You Don't Believe That, Do You?

by Kay Heitsch.

Many years ago, I was in a conversation with a guy who was from a different country than I was. His culture was different, and so was his religion.

At Christmas time, I gave his little daughter a musical snow globe with the nativity scene. Anand questioned me about what the figures in this globe meant to me. I explained the birth of God the Son, Jesus, to him. Anand looked at me like I had lost my mind and gasped, "You don't believe that, do you?" I assured him that I certainly did.

A long time passed, I hadn't seen Anand in a while when he stopped over. Much to my surprise, he informed me that he had been working in Israel and bought a gift. Anand told me he walked the Via Dolorosa and had prayed for me at each stop. He handed me the gift bag.

When I took the tissue paper out, a little nativity scene made out of olive wood was in the bag.

Today, this story came back to my mind as I thought about the Via Dolorosa and the stops of Jesus.

I'll never forget Anand's words. "You don't believe that, do you?" The answer is still the same. "Yes, I most certainly do!"