Nick Della Valle of Kansas City is a short man, a Little Man to be exact, reaching just 56 inches in height. His wife Lucyah “Lucy” also bears the signs of dwarfi sm, with her height set at 48 inches.
Together their height reaches an average of less than 52 inches.
But instead of being handicapped, the two are challenged - by God.
Nick’s stature makes him perfect for the role of Zacchaeus at the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs.
“He brings the character of Zacchaeus to life,” said Kent Butler, assistant executive director of the play. “Zaccheaus was a wee little man, and he’s a wee little man.
“He is the embodiment of the character of Zacchaeus.”
The Della Valles perform at 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. eight times a week at one of the compound’s auxiliary stages.
The performances continue through the month of July.
Jesus came to Jericho, and Zacchaeus, a wealthy, disliked tax collector, wanted to see Jesus, Nick began to retell the story.
“He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man, he could not because of the crowd.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, …” - Luke 19:3-4.
Jesus stopped below the tree and called Zacchaeus down, saying he would stay at the tax collector’s house.
“All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’ …
“Jesus said to (Zacchaeus), ‘Today, salvation has come to his house because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to see and to save what was lost.’” - Luke 19: 9-10.
Nick found parallels in his life and in Zacchaeus’. “The stories might have happened 2,000 years ago, but it might have happened today,” he said.
Nick considered the story from Zacchaeus’ side, and takes that perspective for his presentation.
“Why did he become a tax collector? Everybody hated them,” Nick said. “Why do some people make similar choices today? But there’s something that makes people make choices to turn their lives around.
“I give this disclaimer, though,” Nick cautioned. “It’s how we think it could have happened. It’s not about what we say. Listen to the Holy Spirit.”
The Della Valles share the story of other Biblical characters: the boy from the story of the loaves and fishes (John 6: 1-16), the innkeeper in Bethlehem who turned away Mary and Joseph on the night Jesus was born (Luke 2:1-7) and blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10: 46-52).
“God gave me the talent to do Zacchaeus, then he challenged my ability to do others,” Nick said.
“The innkeeper in Bethlehem came immediately to mind. And did you know the innkeeper is not even mentioned in the Bible?”
The persisting voice of God toldNick to recreate of the story of the loaves and fishes (Jesus Feeds 5,000). The voice became heard in December, “When we were thinking ‘Food!’” Nick said.
“I talked to God and said, ‘I don’t know why no one eats their Mom’s bagged lunches. She puts a hot pack in there, and no one eats it.’
“God said, ‘Why don’t you tell it ?’”
Nick takes the story from John, the only of the four gospels that mention the boy, he said.
But even as a good actor, Nick could not portray the part of a boy. So, in Nick’s story, the boy is grown, “with no hair and a gray beard, looking back in time,” he said.
Both Butler and Randall Christy first met Nick in the character of Blind Bartimaeus.
“It was a very moving experience. Everyone who watches them is moved,” said Christy, founder of the Gospel Station Network and chief executive oft cer of the Passion play.
“‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked (Bartimaeus).
“The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’
“‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” - Mark 10: 51-52
“Bartimaeus cried out for mercy from Jesus, he was able to see because of his faith,” Nick said. “He recovered his sight, and he saw Jesus. If you get your sight and are reading, it’s what you read first that you keep on reading.”
Nick pointed out that this was the final recorded miracle before Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem before his Crucifi xion.
“Getting his sight, he was on the top of the mountain,” Nick said. “He traveled with Jesus, joined him in thebig parade.
“But the tide turned, and with his sight, he gets to see the worst thing ever. He saw Jesus crucifi ed.
“How is he affected? He had his faith and recovered his sight then this happened, what happened to that faith?”
“You see the story from a really different angle,” Butler said. “(Nick and Lucy) bring the Bible to life.”
The Delle Valles also bring their stories to church conferences, retreats and even regular church services.
“In every show, we invite people to come see Jesus, to have us pray with them,” Nick said. “And that’s all Lucy.
“Praying is Lucy’s hobby,” he continued. “She likes to hang out with God.”
“We meet a lot of people,” Lucy said, “Even if it’s only for a very few minutes. Our ministry is about people, not the presentation.”
The Della Valles share their ministry and their faith, but they approach their message in diff erent ways.
Lucy wants people to realize God is real.
“God has loved you even before you were born,” Lucy said. “Even when you were in Mom’s belly, he had the best interest at heart for you.
“He wants you to love him back.”
Nick sees his as a ministry for encouragement.
“People will, in Jesus Christ, find the solution to every problem,” he said.
“There is a great wave of unworthiness that fills our people,” he continued. “Theythink they are not good enough.”
Nick said he ministered to a woman in Florida, who sincerely believed she had no gifts.
“But she speaks f ive languages!” he interjected. “I told her that, in the community, everybody was looking for people who are multilingual - the courts, hospitals, businesses, government …
“And she was totally amazed.”
Nick hopes his ministry “encourages you to do what it is you want to do, not to focus on what you couldn’t do.”
Nick has walked more than a mile in Zaccheus’ shoes - 3,300 miles across the country, and he’s done it three times.
As he walks, Nick wears “Biblical attire,” blesses land crops and livestock and prays for people he meets along the way, he said.
Lucy provides her organizational and supportive roles from a recreational vehicle nearby.
“I figured I’d walk 3,300 miles for Jesus - 100 miles for each year of his life,” Nick said. “Along the way, people ask me where I’m going, what I’m doing and why. And I can tell them my stories.
“I can’t run, but I can walk forever. I like to do it.” With no training, he set out.
Nick walked about three miles an hour, and every hour he tried to meet someone on the side of the road.
“I’m easier to approach if I’m 4-foot-eight rather than 6-foot-8,” he said.
Religion, Pages 8 on 07/20/2013