“God, please be with me. Be with me as You were with Daniel in the lions’ den. You are my Protector, my Stronghold. Thank-You.” As he came flying through the last small clearing about twelve feet across, he started screaming at the top of his lungs in an effort to scare the cougar away.
As he came bursting through the bushes, grass, and branches screaming and waving his arms,
he nearly ran smack into Mike as he was holding and comforting his daughter. If they weren’t scared before Elijah arrived, they were absolutely horrified at the sight of this man who is screaming and waving his arms like a maniac with large chunks of bloody flesh hanging off his face like ribbons. Micah began screaming and crying as Eric, just out of sheer instinct, jumped on Elijah and wrestled him to the ground, and with his eyes closed, was swinging his fists at Elijah’s head with everything he had. Everyone was running on pure fear and adrenaline. Mike lunged to pull Eric off Elijah while Micah retained a vise-like grip around her father’s waist and her head buried in the small of his back. As Eric got up, Elijah screamed in agony and wiped the blood out of his eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I think a better question is, “What the hell is wrong with you?? You look like you lost a fight with a legion of ninjas.” Mike couldn't stop staring at this mess of blood and flesh in front of him. He was in a nightmare and was trying to force himself awake.
“I understand I may have startled you a bit, but I came running to save this little girl. Certainly a funny way of saying thank-you, if you ask me.” The pain ripping through Elijah's face coursed through his body in waves, buckling his knees.
“What were you going to save my daughter from, pal?” There was mix of sarcasm and curiosity in Mike’s voice.
“The same cougar that did this to my face about an hour ago. I nearly ran right into him while he was perched in this tree over here when I came out of this clearing and he lunged at my head. I ducked, but he swatted my face. I've never felt pain like this before and I know that it’s bled a lot.”
“My daughter screamed when they came across your.....”
“Tallit....prayer shawl.”
“Uh, right. Well, it really startled her to see something soaked in blood out here in the middle of nowhere. I guess I should introduce myself and my kids. My name is Mike Blanchard, and this is my son, Eric...”
“Sorry I jumped on you. I was really scared and it was just instinct. I hope I didn’t hurt your face any more than it is already.”
“No problem. I’m sure it looks worse than it really is, anyway. It hurts but I figure it'll be better in a couple of days...I figure it’s like a razor cut when you’re shaving. Those bleed forever.”
“No, you're a mess and in need of immediate medical attention. Oh. this is my daughter, Micah. She’s still quite shaken.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Micah. I’m terribly sorry I scared you. My name is Elijah. Boy, today has been pretty extraordinary, to say the least.” Eric shook Elijah’s hand, as did Mike, but Micah continued to hide behind her dad and brother. She didn’t want to get close to this guy who looked like he just walked off the set of “Friday the 13th”; only those gashes in his face were real, and they were deep; running the length of his face from the corner of his eyebrow downwards to just below his earlobe. His face was wide open and bleeding badly.
“What were you going to save my daughter from, pal?” There was mix of sarcasm and curiosity in Mike’s voice.
“The same cougar that did this to my face about an hour ago. I nearly ran right into him while he was perched in this tree over here when I came out of this clearing and he lunged at my head. I ducked, but he swatted my face. I've never felt pain like this before and I know that it’s bled a lot.”
“My daughter screamed when they came across your.....”
“Tallit....prayer shawl.”
“Uh, right. Well, it really startled her to see something soaked in blood out here in the middle of nowhere. I guess I should introduce myself and my kids. My name is Mike Blanchard, and this is my son, Eric...”
“Sorry I jumped on you. I was really scared and it was just instinct. I hope I didn’t hurt your face any more than it is already.”
“No problem. I’m sure it looks worse than it really is, anyway. It hurts but I figure it'll be better in a couple of days...I figure it’s like a razor cut when you’re shaving. Those bleed forever.”
“No, you're a mess and in need of immediate medical attention. Oh. this is my daughter, Micah. She’s still quite shaken.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Micah. I’m terribly sorry I scared you. My name is Elijah. Boy, today has been pretty extraordinary, to say the least.” Eric shook Elijah’s hand, as did Mike, but Micah continued to hide behind her dad and brother. She didn’t want to get close to this guy who looked like he just walked off the set of “Friday the 13th”; only those gashes in his face were real, and they were deep; running the length of his face from the corner of his eyebrow downwards to just below his earlobe. His face was wide open and bleeding badly.
“Yeah, that’s my prayer shawl. Look, I live near-by, just under that outcropping over there...”
“That’s where we were heading to climb,” Eric piped-in.
“Well, that’s where I set up camp. You’re welcome to walk back with me if you’d like.”
He seemed like a nice-enough guy, so Mike accepted his offer. Besides, the kids needed to sit down and unwind for a little bit. The walk was a relatively short one when Elijah announced they had arrived Mike was confused, expecting to see a cabin or trailer, but there was nothing...just a semi-enclosed area covered by pine needles and surrounded by large rocks. He saw nothing here to indicate that Elijah was camping, much less living here.
“Well, Elijah, honestly...I feel as though I’m in the Twilight Zone. This has been the most bizarre day of my life, if not the most frightening. Let me say first that your face needs immediate medical attention. Are you camping?”
“Well, sort-of. On a long-term basis. I’ve decided to move out here and just live in the wild. Right off the land. Pioneer-style.”
“Elijah, I can’t leave you out here like this, so why don’t you pack up your stuff....wait, where is all your stuff? You do have gear, don’t you?”
“Uh....” Elijah shifted uncomfortably. “Not exactly.”
“Sleeping bag?”
“No.”
“Jacket?”
“Nope.”
“Any non-perishable food?”
“Didn’t have time to pack.”
Mike was beginning to understand. Either Elijah was a runaway, or he was a fugitive of the law. Regardless, he needed prompt medical attention or he'd be dead soon.
“Elijah, all of us have been kinda thrown together in a bizarre set of events today, so I hope you don’t mind me asking what’s going on with you. I grew-up in these parts, and I know just how dangerous and unforgiving this wilderness can be. I see that you’re wearing church clothes in the middle of the wild with no sleeping bag and no provisions. Are you here to commit suicide, Elijah?
“First of all, I am a Jew, and I wouldn’t be caught dead in a church. My father is the chief Rabbi of the largest synagogue in Portland.” Mike made a mental note to look this guy up later to inform him
“That’s where we were heading to climb,” Eric piped-in.
“Well, that’s where I set up camp. You’re welcome to walk back with me if you’d like.”
He seemed like a nice-enough guy, so Mike accepted his offer. Besides, the kids needed to sit down and unwind for a little bit. The walk was a relatively short one when Elijah announced they had arrived Mike was confused, expecting to see a cabin or trailer, but there was nothing...just a semi-enclosed area covered by pine needles and surrounded by large rocks. He saw nothing here to indicate that Elijah was camping, much less living here.
“Well, Elijah, honestly...I feel as though I’m in the Twilight Zone. This has been the most bizarre day of my life, if not the most frightening. Let me say first that your face needs immediate medical attention. Are you camping?”
“Well, sort-of. On a long-term basis. I’ve decided to move out here and just live in the wild. Right off the land. Pioneer-style.”
“Elijah, I can’t leave you out here like this, so why don’t you pack up your stuff....wait, where is all your stuff? You do have gear, don’t you?”
“Uh....” Elijah shifted uncomfortably. “Not exactly.”
“Sleeping bag?”
“No.”
“Jacket?”
“Nope.”
“Any non-perishable food?”
“Didn’t have time to pack.”
Mike was beginning to understand. Either Elijah was a runaway, or he was a fugitive of the law. Regardless, he needed prompt medical attention or he'd be dead soon.
“Elijah, all of us have been kinda thrown together in a bizarre set of events today, so I hope you don’t mind me asking what’s going on with you. I grew-up in these parts, and I know just how dangerous and unforgiving this wilderness can be. I see that you’re wearing church clothes in the middle of the wild with no sleeping bag and no provisions. Are you here to commit suicide, Elijah?
“First of all, I am a Jew, and I wouldn’t be caught dead in a church. My father is the chief Rabbi of the largest synagogue in Portland.” Mike made a mental note to look this guy up later to inform him
about his son’s whereabouts.
“Secondly, you need not be concerned about my personal business. I am not out here to commit suicide, just start a new life. I will learn to provide for myself. I’ll learn as I go. Can’t be that tough...pioneers did it years ago, so I can too.”
Mike was angry at this guy’s ignorance because he knew that Elijah didn’t have a chance out here. He would be incredibly fortunate to survive two weeks, and his last days, however many he has left, will be a tortured existence. He’ll probably be praying and begging for death to come quickly, but it won’t. It will be elusive, teasing him but evading his grasp. He may starve to death, maybe die of thirst; and if the animals don’t get to him and kill him, the inevitable infection in his facial wound certainly will. Mike had to do something.
“Elijah, why don’t you come with us and we’ll get you to a hospital so that wound can get stitched and dressed. It’s really bad, and if you don’t get it taken care-of, you’ll be sure to get an infection which will probably kill you. It’s nothing to mess with, Elijah. You can stay with us for awhile until you get better, and then come back out here if you want.” Mike knew that he would decline, but he had to offer.
“No thanks, Mike. That’s a kind offer, but I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look.”
With that, Elijah managed a mangled smile, so Mike smiled back but he wanted to grab him and shake some sense into his thick, stubborn head.
“Ok, suit yourself. We should get going, though. It’s going to get dark soon, and we don’t want to get caught out here. Here, why don’t you take these supplies we brought? You have nothing right now, and who knows, these just might keep you alive for a few extra days. I have a couple canteens of water, a few MRE’s, (Meal, Ready To Eat); a flashlight, a shelter-half, and a rain poncho. Oh, here’s a bandage and a compress for your face. Would you like me to clean and bandage it for you before we go?”
“No, I’ll be alright, really. Thanks anyway, Mike.”
“You’ll need a lot of water, so you should find your water source first. There's a stream about a mile to the east of here, but it's seasonal. It may be dried up right now, but it's worth checking first thing tomorrow. You can only go a few days without it before you die of dehydration. Good luck, Elijah.”
As they walked away, he almost thought he heard them saying a prayer for him.
“Secondly, you need not be concerned about my personal business. I am not out here to commit suicide, just start a new life. I will learn to provide for myself. I’ll learn as I go. Can’t be that tough...pioneers did it years ago, so I can too.”
Mike was angry at this guy’s ignorance because he knew that Elijah didn’t have a chance out here. He would be incredibly fortunate to survive two weeks, and his last days, however many he has left, will be a tortured existence. He’ll probably be praying and begging for death to come quickly, but it won’t. It will be elusive, teasing him but evading his grasp. He may starve to death, maybe die of thirst; and if the animals don’t get to him and kill him, the inevitable infection in his facial wound certainly will. Mike had to do something.
“Elijah, why don’t you come with us and we’ll get you to a hospital so that wound can get stitched and dressed. It’s really bad, and if you don’t get it taken care-of, you’ll be sure to get an infection which will probably kill you. It’s nothing to mess with, Elijah. You can stay with us for awhile until you get better, and then come back out here if you want.” Mike knew that he would decline, but he had to offer.
“No thanks, Mike. That’s a kind offer, but I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look.”
With that, Elijah managed a mangled smile, so Mike smiled back but he wanted to grab him and shake some sense into his thick, stubborn head.
“Ok, suit yourself. We should get going, though. It’s going to get dark soon, and we don’t want to get caught out here. Here, why don’t you take these supplies we brought? You have nothing right now, and who knows, these just might keep you alive for a few extra days. I have a couple canteens of water, a few MRE’s, (Meal, Ready To Eat); a flashlight, a shelter-half, and a rain poncho. Oh, here’s a bandage and a compress for your face. Would you like me to clean and bandage it for you before we go?”
“No, I’ll be alright, really. Thanks anyway, Mike.”
“You’ll need a lot of water, so you should find your water source first. There's a stream about a mile to the east of here, but it's seasonal. It may be dried up right now, but it's worth checking first thing tomorrow. You can only go a few days without it before you die of dehydration. Good luck, Elijah.”
As they walked away, he almost thought he heard them saying a prayer for him.
***
“Kids, Elijah needs our prayers. Actually, he needs a lot more than our prayers, but that's about all we can offer him right now. He’s in big trouble.”
“That's for sure. Dad, how come we don’t have prayer shawls?” Eric was clearly curious about what made them different from Elijah.
"Well son, Elijah is Jewish.”
“That's for sure. Dad, how come we don’t have prayer shawls?” Eric was clearly curious about what made them different from Elijah.
"Well son, Elijah is Jewish.”
“What does that mean?” Micah had never heard of Jewish before and was intrigued.
“The term 'Jewish' can mean two things: it can mean a race of people, or it can refer to the religion of Judaism. Those followers are called Jews. That's what Jesus was, Eric. Jews gave us the Old Testament and most of the New Testament." Eric and Micah just looked at him for a moment while they digested this bit of information and let it sink in.
"Did Jesus have a prayer shawl like that one?" Micah also had a zeal for life and knowledge. Mike loved that about his kids. They refused to be glued to video games and meaningless television programs. If they watched TV, it was usually things on the Discovery channel. They loved nature programs, and because of that, Mike has always suspected that they may grow up to be biologists, veterinarians, or something in the life science field.
"I really don't know, honey. I'm sure he did."
"What was that thing on his head?" The kids didn't miss a thing.
"That's called a yarmulke, and they wear it out of reverence to God. The Jewish people love God very, very much but they don't believe in Jesus."
"Why not???" These two couldn't believe that someone could love God so much, but not believe in Jesus. He understood a little bit about the wall of enmity that exists between the Church and the Jewish people, but he wasn't sure how to explain that to his children. How do you explain that people who claim to believe the very same things you do, claim to love the same Jesus they do, annihilated over six million Jewish people in the name of Jesus?? It's nearly impossible for his finite mind to comprehend a number that big, and it truly made his heart hurt and ache when he considered the unconscionable, colossal sin committed by an evil few.
"Did Jesus have a prayer shawl like that one?" Micah also had a zeal for life and knowledge. Mike loved that about his kids. They refused to be glued to video games and meaningless television programs. If they watched TV, it was usually things on the Discovery channel. They loved nature programs, and because of that, Mike has always suspected that they may grow up to be biologists, veterinarians, or something in the life science field.
"I really don't know, honey. I'm sure he did."
"What was that thing on his head?" The kids didn't miss a thing.
"That's called a yarmulke, and they wear it out of reverence to God. The Jewish people love God very, very much but they don't believe in Jesus."
"Why not???" These two couldn't believe that someone could love God so much, but not believe in Jesus. He understood a little bit about the wall of enmity that exists between the Church and the Jewish people, but he wasn't sure how to explain that to his children. How do you explain that people who claim to believe the very same things you do, claim to love the same Jesus they do, annihilated over six million Jewish people in the name of Jesus?? It's nearly impossible for his finite mind to comprehend a number that big, and it truly made his heart hurt and ache when he considered the unconscionable, colossal sin committed by an evil few.
Tears came to his eyes as he looked at his little girl and simply said, "Honey, there are a few doctrinal points that they disagree with us about. Pray for them, sweetie.” Micah looked up at him with the sweetest smile that could melt the hardest heart. His daughter loved Jesus with everything in her...they were truly best friends, so he had no doubt that she would be talking to Jesus very soon about these Jews that she just learned about who need Him.
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