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Chapter 18

/18/ WHO IS HE?

Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you,

before Abraham was born, I am."

- John 8:58

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KHEL'S POV

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To spend our overnight, we decided to stay here, at the hospital's parking lot. Gabing-gabi na kasi at delikadong mag-drive 'pag madilim ang kalsada. So, narito kami sa camper van, naka-park sa isang parking space at kasama ng iba pang mga sasakyan.

Before the night ends, naghilamos at nag-toothbrush kami sa isang maliit na washing area, located at the parking lot's corner. Pinauna namin ang magpinsan. Ladies first, ika nga nila.

Naghintay kami ni Brint sa labas ng van. Maya-maya'y nakita naming pabalik na sina Meera at Narri, with their new clothes and wet hair and towels on their necks. As the two reached the van, kami naman ng kaibigan ko ang nagtungo sa wash area.

After taking a short cleaning and toothbrush at the sink, I turned off the faucet. Nagpunas ako ng tuwalya sa mukha, gano'n din ang ginawa ni Brint. Then we walk back to our camper van.

Nadatnan naming inaayos ng mga girls ang likod ng sasakyan. Itinabi nila ang mga gamit sa gilid, saka naglatag ng comforter at bedsheet sa may area ng compartment. Ni-ready na rin nila ang mga unan.

"Tadaaa! Ayos ba?" pagmamalaki ni Narri nang kami'y makalapit sa direksyon nila.

Napataas ang kilay ko habang nakasilip mula sa labas ng van's compartment. Not bad. They made it look like a real mini-sized bedroom.

"Whoa! Nice!" Brint commented while standing next to me.

Naunang sumampa sa compartment, sa mismong comforter, si Meera. She's smiling from ear to ear, then she hugged her pillow and rolled over the bedsheet. She acts like a kid and she looks so happy.

I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from smiling. Heck! Her cute gestures made me feel like a dang gay.

"Aaah! This is my first time to sleep overnight inside a van." Then she giggled and sat upright, facing us. "Oh? Ano pang hinihintay n'yo? Hindi ba kayo matutulog dito?"

"Do'n na lang kami sa harapan matutulog, miss cutie," ani ng kaibigan kong ungas.

Sumampa na rin sa comforter si Narri, saka sumiksik sa dulo ng bedsheet. Ngayo'y dalawa na silang magpinsan ang nakaupo do'n, sa loob ng compartment.

"Hayaan mo na sila doon, 'insan. Bawal magtabi sa iisang higaan ang lalaki't babae. 'Di ba?" ani Narri.

Meera shrugged her shoulders. "Kayong bahala."

Hindi kinatagalan, pumasok na si Brint sa backseat. He prepared some thick sheet and a hotdog pillow, then settled it down the cushioned seats. Humiga siya doon.

As for me, I hopped into the passenger's seat, then adjusted the headrest's angle, hanggang sa ito'y naging pa-slant. I lied down to it, with a thin bedsheet covering my body.

"Good night, guys!" Narri's voice was heard.

"Night!" and Brint's.

I made myself comfortable and before closing my eyes, I glanced over the rearview mirror. Brint, Narri, and Meera are now lying down and ready to sleep.

Noong 8 o'clock ay nakatulog na silang tatlo, bukod sa akin.

Hindi ako dinadalaw ng antok. Nakatulala lang ako sa kisame, nakahiga sa passenger's seat. At no'ng hindi ko na kinaya ang boredom, tumagilid ako at nilabas ang aking phone.

When I opened my phone, I stare at it longer than a minute. Later on, I found myself browsing at Google and typing the words: Jesus of Nazareth evidence.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero bigla akong naging interesado na i-search ito. I scroll the screen down and read every websites that I encountered. Hindi ko namamalayan na halos kalahating oras na pala akong nagbabasa sa'king phone's screen.

Evidence of Jesus Christ's existence

There are a lot of articles that I read. To sum it all up, there is NO direct physical evidences that Jesus the Christ existed in Israel. But somehow, there are some evidences like the cross and the grave where Jesus said to came in contact with. Yet, it can be fabricated, so it's still not a strong proof.

While reading more and more researches from huge schools, I noticed that the interviews they made for professional Jewish people are contradicting. Though there's no concrete physicality of Jesus existence, the Jews NEVER denied that Jesus existed two thousand years ago. Which means, in their history, Jesus of Nazareth is true.

Some interviewees said that He's a magician for doing miracles. Some said He's the Son of David, which is the late king. Some said that He came from the tribe of Judah. Some believes that He's really the Messiah. But none of them denied that He's real. Which made me came up to a conclusion that: He really did exist. But it makes me also think that... If He did, then why's there no physical evidence of Him?

Because He ascended to heaven? And He's still alive watching from His throne?

Fascinating.

Then I saw another article. May picture ito ng isang kilalang British Author, at may caption sa ibaba na: How C.S. Lewis, an ex atheist, changed his mind about God.

And I scrolled down, seeing pictures of the Chronicles Of Narnia with Aslan the Great Lion, because C.S. Lewis is the author of that book. The articles says that Aslan, from Narnia, is the representation of Jesus and the whole Chronicles were deeply portarying Biblical illusions into a fantasy book.

"Oh?" I was stunned.

And scrolled down more, hanggang sa natigil ako. A quote from C.S. Lewis caught my attention. It says...

“The things He (Jesus) says are very different from what any other teacher says. Others say... 'This is the TRUTH about the universe and this is the WAY you ought to go,' But He says... 'I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE'."

-C.S. LEWIS

And that quote really blows me away. I was speechless to the point that I stare on that quote on my phone for almost a minute.

To be honest, this is probably as interesting as the universe. Bakit ngayon ko lang 'to naisipang i-search? Dapat pala dati ko pa 'to ginawa. Nakaka-curious.

I was drowning with thoughts and questions about this Jesus of Nazareth, until I didn't realize... I fell asleep.

***

Tomorrow morning, around 6 o'clock am, we departed from the hospital. We're back at the road. On the way to Laiya, San Juan.

I found myself gazing out of the window from the passenger's seat. I watch the neighborhood and streetscape outside, barely awake. Sun hasn't yet taking its glimpse from the horizon. The atmosphere is chill and very calming.

Brint, again, is driving the van. Gising na rin sina Meera at Narri, at ngayo'y nasa backseat sila... nagja-jamming. When I say jamming, I mean, they're singing along with the radio's song.

Binuksan kasi ni Brint ang radyo ng sasakyan kaya, ayun, napakaingay tuloy ng magpinsan sa likod. Ayaw tumigil sa pagkanta.

"Some people think You're distant, just some words on a page

That You're nothing more than fables handed down along the way

But I've seen You part the waters when no one else could pull me from the deep

That's who You are to me~"

And, yes, it is a worship song. That's why the two ladies are so hyped up for singing the lyrics.

"Some people think You just live in cathedrals made of stone

But I know You live inside my heart, I know that it's Your home

And I've seen You in a sunset and in the eyes of a stranger on the street

That's who You are to me~"

Maya-maya pa't nakisabay na rin sa pagkanta si Brint habang nagmamaneho. Kunot-noo ko siyang sinulyapan. He knows that song?

They are all joyfully singing inside the van, expect for me. Great. Now I look like a killjoy-er for not jamming with them. Napatiim-bagang ako at bumaling na lang sa bintana.

"You're amazing, faithful, love's open door

When I'm empty You fill me with hunger for more

Of Your mercy, Your goodness

Lord, You're the air that I breathe

That's who You are to me

Who You are to me~"

While listening to their song, I recalled the articles that I read last night. About Jesus. Then a sudden question popped out of my head.

Jesus of Nazareth... Who are You, really?

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