Night of June 30, 2009

This is Joyce using Freddie's account: It was a clear, beautiful night, and we worshipped under the stars in the courtyard. Our speaker John spoke to us for the second time about motivation and the difference between Christianity and other religions. Some of the things he said that struck me the most are how constant revelation is what keeps us motivated and how we need to be buddhist (totally detached)towards the world and Christian (attached towards the right things) towards God. John also invited us to write down the sins that are keeping us from embracing God on a small slip of paper and to stick it in a sack bag.

After the talk, John lead us all into the recreational yard. As a newbie first timer, I didn't know what to expect and waited anxiously while everyone filed in. When we had all arrived, the back gates opened and we could hear the sound of a whip and anguished cries. What followed was a very real reenactment of the crucifixion. One of the most intense moments for me was when "Jesus" was nailed to the cross. Hearing the sounds of the hammer hitting the nails and "Jesus's" pain brought tears to me eyes. Because I've heard about the crucifixion so many times, I've become numbed to the story and watching it all unfold before my eyes, with the cold breeze intermingled with the heat of the torches, I could understand on all levels the immensity of Jesus's sacrficie for my sins, and for the sins of every human ever to exist.