Over thirty years spent among the villages and cities of Judea dispensing miraculous displays of healing abilities had taken their toll, and for what? No one followed his teachings, or even bothered listening to his words. Every time he gave a healing demonstration there was that magical moment where the audience stood awestruck by what they witnessed, but then the moment simply passed by without lasting effect. The people yearned to believe, they wanted inspiration, yet when Tonwen spoke after a demonstration they got neither and returned to their daily lives unchanged. Tonwen knew the problem. He knew his words came across hollow because they were. He was a scientist trying to make people believe in a supernatural being he knew full well did not exist. He was incapable of selling something he did not believe, even with healing powers that looked like gifts from the divine serving as his lead in. Burned out from decades of futile labor, Tonwen decided to visit a man who apparently inspired thousands to follow his teachings using only his words. Tonwen could just imagine what he could accomplish with the words of this wilderness preacher and the miracles his clay jars of healing ointments could provide. So he loaded his camel and made his way out of Jerusalem’s eastern gate.
