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The Jewish Exile Diaspora to earlier Syrian Lands
 
  
Mission – Thomas, to India  
 
As Jesus sent disciples out he taught,
“Go first to the Lost Sheep of Israel,”  [i]
including ten-plus-two tribes spread outland 
at time of Exile – in Syria and Persia. 
 
Tradition says the Twelve drew lots   
for the known World 
and Thomas drew the Lot for India  
not pleasing, so they say, but clear 
 
And how, to India, should he go ? 
The Old Silk Road had most Lost Sheep,  
and Syria, above the Gallilean Sea, sent caravans 
where Thomas still could teach in Aramaic   
 
The trip for Thomas took some years, 
always East and South, step by step, 
learning and teaching, new methods from his path, 
Parthia, Medea, Persia, and more – to India   
 
From Syria came his Cross, design Nasrani,   
teaching with this tool he left a trail
of stone-carved Crosses at each stay,
with Christ revealed to crowds and kings along the way 
 

His Cross is supported by a Menorah