Living Stones (36 page)

Ashley recognized Harborview Medical Center. The X-rays showed no fracture. An ankle boot and crutches would keep her comfortable as the sprain healed.

Their FIUTS guide appeared, shaking his head with relief. The team had looked for them. “But the one remaining Mount Rainier climbing guide at Muir advised me to get the group off the mountain as quickly as possible. He led us down using his GPS and compass. They arranged a search and rescue as soon as possible. But they had to wait out the worst of the storm. Obviously a helicopter could not fly with the strong wind and zero visibility.”

Ashley and Najid expressed their appreciation to all. She felt embarrassed that she had caused so much trouble for so many people.

Ashley’s mind whirled as the team guide drove them home. She gazed at him in the rearview mirror. “We could have become increasingly hypothermic. You had the foresight to put a snow shovel and thermal blankets in our packs—even in the summertime!”

Ashley gazed at Najid in the front seat. She smiled, recalling their conversation in the snow cave. Was it a proposal of marriage or not? Certainly not your traditional down-on-one-knee proposal. All done theoretically, in third person. She chuckled. But one thing she had learned, he wanted to talk to her father. No, he needed to talk to her father.

Sitting in her house with her left ankle up on the couch enclosed with an ice pack, Ashley felt like Cleopatra. First Najid and then her housemates catered to her every need. This had to stop. And it did. By the next day she crutched to the telephone when no one answered it.

“Hello.”

“Appleby here. May I speak to Ashley?”

“Oh yes, Mr. Appleby. This is Ashley.”

“I just read in the paper of your adventures on the mountain. You keep having them.”

“I’m so embarrassed about it. It put lots of people in danger.”

“Don’t worry now. That’s what those rescue guys enjoy doing. Lovely maidens in distress, you know.”

Ashley chuckled. “OK.”

“What I called about, Ashley, is with another update on Robert and to convey a request. The lawyers worked out a plea bargain that the judge accepted. So Robert is awaiting sentencing, and the judge has allowed him to have visitors now.”

“Do his parents know that?”

“Yes they do. But he’s asking to see you.”

Ashley drew a deep breath and sighed. “It must be terrible, in jail, no visitors, alone, waiting for a severe sentence of years in prison. Yes, I’ll go. What are the hours? Should I call ahead?”

“He’s not in solitary anymore. So you need an appointment time, and you would see him in a visiting area with a glass between you. Good luck. He’s anxious to see you.”

After several of her “crutch days,” Ashley could walk with her ankle boot. Between writing her thesis, spending time with Najid, and planning her parents’ visit, she needed to think about Robert again. So sad to see a young man get to such a dark place that he could kill—actually take a life. Now coming out from there, he faced a life ruined. So young. What help could she be? Why did he want to see her again? She called to make an appointment.

An appointment? Her mind wandered. Why not make one to see Jim also? He had become more than her associate pastor and team leader. He had become a good friend. He seemed to understand Najid and his background now. The visit to Bethlehem and meeting the students in the Bible College, he said, encouraged him to explore his own theology in a renewed way. And hearing Najid’s family story had affected him as it did the whole travel team, and even Pastor Tom, their senior pastor. She could confide in Jim her dilemma—her love for that Palestinian man her parents had rejected.

Robert wore an orange jumpsuit. It seemed strange to Ashley, talking to him behind glass with headphones and a microphone. What a barrier to human contact, she thought. He looked so pale and forlorn. But after initial greetings, they soon forgot the glass barrier, microphones, and speakers. Robert’s eyes watered at seeing Ashley.

“I’ve gone over and over what you said about forgiveness, Ashley. I chose to forgive my parents like you said. You know, for exchanging money for love all my growing up years. And now, you know, I’m sorry I ever got involved in this jihadist thing. I’ve hurt my parents like they hurt me. I could ask the judge for forgiveness, but that wouldn’t change the facts of what I did and the penalty that I must pay. Justice must be served.” A tear rolled down his cheek, and he grew quiet.

“I am sorry too, Robert, that any of this happened. But it did. You can’t change that and you have to pay your debt. But you still have a life to live, even in prison.”

“I know that. But I want to understand about penalties you must pay and how forgiveness works. All I’ve ever known is revenge.”

That began a long discussion as Ashley tried to answer the many questions Robert posed.

“How can God forgive us?”

“Because justice has been served . . . on the man from Galilee.”

After an hour, a guard came to take Robert back to his cell.

He gazed at her, nodding. “You bring me hope, Ashley. Will you come again?”

“Yeah, I will.” She watched as the two men walked through the doorway. Robert looked back, with tears in his eyes.

Ashley strolled into Jim’s office at the church, remembering the first time they met before the eventful trip and their many experiences together in the Holy Land that changed them both.

“You became famous again, Ashley. I read about you the other day, surviving at night on Mount Rainier in the storm. You’ve got to quit these harrowing adventures.”

She laughed and shook her head. “That’s what Gordon Appleby said. But you know, Jim, stuff happens. Hopefully I can learn from it.”

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? I don’t get to see you at church very often. Too many people.”

“I want to get your thoughts, about Najid—”

“That guy planted a bombshell around here,” Jim interrupted. “Sorry,” he chuckled, “poor choice of words,”

Ashley laughed, then grew more serious. “I’m sorry if he caused trouble. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to share in our debriefing.”

“No, no! We had a wonderful challenge! He’s sparked a lot of thought, debate, and theological discussions. No matter what we believe, we need to embrace love of our neighbor and avoid thinking one group has exclusive rights no one else has. I wonder if we have sometimes lost sight of justice and mercy. We need to see all the people involved in the Holy Land as those God loves, who need him and need each other. I couldn’t believe the effect his story has had on our senior pastor.”

“What effect? You mean . . . for good?”

“Yeah. Just like I experienced first in Bethlehem at the college. I had never heard the personal side of what has happened over
there. Najid’s story cuts to the heart of the injustice . . . of years. It was powerful.”

“So what now?”

“Well, for one thing, the leaders in this church began some deep discussions of our Zionist theology. How can we support our brothers and sisters of Palestine
and
Israel who are trying to bring peace with
justice
?”

“Wow! I am so excited to hear what’s going on. But that’s not actually what I came to talk about.”

“Yeah,” Jim smiled,

“but you brought up Najid, who turned us upside down.”

“OK, I did. But not for that reason.”

“So, what is the reason?”

That began the long story of Ashley’s history with Najid, meeting his family in Galilee, his leading the police to Robert, their increasing time together, and their love for each other. She related her parents’ total rejection of Najid in the hospital, and their advice to not see him as a friend. Then she told about the conversation in the snow cave involving their respective parents, and Najid’s roundabout way of telling her he would like to marry her, but would have to get her father’s permission before he would even propose to her. And there lay the problem.

“Why do you think your parents have rejected Najid so strongly?”

“I’m not sure except that he is Palestinian, and of course all Palestinians are terrorists. Besides he’s different from my parents, and even though he might be a Christian, they could not trust him. They have no idea what a wonderful man he is. And from such a loving family.”

“Do your parents have a Christian Zionist view?”

“Oh, Jim! In spades! They outdo our church here in supporting the Israeli government’s positions. I had the same general ideas when I came to Seattle, as you may recall, because that is how I was brought up. Like most Americans, they have no idea from the news outlets here what is really going on in Israel and the West Bank.”

Jim put his hands together and lowered his head, obviously deep in thought. Ashley waited. He finally spoke. “I’d like to meet your parents, Ashley. Do they ever come to visit you here?”

Ashley laughed. “Would you believe they’re going to be here in five days? I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do. Do I share about Najid and how we love each other despite their disapproval? Do I put them all in a room and let them duke it out together? Or do I say nothing, keep Najid away, and make no progress at all?”

“Probably none of the above, Ashley. Let me talk to them. I’ll work something out. Let’s meet after church. You can introduce us, and I’ll take it from there. I would not talk to them about Najid if I were you. At least not until after we have a chance to meet. You and Najid should not be with us here in the office while we talk. He doesn’t attend here, does he?”

“No. That’s great Jim, whatever you can do. They’ll be here for just two days before I bring them to church. Thanks for coming to my aid, again.”

“I’ve got to think about this a bit. I may call you to get a bit more information.”

Sunny and seventy degrees in Seattle, Dorothy.” Frank Wells peeked at his wife before he reclined his seat as the airplane reached cruising altitude. “Their Indian summer’s a lot cooler than ours in Oklahoma.”

“I’m looking forward to some respite from the heat,” Dorothy sighed.

“Seattle is a different place.” Frank turned toward Dorothy. She looked so much like Ashley at times. “I wonder if we should have encouraged our daughter to go somewhere else for graduate school?”