In through the barn door they flew and the noise they were making brought Mum’s head peering over the top of the nest.
‘Well! You certainly sound as if you have had an exciting time’ Mum smiled round at them all.
‘Oh! We have’ said Susy. ‘You just wont believe what we have seen!’
‘You had better come in then and tell me’ said Mum.
It took quite a long time to tell their story as the children constantly interrupted each other to add little bits here and there which the other had missed out. But in the end their story was told.
Mum was astonished!
‘Do you think Saul will be blind for the rest of his life? she asked Dad when the children had finished.
Dad gave Mum the same answer as he had given the children - ‘I don’t think so’ he said. ‘I think God must have a Very Special Work for Saul to do. It is not everyone who meets Jesus in such as amazing way, is it?’
‘Indeed, no’ agreed Mum.
‘And we are going to see Saul tomorrow’ cut in Simmy.
‘Really?’ Mum asked.
‘I thought perhaps we could cheer him up’ Dad said. ‘Even if he can’t see us he will be able to hear us.’
Mum nodded - ‘What a good idea.’
‘We will sing to him’ decided Susy. ‘The Psalm we have just learned.’
‘That should bring his sight back’ teased Simmy. ‘The shock of hearing you sing will ......’
But he got no further as Susy lunged forward to tweak his tail. Out of the nest Simmy flew like a flash, laughing and giggling. Susy flew after him, and the sound of their happy laughter floated back to the nest where Mum and Dad smiled contentedly.
The following morning at breakfast Susy asked ‘Are you coming to Damascus with us this morning, Mum?’
‘Yes, I think I will’ Mum answered. ‘I’d like to see Saul.’
But, as it happened, they were unable to go as Gran and Grandpa arrived unexpectedly. The children always loved to see their Grandparents so the disappointment wasn’t too hard to bear, but, even so, they were eager to be off.
It wasn’t until two days later that they were able to fly to Judas’s house.
‘He’s in there somewhere’ explained Simmy to Mum as they hovered above the roof.
‘You wait here, and I’ll see if I can find him’ said Dad.
So they waited as patiently as they could until he returned.
‘Yes, he’s still here, I’ve seen him’ Dad said when he rejoined them on the roof. ‘He is in a room at the back of the house - follow me’ and off he flew.
Simmy and Susy almost knocked each other over in their eagerness to see Saul.
‘Steady, you two’ called Mum, ‘Or there’ll be an accident.’
But Simmy and Susy didn’t even hear as they concentrated on following Dad.
It was a strange-shaped house with a strange-shaped corner room. Half of the small window looked out over the neighbour’s roof to the side, whilst the other half overlooked the courtyard at the back. Saul, they saw, was resting his elbows on the window ledge and listening to the sound of the animals in the courtyard below. Simmy and Susy immediately flew down on to the window ledge overlooking the roof so as not to startle him.
‘Shall we sing now?’ Susy whispered.
‘Yes, why not’ agreed Simmy.
And so, in their best and sweetest voices, the children began to sing their beautiful Psalm.
No sooner had they started than Saul lifted his head and slowly turned towards the ledge where Simmy and Susy were singing of their Heavenly Father’s great love for all His creation.
‘Oh, how wonderful’ Mum and Dad heard Saul say.
‘My Father in heaven has sent these dear Swallows to cheer me up, just when I was feeling so lonely’ and he smiled.
Mum and Dad felt so proud of their children.
As Simmy and Susy came to the closing notes of their Psalm, Saul put out his hands and stroked their shiny feathers. ‘Thank you for coming, and for singing so sweetly. I do hope you will come again.’
The children chirruped happily - ‘We will come again tomorrow’ they said, then they flew up to the roof to join Mum and Dad.
‘We CAN come tomorrow to see Saul, can’t we?’ they asked.
‘Of course’ agreed Mum and Dad. ‘You sang very well, and cheered him up so he will be looking forward to your next visit.’
At supper time this was all they talked about - how happy they had made Saul by just being there, and, of course, singing their Psalm.
‘What shall we sing tomorrow?’ Susy asked.
They all thought hard, and then Dad said ‘Why don’t you sing the Song of Moses? It will give him courage and strength when he remembers God’s miracles, and how He never leaves us, but always cares for us.’
‘What a brilliant idea’ said Simmy. And so it was decided.
The following day - three days after Saul had met Jesus on the road to Damascus - the family flew again to Saul’s window ledge. He was waiting for them - or so it seemed to Simmy and Susy!
‘Hello!’ they called.
Immediately Saul’s face brightened.
‘Hello! I’m so glad you came. Are you going to sing for me again?’ he asked.
For their answer the children opened their little beaks and sang as they had never sung before.
There was a deep silence as the last sweet notes faded away into the distance. Then, ‘Beautiful’ said Saul. ‘Truly Beautiful.’
Again he stroked their shiny coats, and was just about to speak when a knock came to the door. Saul turned from the window and called ‘Who is there?’
‘Ananias’ came the reply.
A smile spread over Saul’s face. ‘Come in’ he answered. ‘I’ve been expecting you.’
Mum and Dad had by now joined the children on the ledge.
‘You sang beautifully’ Mum told them as she brushed away a tear.
‘Yes, we heard you clearly’ added proud Dad. ‘And we could see that Saul enjoyed it too.’
‘Yes, he did’ agreed Susy. ‘He told us so.’
Mum beamed at them, then asked - ‘Who is that man coming into the room?’
‘It’s Ananias’ chirped up Simmy.
‘Welcome Ananias’ they now heard Saul say. ‘I had a vision of your coming and restoring my sight.’
‘The Lord told me to come - the One whom you met on the road to Damascus’ explained Ananias. Then, placing his hands on Saul he said “Jesus has sent me so that you might see again, and be filled with the love and power of the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately Saul blinked his eyes - And He Could See Again!
Up into the air flew the four Swallows, shouting and squealing with delight.
‘A Miracle! A Miracle!’ chattered Susy.
‘It’s even better than seeing criminals being captured’ laughed Simmy.
‘Our wonderful Lord’ called Mum to anyone who could understand.
‘He will be a great man, especially chosen by God’ announced Dad. ‘Listen to him, because Jesus has changed his life.’
Saul smiled as he looked out of the window at his happy, noisy, friends.
‘They have kept me company’ he explained to Ananias. ‘And sang gloriously. They made me feel happy.’
Ananias smiled too as the four Swallows settled once again on the window ledge.
Then Ananias and Saul talked for a long time of all the wonderful things God had planned for Saul; and Ananias also gently explained that not everyone would like or understand Saul’s preaching of the Good News of Salvation, and for this he would suffer.
But the thought of suffering didn’t worry Saul. His love for Jesus was now so great that all he wanted to do was to go out and preach the Good News that Jesus is God’s Son who loved them so much that He died for them, and is now gloriously alive with His Father in Heaven.
‘Suffering?’ shouted Saul, and he laughed. ‘This wonderful news is all that matters.’
And the Good News is exactly what Saul talked about. After he was baptised he straight away preached about Jesus in the Churches, and people were amazed.
‘But isn’t this Saul who came here to capture the Believers?’ they asked.
Simmy laughed when he heard them. ‘He’s changed - he is a changed man now’ he called.
Saul’s four new friends were never far from him. They had flown high above him when he was baptised, and sat on the windowsills of the Churches when he preached, and they were also the first to hear of the wicked plan to kill Saul.
Simmy and Susy were so upset.
‘Don’t worry’ said Dad. ‘You know God has great plans for Saul. Just watch and you will see something thrilling, I’m sure’ and he smiled confidently at them.
‘One Adventure after another’ chortled Simmy. ‘Isn’t it great?’
‘We are going to see another Miracle - another Miracle’ laughed Susy happily.
Mum and Dad smiled at their excited children. But to make sure they did not miss anything they stayed closer than ever to Saul.
They rested on his window ledge at nights, half asleep and half awake, and it was there, one dark night, that Dad nudged Mum.
‘What is it?’ she whispered.
‘Ssh!’ Dad whispered back. ‘Look!’
Simmy and Susy were by now wide awake, and four pairs of very bright eyes watched as a number of men crept into Saul’s room.
‘Should we bite them?’ asked Simmy ruffling his feathers.
‘Quiet’ said Dad. ‘Just wait and see.’
The children stared intently, ready at any moment to fly to Saul’s rescue.
The men went over to Saul, shook him, and began whispering to him.
Saul glanced up at the rather anxious Swallows and smiled. A big sigh was heard from his four little friends as they smiled at each other. Saul was fine!
The men, and Saul, then left the house and began to walk very quietly, keeping in the deepest shadows, towards the City walls.
Mum, Dad, Simmy and Susy followed, their wings making no sound in the still night air.
‘Almost there’ they heard one of the men whisper to Saul. Then the leader of the group held up his hand and pointed. A group of men were coming out of a side street and making their way towards Saul and his friends! The Swallows heard Saul’s friends gasp in fear - they were going to be caught!
They pressed themselves deeper into the shadows of a large house hoping they wouldn’t be seen, yet knowing this would be impossible.
Dad whispered - ‘Follow everything I do’ and he sped across to the coming men, diving and swooping.
‘Hey! What’s going on?’ they asked as they tried to avoid the four noisy, swooping birds.
‘Why aren’t you fast asleep?’ asked another.
‘Perhaps they have been to a party too’ someone laughed.
The Swallows chattered and chirped and swooped and hovered making sure they had the complete attention of the men until they were safely past Saul.
When they returned, Saul looked at them. ‘You have saved my life’ he said. ‘I shall never forget you.’
‘Part of the Lord’s Plan, that’s what they are’ smiled one of his friends. ‘But hurry, we are almost there.’
They reached the wall with no more problems, and the men showed Saul a large basket and pointed to it.
Saul looked astonished! ‘Me?’ he asked. ‘In a basket?’ and he chuckled.
‘Get in quickly’ whispered one of the men urgently. And, to the surprise and delight of the Swallows, Saul climbed in and was immediately lowered to safety outside the walls of the City.
‘Good-bye’ he called to his Swallow friends. ‘I’m going to Jerusalem to preach the Good News of Salvation through Jesus. And thank-you for all you have done for me.’
‘Good-bye’ they called. ‘You’ll see us again, we shall visit you one day.’
Saul smiled and waved, and Mum, Dad, Simmy and Susy watched as he hurried quickly away and was soon lost to sight in the darkness.
Susy sighed and looked sad.
‘Why are you looking so sad?’ asked Simmy. ‘Dad’s brilliant idea saved Saul’s life AND WE HELPED!!’ He laughed - ‘We Helped!’
‘Yes, we did, didn’t we?’ agreed Susy, and she brightened up and smiled at her brother.
‘Part of God’s Plan’ murmured Mum. ‘That’s what he said. We were part of God’s Plan.’
‘And what could be better?’ asked Dad as they silently sped across the now lightening sky.
‘What could be better than helping in God’s Plan to tell the Good News of Jesus’ he remarked again as they alighted on the barn roof and watched as the dawn chased away the remains of the night.
Another day was unfolding.
Elizabeth Aynsley ©
Acts Ch. 9 vs. 10 - 25.