The Shepherd Girl

Book excerpt: The world is walking past Hannah, and she can only watch it from a distance. Her family lives in a small home with the only well along the main roadway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The road between the bustling city and small village is filled with merchants, foreigners, and families. Tending her family's small flock of sheep in the desert, the young shepherd girl yearns for a closer encounter with the travelers. Most are travelling because of the census. Under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire, Emperor Caesar Augustus wants Israel's entire population counted. According to Hebrew law, every man and his family must go to his place of birth for the census to be done properly. Hannah tends the sheep so her father, Micah, can work near the house. Her mother, Rebecca, is still very sick following the recent birth of Isaac. Micah and Miriam, Hannah's younger sister, stay behind in case Rebecca suffers another collapse. Everyone is very worried about her. A brief but severe desert storm brings unexpected visitors to Hannah and her family. Caught in the harsh storm, a young couple seeks shelter inside their home until it passes. The husband and his pregnant wife have walked from Nazareth because of the census. Bethlehem is their destination. Micah and Rebecca welcome them. Later that evening, two occurrences happen--one happy and the other strange. The second leads Micah and Hannah on their own journey to Bethlehem. Their guide is a bright star in the sky.