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| Being prayed over at Davis Christian Assembly (California) |
Last night our troupe had a movie night with one of my favourite Californian Churches, the ever-radiating House, San Carlos. It was our last night in San Francisco, and so why not? I’ll tell you why not, because we HAD TO BE UP AT 7:30am the following morning!
“No matter”, I pompously
told my owl-party self. I continued working happily away on the ol’ PC until
the wee hours of the morn, “I’ll just sleep on the train tomorrow” (BAH! Yes,
if you get up…). And so I enjoyed the quietness of this night, slipping under
the covers at about 3am.
Just envisage my
delight, at 7:30am, upon hearing Deanna’s chirpy, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah voice. Deanna is nothing if she’s not a night person.
In the morning, she hovers like a ghost and stomps like a trooper. In the
morning she is WOMAN! Not the morning type of woman, but the brewed bevwa
swillin, broom swingin (as opposed to riding), Bible swearing type.
She told me I was
late, and to get my trucking mass up out of bed. I didn’t take this moment to
subtly suggest alternative methods for communicating more hospitably with
missionary guests, there was every chance I may receive an unpleasant boot
appendage to my jaw line.
And so with that I was
up - only taking roughly 2 minutes to arrive at standing altitude. I looked around
groggily. “GETCHYACLOTHESOWN” I roared groggily, startled by my extremely
gravelly, masculine voice, and wondering if the kids might possibly mistake me
for some old, intoxicated, homeless person.
I clambered semi-naked
to the bathroom. My body’s preparation took some serious work on this particular
morning – the hair almost needed an operation to come under submission. The
teeth requested brushing for nearly ten minutes in order to significantly reduce
pongage. The shave, I HAD TO SHAVE – nearly took my lips off on account of
blurry-eyedness…
I know I make “handsome”
look easy. But trust me, you don’t throw a masterpiece together with just a
click of the fingers – it takes precious time to get a body looking like mine
in the morning. Just ask my good friend, Jenny Seaburg, how rough I can look
these days as a blank canvas in the morning.
On her day in Managua,
her comment was “Jed, you look like (rhymes with…) shell. Have a shave! Have a
shower! Brush your teeth! Get some clothes ON!”
After becoming well
and truly acquainted with the bathroom, I then ran around the Church, shouting
orders this way and that. The truth is, I was so tired I just didn’t know where
to begin. Of course Elizabeth had the easy job, systematically getting all 14
of us on the road by methodically organising us. She always takes the easy
road, doesn’t she?
At 9:35am the final
carload of Nicaraguassies filed out of San Carlos House Church, for the very
last time (this trip). It had been a bit of a back-and-forth type jobby, but
long-story-short we “arrived” at the Cal-Train station at 9:55am, our
locomotion having already departed at 9:41am.
We trotted to the bus
stop and waited there, crossing fingers and praying to almighty GOD in HEAVEN
for another way of getting to the BART (Bay Area Rail Transit), so that we
could make our connection with the AMTRAK.
The local bus came and
we all got on. Lots of cranky, Saturday morning folk, also enjoying a smelly,
stuffy, cross-town, public transport adventure. We alighted at the BART station
and raced up the stairs to the vending machines. I bought $70 in tickets and practically
soared down to platform 3.
A train arrived just moments
later and we were whisked away, across the Frisco bay, to the beautiful world
of Oakland. God love… Where was the Amtrak Railway Station? Not anywhere near
the BART. Problem number 1 with AMTRAK.
Our enthusiastic troupe
jumped into three taxi cabs, which were not sufficient for our transportational
needs, so unbeknown to me Liz stayed with the last 4 bags and caught yet a
fourth taxi.
I was first out of the
cab at the AMTRAK railway station. I ran in and politely, though expressly,
asked for our AMTRAK tickets to delightful Davis, to which the hoity toity
attendant made comment that I was already holding valid tickets, I just needed
to get on the train.
“Too kind, you’re just
too kind…” I responded. (but really thought, “perhaps next time you could stop
eating your lovely looking jam doughnut when chatting with the valuable
customer??? AKA – me!)
I turned and peered
through the glass walls. They looked similar to dazed deers as they wandered
along, completely out of place, my precious Alien droids from a distant planet.
I called out to them, “Nicaraguans and Briens, HEAD-FOR-THE-TRAIN!!!” I felt like
a more masculine Kevin Costner at this point (Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves
- “The TREES, head for the TREES!!!”).
Of course Lorenzy, my
smarty-pants, called out “which train?” And I emphatically started my losing-it
dance, whilst simultaneously pointing to the only train in sight, “the one with
the doors WIDE OPEN!” I screamed… (not so masculinely)
The mob started
crawling along, like ants on a war path. I managed to get everybody on the
train, told the conductor I would return in a jiffy – and explained that I just
needed to assist my wife with the remaining bags, to which she responded “yeah
sure, take your time… we’ve still got a
few minutes.”
I ran as fast as my
athletic legs would carry me, humiliated when a senior citizen overtook me in
one of those driveable wheel chair/dodgem car/shopping trolley type
contraptions – which should be made illegal, in my opinion.
And so imagine my
delight, halfway between the train and the place where Liz was getting out of
the cab, when I heard a strange, train pulling away from the station, type
noise! I cocked my head slightly and saw the AMTRAK machine charging along.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I
screamed, with all the fury of Russell Crowe in the Gladiator. I ran into the AMTRAK office. “You’ve just put…” I
stopped, knowing I was beginning my second interaction on the wrong foot. It
was too late.
Her head elevated ever
so slightly, she wiped the crumbs of the delicious doughnut away from her mouth,
and I was to NOT receive eye contact again.
“Oh! I’VE JUST PUT
YOUR KIDS ON THE TRAIN!?” she questioned aggressively. I hesitated, “No. I
didn’t say that.” She looked at me with wild eyes “BUT YOU WERE THINKING IT!?”
She was right, I had thought it. As Deanna from the HOUSE says, “you’re not
wrong, but you’re not right either.”
“Well…” I stated
firmly, “your train just left with my kids on it!” She huffed. “I HAVEN’T GONE
ANYWHERE!” Good gracious, the ego… Yes, we’re all so special! “I’m not
referring to YOU, I’m referring to your company. You represent your company!”
She glared at her
co-worker “I’M NOT HELPING YOU ANYMORE!” and slammed a CLOSED sign down,
blocking visual access between us.
I approached a portly
fellow who wore an AMTRAK uniform and explained our sad predicament. He went
over to the naughty AMTRAK lass and asked her for assistance. Upon sight of
this bloke, her countenance changed and instead of removing the sign, she got
down on her hands and knees and spoke through the baggage access hole above the
conveyer belt.
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| Capital on the Edge Performing CREATED at Davis Christian Assembly (California) |
“So sad” I lamented -
professionalism and maturity right there... A ticket sales clerk on her hands and
knees, unable to hold a conversation in plain eye sight. “She should try
working in an airport” I thought to myself.
“I didn’t like how he
was speaking to me” she chided gently. “I’m sorry” I half-called out. Her
sudden dog-look, stopped me in my tracks and I decided to let the jolly chap
take care of the rest.
Before long I was
advised that my children and our Nicaraguan youths would be attended to and
helped off at Davis – our final destination.
Relief! Whilst waiting,
I visited a nearby shop. I ordered some coffee and breakfast for Liz and I. The
Korean shop owner cooked our food and we struck up a cool conversation. Compassion
oozed from my heart for this bloke and his family. The immigrants of America –
the people’s hard work that this country was built on.
Upon my return I
learnt from Liz and Shane Seaburg (who lives in New York) that AMTRAK had
offloaded our group at the very next stop, and were calling the Police. “WHY?”
I implored. “They don’t have ID” Liz answered.
The problem to AMTRAK,
was that our troupe did not hold valid train tickets. The fact that I’d shown
the very same AMTRAK train conductor our paperwork, seemed to be irrelevant.
The Police, however, were never called.
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| Capital on the Edge performing CREATED at a public school in California |
I had secretly hoped
that the Police would have been called. ‘Cause I was just ever so curious to
know what a bunch of legal, responsible, polite youths, who hadn’t committed
any crime, would be charged with.
I learnt through our
travels with AMTRAK that we should put our travel business elsewhere. It wasn’t
just our experience that made me think this, I also observed many problematic
incidents between AMTRAK and other customers. To me, it was just the attitude
of not really caring that sent me into an internal rage.
Whilst waiting I
contacted Bensie, a ray of light in the city of Davis. We explained our
situation. She was cool. Cool as a Cucumber. Bensie coordinated our time in
Davis. Because of our time in Davis, there is now no surprise to me that we experienced
this sort of nonsense upon our day of travel to the east.
We arrived in the next
town and saw our group standing there. We beckoned them over and they came
running. We were so excited to be reunited again. We hugged, kissed, laughed
and cried. The doors closed once more, and we began to pull away…
But who should be
standing on the receding platform, smiling innocently? You guessed it, absent
minded BEYCKER! We screamed to him and he eventually heard our cries. He came
running, but it was too late. Liz went to pull the emergency brake, but I told
her off (BIG fines in the USA for that kind of behavior – We could possibly be
imprisoned and become terrorism suspects.
I found the rail
conductor and detailed our predicament. I asked him to call the station
immediately and to put Beycker on the next train. The tall conductor said he’d
do it and walked away with an urgent spring in his step.
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| Capital on the Edge performing at the University of California - Davis |
The train conductor
returned a good while later, with less spring and I asked him how he’d gone.
Liz was on the phone with the train staff at Beycker’s station. She had relayed
to me that nobody had contacted them – meaning that Beycker was still at-large
in the East Bay.
The conductor told me
that he’d be contacted as soon as there was information. I responded urgently
“there won’t be any information, because you haven’t contacted them.” (I could
just tell, he had that siv-like-look about him)
The conductor looked
at me grimacingly. “WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!” Oh yes, I forgot: everyone’s
special, everyone’s important, nobody works or serves anybody… “I said, you haven’t
done what I’ve asked.” Solutions. why don’t people look for solutions??? Everyone
just looks for ways out of being held responsible.
He bore holes through
my skull with his engorged eyes. I was furious, so not at all nervous – quite a
feat, considering his muscle mass. He lowered his face to mine and brought it
to within a few centimeters in a display of Mike Tyson intimidation. I was
unmoved, far too cross...
He said cockily, “I’ve
contacted the train station and asked them to let me know if anyone contacts
them saying they’ve missed the train and need to go to Davis. I’ve told the
station to let your friend on the train!”
I responded “and that
would be BRILLIANT except for he doesn’t speak English, has been in the US only
for a week and doesn’t know how things work here. You don’t even know his name
or what he looks like, even though I asked you to give those details. What’s
his name? What’s he wearing” I asked. The conductor snapped back “You could
have told me those details before!”
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| Performing at a school for problematic kids in California |
Charmed, I’m sure…
We arrived in Davis in
record time. The conductor walked by “thanks” I called out. “You’re welcome” he
said automatically, instantly regretting it. Why the anger? Why the fury? Why
the protests? Where was the LOVE???
For me it was just
another struggle. Another fight. I could have handled it better, for sure.
Please don’t ever think of ol’ Jeddo as an image of Christ-like maturity – I’m
not. However, the revelation I yet again received was if we’re going to believe
for BIG THINGS, then we’re going to experience BIG PROBLEMS. Undoubtedly. It’s
just the way it works.
Look at the life of
Christ – he encountered problem after problem, issue after issue. Look at
Moses. Look at Paul. Look at Noah. Look at David. Anyone significant in the
Bible’s history endured much in order to inherit much.
She was waiting for us
on the platform. Bensie!!! Her and our new sister friend from Guadalajara,
Erica, were waiting for us and stole us away to our new beautiful home at the
Davis Assembly of God.
A beautiful meal with
Chili, beans and rice was served. The boys ate happily, completely in love with
yet another American city. They then got our new sound system out and started
dancing and tricking around the Church’s building. Pure joy…
Our message to the
World is one of hope – Jesus Christ. A savior who forgives all. A man who gave
all – a heart FULL of compassion and mercy – of love. Our message to the Church
is one of urgency for the Great Commission – that all would know Jesus, through
us, the Church. We want youth to be enthused with a passion to share Jesus with
their world.
The following clip shows a little dude who has not stopped dancing since we were in Davis. He has
a gift, and is a light. This is a part of our mission – get people excited about Jesus
and using their gifts and talents for his glory and for the evangelism of our
sick and dying world.
If you would like to learn more about our ministry, please watch our latest update,CLICK HERE
If you would like to learn more about who our Nica-Youths are, or to support them, please visit their page, SUPPORT Nica-Talent
To learn more about our street theatre production, "CREATED", please visit our page,NICAVANGELISTS: "CREATED", North American Tour (2013)
If you would like to see a video of some of our Nica-Youths practicing, please CLICK HERE
We are not up to budget, and travelling with 14 people is very expensive. We need an investment from Christian people for our next evangelism tour to the Midwest. To support us or make a once off donation, please visit our page, Contemplating SUPPORTING something significant?
To learn more about the House: San Carlos, please CLICK HERE
To learn more about Davis Christian Assembly, please CLICK HERE
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