| by comrade commissar | Thomas | @ Sunday, August 07, 2005, 2:35:00 AM | permalink |
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Half the time we sat outside the South Gate looking at one another gloomily. The other half we tried our best to get a glimpse inside by looking through the tiny gaps between the doors of the gate. I could see a small congregation gathered before a projector screen experiencing the main arena action in proxy. Its almost 8:30pm, the praising and worshipping has already been going on for about an hour already. In case you've been wondering - Nope, we didn't get in. Hold on, let me start from the beginning. 6:45+/-pm - Gilbert, Fuda & me met up at Kallang MRT Station. We have a healthy margin of about 1 hour before Festival of Praise (FOP) starts. We noted that free shuttle bus services were provided to transport us to the venue. (Indoor Stadium) We decided that since we had the time, we will walk there via cutting through People's Association instead. Bad decision no. 1 7pm+/-pm - Only after walking into People's Association did we realise that there's no longer a path for us to walk through. You know,  So we had to make a big roundabout turn. 7:10pm - We reached the Indoor Stadium. At this point I began to be slightly worried about the time. We saw that there a huge queue at the North Gate. Looking for another easier entrance, we walked all around the perimeter to search. Bad decision no. 2. 7:20pm - Realising that the only entrance is the North Gate, we gave up and joined in the queue. I estimated at least 150+ other heads in front of us. Nevertheless, we tried not to think about the worst and made small talk to pass time. 7:40pm - Still queueing. Hopeful though. 8pm- A usher far ahead made an announcement over a loudhailer, "... sorry ... due to ... too full ... no more seats ... we have to turn you all away." What the- I took a long deep breath, open the 1 litre bottle of water I had with me and drank the whole content in 1 gulp. I think I took more than the required 10 seconds. The drink was good, it helped cool me down, and also drown out whatever I had wanted to say in those first few seconds. 150+ people were saved from having their ears & minds scorched. Which brings us to our sorry state at the South Gate. Other than Gilbert and Fuda, there were about another dozen other earnest poor sods. Fuda decided to leave at this point, we said our regrets and byebyes. Some of them tried to look inside through the gaps too. Unexpectedly, the door suddenly opens and an usher steps out. He was on his walkie-talkie liasioning with some other person and appeared somewhat stunned at confronting all these pleading eyes and mouths at of a sudden. He stopped long enough to say "Sorry I really can't." before walking off on the walkie-talkie again ... leaving the door wide ajar. This realisation was not only mine, my eyes caught those of this other girl. She wavers ... then walks in. Other follow her example. I wanted so much to go in, but it felt wrong to do the wrong things for the right reasons, I guess I deserve to suffer the consequenc- OH CRAP THE USHER GUY IS COMING BACK. I herded the last few of the dozen in, closed the door and blocked the guy. His alarmed look was replied by my 'duh' look and outstretched arms of faux helplessness. "Huh? Wha- ? I dunno? Huh??? What??"I eventually let him get pass before he got violent. I think I managed to buy at least 1/2 a minute's time for the dozen. Just because I feel I deserve to suffer the consequences, that didn't mean that I wanted the others around me to go through the same. Eventually most of the 12 were dragged out. I think 2-3 managed to sneak off though. Small comforts for a day largely lost. I spent the rest of the sitting-outside meditating over the real meaning of praising and worshipping with Gilbert. Its fine and wonderful that we have events like FOP, but without the big venues, excellent singers and musicians, solid sound system, reassuring presence of other fellow Christians, what remains? What is worship? Does it lie in the visual? aural? ambience? decor and setting? Or something more? God doesn't look at the 'unconducive' environment we still are in but rather that special something from deep inside us. Agreed? Amen. Feeling slightly better we left the place . |
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