The In-Processing (continued from Mar 4, 2012 posting)

As we continued our darkening descent along the circular track, we finally came to rest in a kind of station where many others were already waiting – although it was hard to see much in the shadowy environment.  About 30 or 40 feet to our right was a raised brown platform or dais.  Mechanically walking back and forth on the dais was the solid black form of an almost featureless man, who seemed to be giving instructions to other workers roaming among the parked track cars.  Between us and the dais was a faintly visible area filled with small pedestals uniformly spaced, each with a small black, vertically mounted rod, like a stubby antenna, on top.

Seeking to insert some levity into our gloomy situation, I tried to be amused by the creaking of the wooden floor in the platform each time the man in black walked in our direction, thinking how primitive this place must be.  Soon it was announced that everyone was to get out all cell phones and cameras and hold them up as a worker came by.  Rather than collecting them, he carried a small device in his hand that, one by one, he placed next to each of our items and zapped it with a high voltage electrical arc, rendering it useless.

The purpose of this station seemed to be to process new inductees into Hell, in other words, people who had just died.  The fact that we were still alive wasn’t yet a big issue, although that would change for me later.  For now, we would move on to the next phase of our journey and the beginning of trials.

From this point on I remember being aware that I was hearing something of a commentary about the events as we were experiencing them.  Not hearing in the sense of an audible voice but more like the hearing of an idea or memory when it comes to mind.  One such commentary was that we could not trust anything we heard here to be the whole truth.  That certainly made sense when I thought of where we were and, according to the Scriptures, who rules over the kingdom of darkness.  Jesus called him a liar and the father of lies in John 8:44.

Up to now most of the negative events and threatening environment had been general and, with the exception of my air line being cut, not directed to anyone in particular.  But that was about to change.  As we moved beyond the station, our next experience was something like a video game.  I don’t recall many details, but rather than watching or playing the game, I was actually in it, at least mentally.  Trying again to capture some element of humor, I remember thinking that a good slogan for the experience would be, “A Wild, Screaming Ride to Hell!”

Each new experience during the entire journey seemed to be calculated to ratchet up the level of anxiety, fear and stress above the previous one.  But this was just the beginning, and what we were about to see next was going to be truly heartbreaking.  

As I spend time think back over this experience to write down the story, I sometimes feel a little depressed, which is why I always want to end each segment on a positive note.  I don't want any reader to leave with that feeling.  Thankfully, we have an eternal hope by faith through the one who is the light that has dispelled the darkness.   Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."John 8:12 (NKJV)