Fourteen-year-old Sumara Iydaska shielded her eyes with one hand and glanced out at the valley below. She grinned as she spotted the Colorado River winding through the valley, its silvery surface glistening with the sun’s rays. Behind Sumara was her American friend, thirteen-year-old Ritsy Armenstrong. Both girls were hiking Mount Elbert in the San Isabel National Forest, in Lake County, where they lived.
“Oh, Ritsy,” Sumara called in a distinct Indian accent, “look at how beautiful this valley is! I have never in my life seen anything more beautiful.”
Ritsy smiled as she clambered up beside Sumara. She gazed at the Native American girl. Sumara had formerly been in the Navajo tribe living in the Four Corners, but as a baby, she had been carried away by a lioness. The lioness had not hurt the baby, for as soon as she arrived at her den, a few hunters lying in wait had shot and killed the fierce beast. The hunters had brought the baby to a Lake County orphanage and left her there, telling the people who worked there that they would try to find the baby’s tribe. But when they found the tribe a few months later and inquired where the baby’s parents were, the chief told them that Sumara’s parents had died of a fever not too long ago. No one else in the tribe wanted to keep her, so the baby remained in the orphanage, where she was cared for. At five years old, she was adopted by the Iydaska family.
Sumara had learned about Jesus at her church, and she had been saved at eight years old. One of her favorite verses that had led to her conversion was John 14:6— “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Sumara had always loved that verse.
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That evening at dinner, Sumara’s mother, a pretty blond-haired woman in her early thirties, told Sumara, “Dear, just today, I ran into your Sunday school teacher. He told me something quite surprising.”
Sumara set down her fork. “What is it, Mother?”
Mrs. Iydaska smiled. “Mr. Kestar told me that Hillsong Kids released a new album recently, and on it is a track titled ‘John 14:6.’ I just thought you would want to know since it’s one of your favorite verses.”
“That is truly amazing,” Sumara admitted. “But since we do not have the album, I cannot listen to it. It is too bad. But perhaps I could find it online and listen to it there.”
Sumara’s mom glanced at her husband, who smiled and gave her a knowing wink. Then Mrs. Iydaska looked back to Sumara. “Actually, Sumara, your teacher bought an album a few days ago, and it arrived at his house today. When he met me in the store, he gave it to me and told me to give it to you.”
Sumara leaped up from the table and embraced her mother. “You are the best!”
Mrs. Iydaska beamed. “Well, go on! What are you waiting for, my dear? Go on upstairs and listen to your new album!”
Sumara thanked her mom and raced up the steps, two at a time. She spotted the album lying on her bed and picked it up. Then she slipped the CD into her radio and skimmed through the tracks, trying to find the one she wanted to hear. At long last, she found it. . .her personal favorite verse on audio. . .