The Secret of the Desert Stone by Frank Peretti

curiously.
    â€œDon’t you remember? When Renyata thought Ontolo had stolen Jay’s pencil, she said that Ontolo was bitten by the snake, and that’s why he did wrong.”
    Jay’s and Dr. Cooper’s faces brightened with recollection.
    And then, like a bolt of electricity, the possible meaning of that expression hit them all.
    â€œOoohhhh boy . . .” said Lila.
    â€œWhere’s Bengati?” Dr. Cooper asked, jumping to his feet.
    The chief agreed to meet with Jacob Cooper the next morning. When Dr. Cooper arrived, the chief was sitting outside behind his home, carefully carving another staff, this one for his son.
    â€œThe staff of my father tells the story of our family in pictures,” he said through Bengati. “But now I think Ontolo will want a staff on which he can make his own marks.”
    Dr. Cooper and Bengati sat with Chief Gotono under the shade of the big tree his house was built around. It was just the three of them, and the chief seemed quite relaxed. Dr. Cooper hoped this would be a good time to ask some big questions. Through Bengati, they began to converse.
    â€œChief Gotono, I hope all is well.”
    â€œAll is very well, Dr. Cooper. I have had much to think about in a short time. You are right. Ontolo’s strange marks can capture words that will remain for all time and can bring us the words of other men. Our God has chosen many ways to speak to us, but I never thought He would speak through the little marks created by my own son.”
    â€œChief Gotono, can you tell me how you came to know your god?”
    The chief looked thoughtfully at the staff he was carving as he spoke and Bengati translated. “There was once a young man who had many gods. His gods were in the sun, and in the moon, and in the trees, and in the crops. Some gods helped his people bear children, and some gods took the children away through death. But there were too many gods, and they were too small, and they would not speak. They would not tell the people what is right and what is wrong.
    â€œSo, this young man knew in his heart that there had to be one God who made all things and supplies all things and can teach the people how they should live.”
    The chief looked toward the rugged mountains that rose above the grassy plain, his thoughts going back into history. “I journeyed into the desert and knelt in the sand, asking this great God to reveal Himself. And God spoke to me and said, ‘Because you seek me with all your heart, you will learn of me, for I will reveal myself in everyday things.’ And so it has been.” The chief smiled, but his eyes were still sad. “We have heard from our God, but we still wait to hear His name, to know who He really is.”
    Dr. Cooper’s heart went out to this man. “Chief Gotono, there is a wonderful book you must see.”He pressed his palms together, then opened them as if opening a book. He could tell the chief recognized the gesture immediately. “It will tell you the name of your God.”
    The chief held up his hand. “First, I must tell you a dream I had. But you must tell no one else.”
    Dr. Cooper agreed and listened to the dream.
    Lila and Beset sat together in the grass in front of the chief’s house, working on a headdress even more lovely than the first.
    â€œBeset . . .”
    â€œYes, Lila?”
    â€œDo you remember when your mother thought Ontolo had stolen the pencil from Jay?”
    Beset cocked her head and focused on Lila with her huge, dark brown eyes. “Yes. What is in your thinking?”
    â€œYour mother said Ontolo was bitten by the snake. What does that mean?”
    Beset smiled, removed the headdress from Lila’s head, and then spoke as she adjusted its size. “It means, Ontolo has done a bad thing. Ontolo did not steal pencil, but my mother did not know, so she say Ontolo bitten by the snake.” She looked at Lila directly. “You are