San Diego Mission reflections

Mission San Diego with Billy Graham will be remembered by all who experienced it as a montage of moments, from a casual comment to the story of a life rededicated. Here are some of those moments from one reporter’s notebook.

The Man In The Yellow Cap ... could not wait for Mr. Graham’s call. The opening night invitation has not even finished as he makes his way down the field level steps to the outfield grass. He not only wants to be on the field, he wants to stand right in front of the evangelist’s pulpit. So keen is his desire that he begins to run, first a trot, then lope - not wanting to attract too much attention, but not wanting to miss his spot either. A sign of the times, two security guards converge on the man in the yellow cap lest he has something other than prayer in mind, but he is harmless. His smile, and the respect he shows by taking off his yellow cap, say all that needs saying.

“You will never forget this,” ... exclaims Cliff Barrows as he calls for the choir and the crowd of 50,000+ to sing acappella. “To God Be The Glory,” they sang in unison, “Praise the Lord, Let the earth hear his voice, Praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice.” No instruments for accompaniment, just voices of joy. Mr. Barrows knows he will not be back here, like this, ever again, and he takes a moment to create an indelible memory. He’s right. No one here, now, will ever return without remembering this sound. If Heaven required a password, it would be sung in the language of praise and worship.

Qualcomm is strangely still ... as Mr. Graham speaks. I’ve been here a hundred times or more over the years, and there is always something going on, an anthill of motion, but not now. The Plaza walkway is deserted and the aisles throughout the stadium are all but empty. Everywhere I look faces are turned toward the stage, people intent on everything Mr. Graham is saying.

The Kirk Franklin phenomenon ... has become the talk of the product tables around the stadium plaza. Everything is selling well, but no Kirk Franklin CDs are anywhere to be found — they’re all sold out. “I think I heard there were a couple left at the table, two tables down,” says the worker when asked if any Franklin music remains. A breathless sprint through the crowd, however, nets only a smile and a pleasant “sorry, all out.” I need to make two notes in my DayTimer — Buy Kirk Franklin CD at Christian bookstore, and don’t miss him at the Del Mar Fair this year!

From my perch in the nosebleed seats ... high atop the Qualcomm rim, I survey the faces of the people standing patiently on the floor of the stadium. Mr. Graham sits quietly praying as more and more make their way onto the turf. Then my eye falls on a man standing with a younger man, probably a teenager — a father and a son, or perhaps two brothers. The older man looks as though he could separate an unruly mob with his bulk and brawn, yet he stands reverently with his hand on the shoulder of the younger one. In turn, the teenager has a look on his face no one who has ever given their life to Jesus can mistake. My eyes fill with tears as in my heart I witness to the call of one having been heard, and the prayer of the other answered in the same moment. God bless you, Mr. Graham, for leading the way.

—Stu Smith