"Is that all I mean to you?" asked Jesus. "You do not understand why I fed the people, do you?" * * * * * Simon and John brought the boat to land at a deserted spot near the fishing village of Bethsaida, and Jesus led the men north along the Jordan toward the Lebanon Mountains. For three days they traveled, finally reaching the narrow valleys of the foothills of the Lebanons. The land was hilly but very fertile. Many people lived here: a few Jews but many gentiles. The disciples had never traveled this far north before. As the mountains grew higher, they turned westward toward the Mediterranean Sea. Jesus chose this road because he believed he could find privacy in which to teach the disciples. However, things were not as Jesus hoped. About ten miles from Sidon, a gentile city on the seacoast, they passed through a small village. The disciples thought they had not been recognized, but a short distance beyond the town John said, "There is someone following us!" The others glanced around. A woman was coming after them. "Let us hurry on," said Simon. "Perhaps she will drop back." All of them quickened their pace. After a moment Simon glanced around again. "She is running after us!" The woman cried out: "O thou Son of David! Have pity on me!" Jesus paid no attention. "Have mercy on me, Son of David!" cried the woman desperately. "My daughter has an evil spirit!" Still Jesus walked on. "Send her away, Master," said Simon. "She is just going to keep on wailing behind us." Jesus stopped. "God has sent me only to the lost sheep of the flock of Israel." "And she is a gentile," said James with satisfaction. When the woman overtook them, he was sure Jesus would send her away. Kneeling, the woman said, "Do help me, Lord!" The disciples were taken back. How did she dare call him "Lord"! Who did she think he was? When Jesus spoke to the woman his voice was kindly, but the words seemed harsh: "Woman, it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs under the table." _That will show her she has no right to bother us_, thought James. But James was mistaken. "No, Master," the woman answered smiling, "but the dogs can wait patiently for the crumbs to fall from the children's table, can't they?" Jesus' face lighted up. "O woman, you have great faith! You have found the Kingdom of God. Go back to your daughter; your prayer is granted." The disciples were aghast. James burst out, "Master, what can this mean?" "How can a gentile be included in our Kingdom?" demanded Simon. "Do you not yet understand why I have come?" answered Jesus. "My Father sent me to declare that all who are far away from him may come back if they will repent. The Kingdom of God belongs to anyone who will come." "But that cannot mean all the gentiles," protested Simon.