Thursday, June 14, 2012

JESUS at Breitscheidplatz

My summer team-mates and I prayed that afternoon, "Jesus, what do you want us to do?"  Immediately upon going into prayer, I "saw" us at Breitsheidplatz giving away bibles.  Gil said, "Let's make a sign that says 'Konstenlos Bibeln  and Gebeten'."  (Free bibles and Prayer).  We wrote this on a big white-board and brought along our big 'Free Hugs' signs, our guitar and bibles.


We set up right next to all the artists on Kurfürstendamm boulevard.  Gil began playing the guitar & singing while Danielle and I held the "Free Hugs" signs.  It didn't take long for a group of teenagers to come along, enthralled by our signs.  They had fun hugging and the next thing I knew, THEY were holding our signs and attracting passer-byes.   After a while, I asked one of the young boys if he would like a free bible and he noticed our sign and the bibles for the first time.  He didn't want one but immediately found a man walking by and almost grabbed his arm and pulled him to the bibles!  He was telling him, "Take a bible!"

Teen holding our sign

That man started asking questions, "What organization are you with?" and so I told him that we weren't with any organization.  He asked again and I repeated, "We are not with any organization."

"You have to be,"  he said.
I started laughing because it did seem ridiculous that I am not with any organization.  "I am the organization," I said.
"Why are you laughing at me?"  he asked.
"I'm not laughing at you.  I'm laughing because I know it probably doesn't seem true that I am not with any organization.  My organization is "To The Streets."
"Ah,"  he said, "That sounds cool."
"I am from the United States and I came to Berlin because I know that Jesus is so needed in Berlin and I came simply to bring Jesus.  No one sent me, except for God."
"So, you're not from any organization?"
"No, my daughter and I came to Berlin together and we started a mission called, "To the Streets".  We have a cafe called der Garten that we would love you to visit."
"So, what church do you go to and what is the name of your Pastor?"  (He was STILL searching for an organization).
I had to laugh (inwardly) again.  "Well, we don't belong to any church either.  We do home church in our cafe.  We meet on Sunday night and we read from the bible, we share our lives together, we sing and we pray."
"That sounds cool.  I would like to come sometime."
I had already learned that he was originally from Africa and I said to him, "I bet you know all about Jesus and how he died for your sins."  He affirmed this was true.  I told him that every African I meet knows all about Jesus but that they aren't living for Him and they don't know his power.  Again, he affirmed this was true.  I said, "Can I pray for you?"
He said I could.
So we walked down the street and prayed together.  I prayed that he would see the severity of our times and that the only worthwhile life is one where we give our all to Jesus and that everything else is a waste of time.  I prayed that the power of Jesus would come to him in the night with dreams and that He would sense the nearness of Jesus in his life."  As we walked and prayed, I knew Jesus was touching him.  I knew Jesus was near and the joy was overwhelming.


All of this because some crazy teenagers grabbed our signs and pulled a stranger out of the crowd to our bibles.

We only gave away one bible that day but the elderly gentleman who took it was so thankful.  He said that he didn't have a modern version of the bible and he was very pleased to receive one.

Touching people.  Touching lives.  Spreading JOY through Free Hugs on the streets.  Telling perfect strangers that Jesus is alive and loves them.  Touching heaven - touching earth.  May the people not even remember us but may they always carry with them, "WHAT WAS THAT?  I FEEL A LONGING FOR SOMETHING MORE!  SOMETHING WAS STIRRED IN ME THAT I HAVEN'T FELT FOR A LONG TIME.  GOD, ARE YOU THERE?"