Do you ever underline or highlight in books you're reading? Ever started highlighting only to realize that you've virtually highlighted the whole page? In many ways I think the two weeks that made up the second Project: Camp stand full of highlights in the pages of history. Two of those "highlights" include mice and Marcus.
The former is basically as bad as it sounds. We had a number of these small unwelcome visitors in our room - specifically the girls luggage/dressing room. I named the first one, who was seen in one of the girls suitcases after eating a wealth of chocolate there, Bo Jangles. The next one that I named I affectionately called "Jerk!" I saw him a couple of days later, only he was jumping out of my suitcase.
I had been fairly careful about zipping up my backpack and suitcases but obviously not careful enough. There wasn't any food in my suitcase. The little rat chewed a hole in my (new) pants though! :( I had opened the top of my suitcase only a little to grab my pajamas off the top of a stack. Just a few seconds later a mouse did a nose dive out of my suitcase (on the table) onto the floor before scurrying off behind everything.
I proceeded to jump up on a chair in horror and a little bit of anger. And called him a jerk while one of my nine roommates opened up my suitcase (to make sure there wasn't a whole jerk family) and then zipped it closed along with a few other minor helps - namely rearrangement and closing zippers.
Now to the good stuff. On Saturday of the first week I was assigned to work on the "Welcome Team" for our big event. Part of our preparatory work was to go into the city to distribute invitation fliers in a final push before the event that evening. We split up into two groups of two. Coming out of a tunnel/under a bridge I handed a flier to a man. He had a tattoo on one side of his nose as well as another on his arm.
I spoke to him in broken German as he asked a couple of questions as he looked over the flier. Then said, in German, "Church?" upon saying "yes" he promptly stuck the card my partner's hands, turned, and walked away.
I saw him a couple of times early the next week before seeing him a fourth time as we were walking down the street into the city. We set up a tent in the city where we passed out more invitation cards as well as a brochure, New Testaments, and the gospel of Luke in 8 languages. I saw him see me and laugh to himself. I greeted him and he returned the greeting as we passed one another. The day prior I had offered him a cup of coffee; he declined.
I don't know where he was going when I saw him but he made his way back into the city that afternoon and sat down. He had a cup of coffee this time and I had the privilege of speaking with him for a few minutes. I found out, among other things, that his name is Marcus. We talked a little bit and he took a copy of our brochure and a New Testament. He sat and watched us most of the afternoon.
He arrived the next day, Friday, shortly after we set up. I found out later that he asked someone what time we would be there. I greeted him and he smiled back and had another cup of coffee. One of my team members, who speaks German very well, sat and conversed with Marcus for a long time. Part of their conversation included a third person, a young man who is a friend of Marcus. Again, he sat and watched for a long time. I saw him laugh and smile. It was beautiful.
Saturday night was our "big event." We didn't know whom, if anyone at all, would show up. Marcus had told one person in our group that he didn't make appointments so he didn't commit to being there. He, however, showed up just as the celebration began. I got to see him smile again a number of times over the course of the evening.
I don't know what he thought about the mixed group of characters he saw handing out hot dogs and coffee for free. I don't know what he felt as he participated in the celebration Saturday night - as he listened to a solo sung about "no greater love" with the phrases "that you should lay down his life for someone such as me" and "and I know there can be no greater love than this." Or his reaction to the mini-sermon he heard about our desire to know and help meet the needs of this German town - which seems to have loneliness near the top of the list.
I don't know what he saw, thought, or felt. I don't. However, I believe and hope that he saw and experienced Jesus. I hope he felt love - a welcoming love that was given without conditions. Earlier in the week he had basically stared me down after telling me he was a robot in his head and asking me if I could see it in his eyes. There was a sense of depravity and coldness then but before the end of the week I saw him smile and laugh- I saw, even if only a glimpse, of hope and joy.
I don't know where in his journey Marcus is. I don't know where life will lead him. But I do know that there is a God who loves him, there is a community of faith that loves and accepts him. And there is hope to break free from bondage that enslaves his mind to the point of "mechanical failure.”
