she felt them pulling her away even more, she looked up to find that he was not looking her way. She had to think quickly on what would make him look. Then she got it. She desperately called out, “Son of David!” When he turned to face her, there was a slight twinkle in his eye and hope sprang up in her. She felt the tugging stop.
“Son of David have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
Jesus stepped forward and his disciples stepped back. Some of them were whispering and visibly showing their disapproval. One of them said, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” Jesus came closer and pulled her up to stand. He gave just a slight smile, then he turned and faced the men.
“Let the children be satisfied first,” Jesus announced in a loud voice. “It is not good to take the children’s bread…” He paused, then said, “and throw it to the dogs.”
In a blink of an eye, she realized that Jesus’ proclamation was not more for her but for his disciples. But an answer from her was needed. She believed who he is and that he is kind and loving. She also realized that he is also just. “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Jesus turned around with a big smile. “Woman, you have great faith! Because of this answer go home, for the demon has gone out of your daughter.” [Matthew 15:21-28]
Jesus asked one of his followers, a foreigner, by the look of him, to escort her home. Twenty minutes later, they were just a stone’s throw away from her cousin’s house, she could hear the giggling voice of her daughter, sounding quite normal. She was about to sprint to the door, but the foreign man put his hand gently on her arm.
“The master wanted you to know that the one whom you sought for years since Greece is He.”
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Greeting friends…
I hope you are enjoying the 39th segment of my ebook, FAITHFUL ENCOUNTERS.
Feel free to leave your comments below. I look forward to read your comments and constructive inputs that will help me direct my creative thoughts.
Thank you.
Until the next post.
Johann Q.
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Johann Quisumbing 