And so, by a strange twist of fate, the four of them set out together on a one-night journey on foot—
with one donkey carrying their heavy bags, and another small traveler, a kitten with a broken leg.
Their destination was Capernaum, a large town by the inland Sea of Galilee.
They would have to cross the mountains, so it would not be an easy journey.
For Luke, traveling with the talkative brothers Peter and Andrew was a perfect chance to learn a new language.
He never grew tired of asking them the names of everything he saw along the way.
Peter was about five years older than Luke, but Andrew was the same age.
The songs the two brothers sang were songs Dina knew well, and she joined in, singing with them.
She enjoyed speaking and singing in Hebrew, and little by little her brightness returned.
Dressed in Jewish clothing, Dina looked like a Jewish woman no matter where she stood.
Luke watched his beautiful mother with a quiet sense of wonder.
A cool wind blew from distant Mount Hermon and felt good on their warm, tired bodies.
The injured kitten lay quietly in the basket Luke carried over his shoulder.
Along both sides of the narrow, well-worn path, hyacinths and daffodils were blooming.
There were also purple irises—flowers Luke had never seen before.
“Hey, what kind of town is Nazareth?”
Luke asked Andrew as they rested.
Andrew grinned and replied,
“On the eastern hill of Nazareth, there’s a singer.”
“A singer?”
Peter joined the conversation.
“A singer, yeah. A boy. The singer on the hill.”
Luke still didn’t understand.
“He’s always singing. La-la-laaa,” Andrew said.
“But sometimes he stops—like this.”
Andrew tilted his head back and stood still with his mouth open.
“He’s a carpenter’s son,” Peter added,
making motions as if filing wood.
“Tap-tap-tap, shhh-shhh-shhh.”
Luke was more confused than ever.
Then Peter looked at Dina with serious eyes and said,
“His mother is beautiful. Just like you.”
Dina smiled and asked gently,
“Thank you. And what is the name of that singing boy’s mother?”
“Mary!”
The two brothers answered together, loudly and at the same time.
Mary!
That Mary.
Memories from Dina’s childhood came flooding back.
Mary—her dearest friend.
They used to meet every evening at the well in Nazareth.
They understood each other so well.
They talked and laughed endlessly.
Mary was always singing.
She had a beautiful voice, and songs of praise to God were always on her lips.
She was the one woman Dina thought she could never compare herself to.
Not because of beauty, but because of Mary’s wisdom and deep love for God.
Even the boys who admired Dina treated Mary with special respect.
“Does Mary have other children too?” Dina asked softly.
“She does,” Andrew replied.
“Three boys and two girls. They’re always singing together.
But the singer—he’s special.”
Oh, how Dina longed to see Mary again.
She wanted to tell her everything that was in her heart—
her joys, her sorrows, her bitter regrets, and her thoughts about God.
The journey continued beneath the open sky.
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