Thirsty

I did not know what to do. Deep inside I felt a kind of increasingly oppressive fear. Things had somehow gotten far out of control. My immediate thought now was to retrieve my bicycle. It had remained near the Greek from the night before. Therefore, I went to the next bus station to get there.
     While waiting for the bus, another heavy rain shower came down with thunder and lightning as during the night. And within minutes a four inch deep muddy stream of water flooded the street. It looked like a small river of mud. Never in my life I had seen such a thing! Even the elements seemed to be getting out of control.
     Five minutes later the spookiness of the scene had disappeared and things began to seem normal again. The street remained covered here and there with watery mud but it was not hindering the traffic. Some minutes later the bus came and I got on.


In a little while I reached the Greek place and opened the lock of my bicycle. Then I rode in the direction of the Old Town! I longed for the reassuring presence of people. Being among fellow humans, I would perhaps feel safer. At least so I hoped.
    When I reached the "Old Town" of Duesseldorf, it was almost the same as always. The visitors of the "Church days" were only sporadically seen and most of the stands had not yet opened. So I went to my favorite pub and looked to see if any of my acquaintances were there.
    But nobody was. Only some backgammon players were active. I watched them playing their games without interest and waited. But nobody came."Where are the others?" I asked when there was a lull in their activity. One of them shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don’t know! It’s the holidays. Maybe they’ll come later!"
    "Holiday? What holiday?" I asked. I could not remember a special day. "Ah, a clerical one. Don’t know. Perhaps Corpus Christi!" "Happy carcass," said the other and both laughed. Then they started a new game.
    It was enough for me. I could not stand to watch any longer and went back outside. Aimlessly, I walked through a small alley. What should I do?
    Meanwhile I had calmed down. Normal surroundings and familiar sights had provided a good balm for my nerves. I decided to ride back home.
                                                  
I was just leaving the inner city, when I suddenly felt a great thirst. So I immediately stopped my bicycle and looked for a business or a kiosk.
    On the other side of the street in the distance I could see a super-market. I watched the entrance of the super-market: No one going in, and no one going out! Suddenly I remembered what the backgammon player had said. Corpus Christi, which holiday would be today.
   I looked around for a kiosk. Nothing!  But my thirst was still there. And it was so strong that I couldn’t think of anything else. In some distance I saw people standing in front of the door of a big house. What were they waiting for?
    My eyes followed along the green front of the building and stopped at some big orange letters :
Jesus Christus is the Way, the Truth and the Life  
                                                       (John 14.6)

For a moment I was stunned. Again that Bible verse!  I looked higher to the top of the building and there spelled out in huge letters: JESUS-HOUSE
    And suddenly, I remembered the night with Frank, the young man in the park, who had wanted to commit suicide. We had stood talking in the exact spot where these people were now waiting. His words came back to me. “Inside is a tea-room. Here we can get tea and biscuits.”

This might be a chance, I thought and decided to give it a try! So I locked my bicycle at a lamppost and went to the entrance. I had just grasped the bar of the big glass door, when suddenly a hand was laid on my arm. "You can’t go in there," said a friendly young man perhaps 25 years old but with a determined voice.
    I took my hand from the glass door and stared at him with an uncomprehending glance. "Ah, sorry! Why not?"
    "There is a concert going on in there by a Christian pop group. The hall is completely filled. We are not allowed to let any more come in!" He directed me with his hand on my back: "Look at all the people out here. They are waiting, too! Only if someone comes out, someone new can go in."

I looked at the waiting people, who were also staring peculiarly and with some unfriendliness at me. I turned around to the young man, "And who you are?"
    He remained friendly. "I am a member of the Jesus-house and at this moment I’m working with Jan," and indicated another young man standing on the other side of the door, "the doorkeeper!"
    I looked from him to the other one and back again "Listen," I said, "I am not interested in the concert. I am just thirsty and only want something to drink. So please let me in!"
For a moment he looked silently at me and then he suddenly said, "OK! Come in! But only you!" He opened the door a little bit and I slipped in.
    I could hear behind me loud and angry protests from the waiting crowd. Doesn’t matter, I thought, I am in.

 Walking upstairs  I heard hard rock music from above. I followed the noise. Suddenly, after climbing more stairs, I stood in front of a big open door. Deafening loud noise came from within. Nevertheless I walked inside.
     Now I saw that the doorkeeper hadn`t exaggerated. The large half-darkened hall room was completely filled with hundreds of mainly young people, standing in the seat rows and beside, making cheerful, crazy noise.
     Some were dancing and clapped uncontrolled with their hands, especially the young folks directly in front of the stage at the end of the room. On the stage, fully spotted by big headlamps, gave a band of five musicians their “best”, heating the folks permanently. Luckily I discovered a free place next to the wall and leaned against it.

Well , I didn`t like such noisy mass events in general, but I also wasn`t in a cheerful mood. So, very soon I drifted away into the realm  of my private thoughts.
    I thought about Jürgen and the terrible threat from my "relatives". “If you ever try to get in contact with us again, something terrible will happen!“ Why had they threatened me in such a terrifying way? What had I done wrong?
    I couldn`t find any answer. It didn`t make any sense. Or a sense I couldn`t see. So, I tried to relax and forget about it.

Now, the lead singer on the stage was almost flipping out and the screaming of the crowd reached an almost unbearable level. This brought me back into reality. Was I really in a church?
   Suddenly on the stage and in the room all movement stopped. The lead singer took a microphone and started talking "The love of Jesus is the greatest power in the world and in heaven!" he said. Then he shouted, "He is the King of all kings! He is my Savior! Hallelujah!" All over the room came cheerful agreements and "Hallelujah!" and “Amen”.
    This man called Jesus his Savior?  I was surprised!  "I was a sinner," I heard him saying, "but Jesus saved my life!" He made a significant pause, and then with an outstretched arm to the audience, "And he wants save your life also!" Again the room was filled with shouts of “Amen” and “Hallelujah!”

I was just trying to figure out, how his flipping-out behavior and Jesus could go together, when the hard rock noise started again. I couldn`t stand any longer and left the hall quickly!