After the play was over, Pastor Brian got up on the stage. It was at this point that I realized that Steve was sitting on Jeff's other side. I could tell by Soda's expression that it was the first time he noticed Steve was there, too. Both of us had been so focused on the play, neither of us noticed when Steve had arrived.
Jeff quickly introduced himself to Steve making sure to mention that Soda and I had told him that he would be coming. Steve just politly shook his hand. He didn't need to do much more than that since Pastor Brian was starting to speak.
"Wasn't that a good drama?" Pastor Brian asked, getting cheers in response. He grinned at all of us. "We have some talent here, don't we?"
Pastor Brian waited a few minutes for the cheers to die down. He stood there with this happy grin on his face.
"I know some of you could relate to this drama." Pastor Brian continued once the cheering subsided. "All of us are searching for something. There isn't anybody here who isn't searching. But as you saw from this drama, the things we think we are searching for really leave us unsatisfied. They only leave you wanting more because you still feel empty inside. For example, many people turn to drinking to get over their daily problems. They claim that when they drink, their problems go away. But what happens when the alcohol wears off? The problems are still there and they're still searching. Only, they search for another drink. It's the same thing with everything we think we may be searching for. It might bring happiness for a while. We might forget about our problems for a while. But, it always ends up where we started. We always find ourselves searching for something."
Pastor Brian paused for a minute to see how people were reacting.
"We don't have to search anymore. The answer is right here." I looked at Soda, then Steve. Pastor Brian went on. "I know some of you think that's crazy. But, it's true. You can discover what you're searching for right here before you leave. And it's easier to find than you think. He's right here. He's all over this place. He wants you to know him. Just as he knows you. It's not about what you're searching for. No, it's about who you're searching for. And this person can bring more satisfaction into your life than any of that other stuff. This person can give you more than money ever could. This person can change your life in ways you wouldn't expect. And best of all, this person wants you to find him. You can find him right now before you leave. If you want to meet this person, I want you to raise your hand."
I noticed that people all over were raising their hand. At first, I just looked around. Then, I slowly lifted my own hand, careful not to look at Soda or Steve because I didn't want them to think I was crazy. But, I really wanted to know who this person was and if he was really what everyone was searching for.