One of my favorite venues to perform in is River View Hospital in Augusta, Maine.  The patients and staff are so appreciative, the service is in a spacious, well lit gym with plenty of room to work, and mostly, my friend, James Weathersby is the chaplain there.  So, when Sue and I headed north to Augusta today, we were expecting a great time of ministry.  We were not disappointed.

Well, we were a little disappointed when we arrived to find that James wasn't in today; he is recovering from eye surgery.  But, other than that, we were not disappointed.  The show went very well, including audience participation (not something I always do there), my juggling version of the Apostle's Creed, and my regular dove and rabbit productions.  Two of the patients there were clearly devote Christian believers who encouraged us throughout the show. 

 Another man in the audience came wearing a taqiyah, a round, brimless hat often worn by Muslim clerics and laymen.  Near the end of the show, during my diabolo routine, he got out of his seat and approached the 'stage' area, saying something I couldn't hear over the music.  He stayed in the area set apart for the audience, but he was clearly trying to get my attention.  I decided to keep going with my routine, but I wondered if something I said offended him: I had mentioned the Trinity, the incarnation and the resurrection, all points of disagreement between Muslims and Christians.  When I finished with the diabolo, however, I listened to what he was trying to say, and it wasn't any of these things.  He wanted me to produce another dove out of the egg bag illusion I had previously performed.  I told him I produced all the doves I was planning to produce today, but I'd work on it for the next time.  He gave me a big smile and a fist bump, and it was back to the show.

The highlight, though, was when I was closing the show with an illusion and story about the repentant thief on the cross.  A 20 something woman in the front row was fascinated with the story, and kept asking clarifying questions.  Afterwards, I spoke with her further about this passage.  She told me she had just gotten her first Bible from Chaplain James, and would read this passage for herself.  She was interested that Jesus' grace and and mercy was big enough to forgive a lifelong criminal no strings attached, and I assured her it was true.  I also encouraged her to seek out James for further ministry.  He'll be back to work Monday, and I trust him to follow up effectively, enthusiastically even.  He's a good brother in the Lord.

Please pray for this young woman and all the patients at River View Hospital, and pray for James as he ministers there on an ongoing basis.