Chapter 4 - Telmarinia
A terrific roar echoed from Harfang to Cair Paravel and beyond. Every human, animal, talking beast and creature who heard that thunderous roar stopped still in their tracks. The houses shook in their firm foundations. The trees bent over with the force of the noise. There He stood. It was Aslan, Aslan himself.
The giants froze and seemed unsure whether to run or to stand their ground but eventually they fled north, never to return. The Lion smiled and turned to face us.
"Aslan!" Lucy cried and ran forward, burying her face in his golden mane.
"Dear one," Aslan welcomed.
"Oh, Aslan! Thank you, thank you for everything you've done for us," Susan wept.
"King Peter," called the Great Lion. Peter quickly returned.
"Peter!" Edmund, Lucy and Susan ran to embrace their brother.
It brought tears to Susan's eyes now as she remembered Peter's unselfish devotion to herself, Edmund and Lucy. Edmund was just as loyal. Although he was never the leader that Peter was, after his ordeal with the Witch he never lost hope in Aslan. Susan smiled. Edmund made you laugh sometimes.
Peter ripped the bottom of his shirt and began winding the cloth around a forked stick.
"No one would happen to have any matches would they?" he asked. Edmund began digging around in his school bag.
"No, but would this help?" Edmund asked pulling out his brand new electric torch.
"You might have mentioned that a bit sooner!" Peter laughed. Lucy and Susan smiled.
They all had a sense of humor.
"I don't remember this way," Susan commented.
"That's the problem with girls," Peter answered with a smirk. "They can't carry a map in their heads."
"That's because ours actually have something in them!" Lucy retorted.
"We should have listened to the D. L. F. in the first place," Susan answered.
"D. L. F.?" Edmund asked puzzled.
"Dear little friend," Lucy and Susan responded in unison.
"That's not at all patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin moaned.
Even Aslan was good natured.
"Aslan, I'm not who you think I am," Peter told Aslan solemnly.
"Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchly. Beaver also mentioned you planed on turning him into a hat." Aslan chuckled and Peter smiled, a bit embarrassed.
Susan turned her thoughts back to what Pastor M'Kethe said earlier.
"Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. Will you let him come in?"
Peter's words rang in her head once again.
"Remember Narnia…remember Aslan!" Then Susan realized the truth. She had found Aslan in her own world. He was here, just the same, loving her despite her faults. Aslan was Jesus. He was the Lion of Judah. Right then Susan made up her mind. She would remember. She would believe. And she would serve him. As she painfully knelt that night near the window, Susan let Jesus come into her heart. When she finished praying, she felt joy in her heart like she had never felt before. She felt she could overflow with laughter and tears.
"I'm really happy for you, Susan," Anna said excitedly, when Susan told her about her decision. William fumbled around in his pocket. He pulled out a small piece of paper.
"Peter asked me to give this to you if something happened to him before you learned to believe again." William handed Susan the paper and she eagerly opened the page.
My dearest sister Susan,
How long it seems since we ruled Narnia together. I still remember you as Queen Susan the Gentle. When we first came through the wardrobe into the Lantern Waste you gasped and said, "Impossible." I know you would not be reading this letter unless you've begun to believe in the impossible again. Be strong, keep believing even when all else fails. Nothing is impossible with God. So, farewell for now but we will meet again.
Your loving brother,
Peter
"I finally believe in the impossible," Susan whispered to herself.
"Pardon?" Anna asked.
"Oh, nothing," Susan answered, smiling.
The months passed quickly. Anna and William faithfully visited Susan daily in the hospital. She rapidly recovered from her accident and soon she was well enough to go home but Mrs. Edwards insisted that Susan stay with them for the time being. Susan began going to church with the Edwards and her love for the Lord took wing. Something else was also beginning to grow. She found herself looking forward to talking with William every day. Everything was starting to make sense until…
"The church needs believers to fulfill the Great Commission. 'Go there for and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth." The guest missionary quoted. "There are people waiting to hear the gospel. Ask yourselves, 'What can I do to help?' There are many things you can do…"
What can I do to help? Susan looked over at William. His face said the same thing she was thinking. I must go tell the good news about Jesus! But where? And to whom?
"It's what I want to do with my life. I can feel God calling me there," Susan told Anna afterward. "William had the same look on his face during the service. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe someone will come to Christ because of this. I want to serve him there, even though I don't know where "there" is right now."
"I know what you mean, Susan. But pray about it first before you make up your mind." Anna advised.
"Susan!" William burst into the room holding a small map. Susan looked up surprised.
"What is it?" she asked.
"It's a map of Telmarinia."
"Telmarinia?" Somehow that sounded vaguely familiar to her.
"Yes, it's an island is the pacific in need of the gospel. It's the perfect place for us! I wrote to the Pacific Missions Agency and received the map this morning. I've been praying-"
"So have I," Susan announced.
"Susan, do you think this is what God has planned for us?" William's face looked just like Peter's when he asked something serious.
"I-I'm not…"Susan hesitated looking away from his steady eyes. She made herself look back at him. "Yes, I think so." William suddenly looked away, a little embarrassed.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" he asked staring at the window.
"Uh, yes." Sometimes Susan just didn't understand how boys could change the conversation topic so fast.
"Are you afraid to go on the mission field?" Susan asked him.
"Well, a little nervous," William admitted. "What about you?
"I'm afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of the unknown. I mean, what if we never come back? What then?" Susan asked.
"Well…God will protect us. I would be more nervous if I had to go by myself but I'm very thankful that God has put it on your heart to go too." William looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh no!" he exclaimed. "I'm supposed to pick up Andrew from his friend's house. Bye, Susan!"
Author's note: Telmarinia, eh? Can you guess what that place is?