There was great excitement in Becky's house under the stones at the bottom of the river. Her Aunty and Uncle and cousins were coming to stay. She didn't see them very often as her cousins lived a long way away so it was always a time of great excitement when Becky knew they were coming.
'My cousins are coming to stay' Becky told her friends at school the next day.
'Do you mean Daniel and Joanne?' asked William.
'Yes' she answered. 'Isn't it lovely?'
The others agreed. They all liked Becky's cousins.
'When are they coming?' William asked.
'Very soon' laughed Becky as she almost skipped out of the classroom with happiness.
Over the next few days Becky and her friends talked of almost nothing else but the cousins' visit. Then one day Becky knocked on all her friends' doors shouting - 'They are here, come and see them.'
As quick as a flick of a fish's tail they were crowding around her.
'Follow me' she called, and they all dashed through the ferns, round the boulders, past the school, and ended up panting and giggling at Becky's door.
Daniel and Joanne heard the noise and came out. 'Hello everyone' they both said. 'It's great to see you all again.'
'It's great to see you too' they all answered, and everyone laughed, they were SO pleased to see each other.
'What shall we play?' asked Simeon.
'I would just like to talk' said Joanne. 'And hear what has been happening to you all since we were last here.'
'Good idea' agreed Becky. 'Let's swim up to the sheltered bit by the river bank where the tree hangs over, it's not so hot there.'
So that is what they did. They talked about school, and the new babies, about their holidays and so many things. In fact they were chatting so much that they hadn't noticed a large group of soldiers on the opposite side of the river until Daniel said 'I wonder what they are talking about?'
They all looked, and then Simeon said 'They seem to be arguing.'
'Yes' they agreed, 'They are!'
'Shall we swim nearer to find out?' Aaron asked, already beginning to swim across.
Without another word they quietly followed - this could be an Adventure!
Yes! As they reached the opposite shore they found that the soldiers were indeed arguing.
'If you had been asked by the Prophet Elisha to do something really difficult you would have done it, wouldn't you?' asked one of the soldiers.
The little fishes turned their heads to see who the soldier was talking to.
'It's Naaman' whispered Joanne.
'Who?' the others asked.
'Ssh!' said Daniel. 'Listen!'
'But look at this river' Naaman grumbled. 'Our own rivers in Damascus are much better than this!'
'Huh!' said Simeon. 'What's wrong with our river?'
'Be quiet' hissed Daniel again - 'Just listen.'
'I thought the Prophet would have come out and prayed over me, or touched me, and I would have been healed' continued Naaman, and he gave a deep sigh.
'But Sir, it's such a little thing the Prophet has asked you to do' pointed out another of the soldiers.
Naaman looked at his men and saw sadness and love in their eyes. They were right. It was a simple thing he had been asked to do, he just couldn't disappoint them.
'It's seven times I have to dip in the river, isn't it?' he asked.
'Seven times, Sir' the soldiers said with big smiles on their faces. They were so relieved and happy.
So Becky and her cousins, and all their friends watched as Naaman took off his uniform and waded into the river.
'He's a leper!' whispered Aaron.
'Yes' agreed Joanne. 'We know all about him.'
So as Naaman began to dip seven times in the river, Joanne told her friends how very important a Commander of the Syrian Army Naaman was, and how sad everyone felt because his leprosy couldn't be cured.
'Then one day' said Joanne excitedly, 'Naaman's wife bought a servant girl who had been captured by the Syrian soldiers when they raided Israel.'
The others nodded their heads. They all knew of these raids.
'And this little maid knew of the Prophet Elisha whom Naaman has just seen.'
'So she must have told Naaman's wife about Elisha our Prophet' interrupted Becky.
'Yes' said Joanne. 'And the miracles he performs.'
'FOUR TIMES' shouted William who had been counting.
They all looked intently at Naaman.
'There's no difference' said Aaron in a disappointed voice.
'That's because the Prophet said SEVEN TIMES' Daniel reminded him.
So they all watched - FIVE' called Simeon.
'SIX' they all counted.
'SEVEN' and when Naaman came up the seventh time they saw that he was completely cured. No leprosy on him at all.
'HOORAY' they shouted, and swam round and round making such a lot of ripples and waves that one of the soldiers laughed and said 'I think even the fishes are happy for you, Sir.'
Naaman smiled at all his men. 'Thank you everyone' he said, and, turning again to the river, 'And thank you, too' he said to the little fishes.
'Hooray' they shouted again, and then swam as fast as they could back home to tell everyone.
'A Miracle, a Miracle' laughed Becky as she arrived home. We've seen a Miracle. God has performed another Miracle - 'ISN'T IT WONDERFUL?'
Her Mum and Dad smiled at her.
'It always is' her Mum said. 'It always is.'
Elizabeth Aynsley ©

2nd Kings 5 vs. 1 - 14