Why We Go

Burning Man 2007 was an amazing, inspirational, exhausting yet exhilarating experience. I had the privilege of serving with a wonderful team of 50 extremely gifted people. For six days we gave away 20,000 bottles of water, espresso drinks and the unconditional love of the Creator to some of the 47,000 “burners” who annually descend upon Black Rock City in the Nevada desert.

Streams Ministries has been sending teams for the past four years but this was my first Burning Man experience. In the dessert I discovered in the most practical of ways that Light always overcomes darkness and Love does indeed cover a multitude of sins.

On Friday afternoon we offered Mother and Father Blessings. The Burners lined up eager to receive. One young woman came to us seeking a spiritual cleaning as well as a father’s blessing. She had been raised Mormon, rejected her parents faith and subsequently her parents had rejected her. While I blessed her, as a father I asked her to forgive me for squeezing her into my mold. Tears filled her eyes then rolled down her cheeks and on to my shoulders. I held her for a long time silently asking The Father to heal her wounds and capture her heart. I’ll never forget her.

Another young man entered our tent also seeking a spiritual cleansing. He wore a large black and white spiked wig, a multicolored vest decorated with buttons and pins and a large bandana like scarf tied around his waist. We chatted for a few minutes to make him feel more comfortable and to hear his heart. When it came time for his spiritual cleansing he abruptly stopped us saying “wait!” With passion and intensity he removed the wig from his head and threw it on the floor - quickly followed by the vest and scarf. He then shook himself from head to toe saying “OK, that’s better, now I feel more real, let’s go.” With his vest removed we could see many self inflicted cutting scars on his chest. As we poured a bottle of spring water over his head we asked the Creator to cleanse him, heal him and set him free. More tears and long hugs followed, again my heart was captured.

I can hardly wait for next year and another opportunity to love on those very people Jesus came and gave his life to rescue.

© Tom Zawacki 2007