A short time after the sun was halfway to nightfall, the caravan arrived in the city of Jerusalem. As during past arrivals, homeowners were there to greet the travelers. Couples with no children and those with one or two soon were offered accommodations for themselves and their animals. Those with three or more children were picked later, but none were left without shelter—that included the single men and women.
Not long after the Nazarene’s were sheltered and cared for, people came to Jerusalem for Passover from many directions, and they were all taken care of by homeowners who provided shelter and food at no cost for all, including the animals. Although Daniel could not remember his life in Vancouver, he hoped it was a place comparable to Jerusalem.
“How long does Passover last?” Daniel asked Jesus.
“Seven days,” Jesus told him. “You will have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the city. I will help you. I have some special things that I want to do.”
The following day, Daniel was anxious to see Jerusalem. Joseph told Daniel and Jesus that they were free to go after the animals were fed. Their host, Emanuel, showed them where the feed was kept. Joseph had told him that the boys were capable and knew what to do.
Jesus and Daniel jumped to it and fed the animals in record time. Afterward, Jesus and Daniel rounded up Abraham, Joshua, and Levi, who had also finished with their assigned chores and had permission to go out.
“What are we going to do?” the boys asked Jesus.
“We will take Daniel around the city and let him see all there is to see,” Jesus said.
“Yeah! That would be cool, dudes. Let’s get ’er done,” exclaimed Daniel joyously.
As they led him around, Daniel asked about this and that as he took in the city. When they neared the marketplace, Daniel spied three ladies nearby. He elbowed Jesus and asked, “Who are those women over there?” He pointed them out. “The ones in the fancy robes and all the jewelry.”
Jesus looked and took them into view. “They are sinners, Dan,” he told him.
“Why are they sinners, Jesus? Did they steal all the stuff they are wearing? The robes and jewels?”
“No, Daniel. The robes and jewels belong to them.”
“Then why are they sinners?” Daniel asked.
By then the other boys where all listening, and they looked over at Jesus with questioning eyes.
“They are sinners because they dress to draw men to them. They then entertain them as if they were married,” Jesus said.
“The men they entertain, are they sinners too?” Daniel asked.
Jesus looked at all the boys. “Yes, they are,” he said.
As their show and tell progressed, Daniel was totally enthralled. He felt that Jerusalem was definitely beautiful. A thought crossed his twelve-year-old mind and he blurted it out. “Hey, the general countryside outside of the city looks kind of dry. Where or how does the city get water for the people and the animals?”
“I know. I know,” Levi exclaimed.
They all turned to Levi and he said, “I once heard my father talking with some friends about just that: water for Jerusalem. There are the Solomon Pools with aqueducts to the city and also what is called Gihon Spring. And some people have pools and cisterns to catch and store rain.”
“Yes,” said Joshua, “very much like we have in Nazareth.”
As the day went by, Daniel was enthralled with all he saw. He wondered if where he came from was as lovely as Jerusalem. As hard as he tried, Daniel could not visualize or remember how and why he had woken up in Nazareth. So how could he expect to know what where he came from looked like? He shook his head to clear it of such contemplation as the five boys came to a stop at a large and elaborate building.
“Boy!” Daniel said. “What is that?”
Jesus said, “That is the Temple.”
“OK. But what is it called?” Daniel asked. “What is its name”
Jesus and the other boys looked at Daniel. “The Temple,” Jesus said.
“Can we go in and look?” Daniel asked.
“Not now,” said Jesus. “Maybe later.”
The boys continued showing Daniel Jerusalem. As supper approached, the boys were well on their way to their hosts’ homes and arrived early enough to feed the asses and camels. That was their only daily chore every morning and every night. The boys didn’t balk since it was also their duty back at home in Nazareth.
The days of Passover soon passed. The Nazarenes and the other people who had come to Jerusalem from everywhere for the celebration were saying good-bye and thanking their hosts before getting under way for their journeys home.
Jesus got Daniel’s attention and signaled him to follow as he walked away from the caravan and his family.
“What are we doing?” asked Daniel. “Why are we walking away?”
Jesus did not respond and moved on quickly.
“Hey, man. Yo, dude!” Daniel yelled after him. “What are we doing? Aren’t we going with your family?”
“No, I am not,” Jesus said. “You can turn around and go with them, Daniel.”
Daniel caught up with Jesus and said, “No, I am going with you. I don’t know what you have in your mind to do, but it must be pretty important to get you to abandon your family. They will wonder where you are and worry. Maybe they will wonder about me also.”
“They will think that we are just lagging behind, Daniel.”
“Are we just lagging behind, Jesus?” Daniel asked, his face dripping with consternation. “How soon will we turn back to join them, dude? And why are we doing this anyway?”
Jesus did not respond and just walked on. Daniel followed and asked no more questions.
They located what appeared to be a city park. It was in fact where people who came and went from outside of the city could tether their animals until they were ready to depart, either the same day or soon after.
“We will spend the night here when we are ready,” Jesus said to Daniel.
Daniel looked at him quizzically and then asked, “When did you come up with this escapade, Jesus?”
“Remember when you asked about the Temple? That is when I knew that I needed to be in there, Dan.”
“Why?” Daniel asked. “What is in there that you have to see?”
“Not see, Dan, listen to and speak with.”
“Today? Right now?”
“Maybe not today, but surely tomorrow,” Jesus said.
“Your father and mother will miss you—us. Won’t they come looking for us?”
“Maybe after a time,” Jesus told him. “You saw how many people make up the caravan. They may not accept that we are missing right away.”