Kesha, Come Home

Julia [YOOL-yah] and her parents and brother, Bogdan [BAWG-dan], live in the little village of Zaoksky, Russia.

When Julia was 9 years old, her friend gave her a baby parakeet as a gift. Julia named the little bird Kesha. Kesha did not know how to fly, so Julia and her brother decided to teach him. They gently tossed Kesha into the air. Kesha flapped his little wings, then fluttered back into their hands. Soon he was flapping his wings enough that when he fell he would flutter to the floor. Finally Kesha learned to fly. Soon he could land on someone's head or shoulder.

But knowing how to fly brought its own problems. Sometimes Kesha did not watch where he was flying, and he would fly right into a wall. And one day he flew into Mother's plants sitting on the sunny windowsill. Mother found him happily chewing on the leaves. But when she called, "Kesha!" the little bird sensed that he must leave the plants alone.

The family loved Kesha and let him fly around the house freely. When the family returned home after a short absence, someone would call "Kesha!" and the little parakeet would fly to their shoulder. He was like an obedient puppy.

Talking Parakeet

Julia wanted to teach Kesha to talk. She spent lots of time trying to get Kesha to say his name, but he would not speak. Julia did not know that parakeets do not usually talk.

One day Julia's father was writing a letter when he heard a voice saying "Kesha, Kesha." He looked up, but no one was in the room. Again he heard the voice say "Kesha." Father walked into the next room and saw Kesha sitting in front of a mirror, saying "Kesha." Everyone was thrilled!

Lost!

Then one day something sad happened. The family was going to a wedding. When they opened the front door to leave, Kesha flew out the door. Everyone held their breath as Father held out his finger and called, "Kesha, come." But Kesha did not come. The family could not wait until Kesha decided to return or they would be late for the wedding. Sadly they closed the door and prayed that Kesha would be there when they returned.

Someone noticed Julia's unusually sad face and her tear-filled eyes. "What is wrong, Julia?" they asked. Tearfully she told them that her Kesha had flown away.

After the wedding the family hurried home, but no little parakeet waited by the door. Would Kesha even know which house was theirs? Would he ever come home? As darkness set in, Father went outside one last time and called "Kesha, Kesha," hoping the parakeet would fly to him. But no little bird came.

At bedtime Julia looked out her window into the dark sky. With tears in her eyes she asked her friend Jesus to protect Kesha from the cold and from other birds who might pick on him, and to bring him home.

Happy Reunion

Early the next morning the phone rang. Julia ran to answer it. "Julia, I have the best news for you! We have found your Kesha!" It was Julia's aunt on the phone. She told Julia how some girls had found Kesha sitting under a street lamp the night before. They picked up the little bird and took him to their dormitory room. The girls had gone to the cafeteria early the next morning to ask for bread crumbs for a little bird they had found. Julia's aunt knew that it must be Kesha.

Julia dressed in a wink and hurried to the dormitory to get Kesha. He was fine, just a little bit confused. As she carried her precious bird home, she prayed, "Thank You, Jesus, for keeping Kesha safe until I could bring him home." Then she thought, We are like Kesha. Sometimes we get lost and don't know how to find our way. If I am this happy to have Kesha back, Jesus must be even happier when we find our way home to Him!

Julia and her family are careful to see that Kesha does not leave home again. And Julia is extra careful to make sure that she stays close to Jesus so she is ready to go home with Him when He comes.