Friday, March 21, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Reality Check
Okay, in my last post I said I would return to the subject of the Anne Franke and Corrie Ten Boom house visits. Everyone has heard of the Diary of Anne Franke. - The story of a young jewish girl and her family and how they hid for 3 years from the nazis. The Anne Franke house was about a block and 1/2 from the bed and breakfast where we stayed in Amsterdam. We got up early one morning and strolled along the prisengraat (canal) to the house which is now a museum. It is an empty house with photos, excerpts from the diary, historical items (like a yellow star the jews were forced to wear). The tour starts in what was the business on the main floor and moves you through to the sections where the family and friend hid. Those who helped to keep them hidden and fed (which was itself an amazing feat!) had to keep the secret not only from the nazis, but from other people who worked in the business on the main floors. All day long from (;00 until the buisness closed and workers went home they had to be completely silent. Anne tells of seeing other jews they knew dragged from their homes on the other side of the canal while ann and her family were already in hiding and feeling guilty because she did and could do nothing for them. Ultimately, they were caught and sent to the camps and only Anne's father survived.
Corri Ten Boom's story is not as well-known..but in many ways more amazing to me. Corrie's family were devout christians. They were always generous to others - even when they had little themselves. They sort of slipped into the dutch resistance - as people they knew began coming to them for help when the nazis invaded the Netherlands. Corrie's role grew until she was essentially the leader of the dutch resistance in their town (Haarlem). They added a brick wall in the back of an upstairs room leaving a small space (about the size of a closet) that could be entered by crawling through an opening at the back, bottom shelf of a closet. Over time they hid dozens (if not hundreds) of jews and resistance members for varying periods of time. They were eventually betrayed and sent to the camps. Corrie's father (who was in his eighties) and her sister died in the camps. Corrie survived - to share God's love and forgiveness and salvation for many years afterwards. The tour guide was a woman who had been a young child in Haarlem during the war and listening to her talk of the bombing, the restrictions, and the food shortages was really -something.
We think of WWII as history - long gone. But there and across Europe, whose history is so much longer than ours - and who experienced everything on their home soil - the war is recent history. It's still fresh and painful.
Standing in Corrie's house, seeing pictures of her and many of those she helped to save, hearing her story of God's outpouring on her...was so moving and humbling. After returning home I read Corrie's account of this time in her life in her book "The Hiding Place". And I couldn't help but think about how small my faith is, how much I limit God's action in my life. And I wonder when times like those return - as I believe they will - who will God work through then? Who will let him light the way, pour forth his love, reflect his redemption? And if it is me - will I do as she did - and learn to say, "God I can't - but you can - so send your strength, your love, your forgiveness, through me - and by so doing - learn to love and forgive as she did?
Corri Ten Boom's story is not as well-known..but in many ways more amazing to me. Corrie's family were devout christians. They were always generous to others - even when they had little themselves. They sort of slipped into the dutch resistance - as people they knew began coming to them for help when the nazis invaded the Netherlands. Corrie's role grew until she was essentially the leader of the dutch resistance in their town (Haarlem). They added a brick wall in the back of an upstairs room leaving a small space (about the size of a closet) that could be entered by crawling through an opening at the back, bottom shelf of a closet. Over time they hid dozens (if not hundreds) of jews and resistance members for varying periods of time. They were eventually betrayed and sent to the camps. Corrie's father (who was in his eighties) and her sister died in the camps. Corrie survived - to share God's love and forgiveness and salvation for many years afterwards. The tour guide was a woman who had been a young child in Haarlem during the war and listening to her talk of the bombing, the restrictions, and the food shortages was really -something.
We think of WWII as history - long gone. But there and across Europe, whose history is so much longer than ours - and who experienced everything on their home soil - the war is recent history. It's still fresh and painful.
Standing in Corrie's house, seeing pictures of her and many of those she helped to save, hearing her story of God's outpouring on her...was so moving and humbling. After returning home I read Corrie's account of this time in her life in her book "The Hiding Place". And I couldn't help but think about how small my faith is, how much I limit God's action in my life. And I wonder when times like those return - as I believe they will - who will God work through then? Who will let him light the way, pour forth his love, reflect his redemption? And if it is me - will I do as she did - and learn to say, "God I can't - but you can - so send your strength, your love, your forgiveness, through me - and by so doing - learn to love and forgive as she did?
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Amsterdam - take one
Since I said I'd post this weekend (and certain friends reminded me this morning that I had yet to do so) I will try to write at least a little about the Amsterdam visit. Most importantly, Michelle is doing well - working hard, sharing Christ, and growing in faith. What she does still scares me - but God is using her.
First, Amsterdam is an incredible city consisting of graats (canals), straats (streets) and buildings...tall buildings, all connected to each other. There is very little open green space like we are used to here in the south. And the buildings are OLD and narrow and have steep, winding, skinny stairs ...and obviously - old buildings do not have elevators. Picture me carrying a large suitcase and carry-on bag up to the fourth floor on a staircase with steps so narrow I had to turn my foot sideways to fit on the step.
Second Amsterdam is a city of bikes. They are everywhere with their own lanes and traffic lights. Old bikes - think 1940's style. When a walker (usually a tourist) is in their way they ring little bells on the bike to tell you to get out of the way. Everyone bikes and/or walks in Amsterdam - and no one is fat. There are bikes parked (and chained) everywhere to everything. If my pictures turn out okay - and I finally took the film in today - I will have a photo of a 3 story parking garage - for bikes. It was amazing!
Amsterdam (and the other cities we visited) is a city of gothic churches. Wester Kerk (West Church) was right across the street from our hotel. The churches are old, massive stone, awe-inspiring - with stained glass and magnificent pipeorgans. Unfortunately - almost all of them are now museums rather than churches. In talking with Michelle, our host, and others - the city has a very strong religious history - but is largely apathetic toward religion.
We had the opportunity to worship with Zolder church (the congregation of believers that Michelle worships with). Zolder Church consists of about 150 (?) believers from all walks of life - who meet in 2 groups (Zolder A and B). The groups worship on alternating Sundays and the whole group meets together on 5th Sundays with small groups meeting mid-week. The worship was uplifting. At present the congregation is meeting in a backroom of a restuarant/club. Originally they met in an attic or Zolder (hence the name). Services are in English (with Dutch translations of the lessons provided). It was a very comfortable, welcoming group and I would love to meet with them again.
Another interesting visit we had (though not a normal tourist one) was our dinner and long talk with a friend of MIchelle's, Antony. Antony has a really interesting story - of how he lost his life and fortune - and how he came to find real life in Christ just when he was ready to end his life. Fascinating story - he has written an account of his experience and salvation. I am very interested in seeing what God has in store for this man. I have received an email copy of his story and hope to share it with many of you later. Hopefully, he will show up in the states in the next year and I'll get a chance to introduce him to you.
Of course, we also did the usual tourist stuff - boat tour of the canals, visit the museums - including the Van Gogh museum, toured a dutch east indies trading ship, and went to Delft to see how the Delft china is made. Two of the places really caused us to seriously reflect - the Anne Franke Haus and the Corrie Ten Boom house. Anne Frank's house was about 1 1/2 blocks from where we were staying. Corrie Ten Boom house was in Haarlem (a short distance outside of Amsterdam). I will write more about those places later.
First, Amsterdam is an incredible city consisting of graats (canals), straats (streets) and buildings...tall buildings, all connected to each other. There is very little open green space like we are used to here in the south. And the buildings are OLD and narrow and have steep, winding, skinny stairs ...and obviously - old buildings do not have elevators. Picture me carrying a large suitcase and carry-on bag up to the fourth floor on a staircase with steps so narrow I had to turn my foot sideways to fit on the step.
Second Amsterdam is a city of bikes. They are everywhere with their own lanes and traffic lights. Old bikes - think 1940's style. When a walker (usually a tourist) is in their way they ring little bells on the bike to tell you to get out of the way. Everyone bikes and/or walks in Amsterdam - and no one is fat. There are bikes parked (and chained) everywhere to everything. If my pictures turn out okay - and I finally took the film in today - I will have a photo of a 3 story parking garage - for bikes. It was amazing!
Amsterdam (and the other cities we visited) is a city of gothic churches. Wester Kerk (West Church) was right across the street from our hotel. The churches are old, massive stone, awe-inspiring - with stained glass and magnificent pipeorgans. Unfortunately - almost all of them are now museums rather than churches. In talking with Michelle, our host, and others - the city has a very strong religious history - but is largely apathetic toward religion.
We had the opportunity to worship with Zolder church (the congregation of believers that Michelle worships with). Zolder Church consists of about 150 (?) believers from all walks of life - who meet in 2 groups (Zolder A and B). The groups worship on alternating Sundays and the whole group meets together on 5th Sundays with small groups meeting mid-week. The worship was uplifting. At present the congregation is meeting in a backroom of a restuarant/club. Originally they met in an attic or Zolder (hence the name). Services are in English (with Dutch translations of the lessons provided). It was a very comfortable, welcoming group and I would love to meet with them again.
Another interesting visit we had (though not a normal tourist one) was our dinner and long talk with a friend of MIchelle's, Antony. Antony has a really interesting story - of how he lost his life and fortune - and how he came to find real life in Christ just when he was ready to end his life. Fascinating story - he has written an account of his experience and salvation. I am very interested in seeing what God has in store for this man. I have received an email copy of his story and hope to share it with many of you later. Hopefully, he will show up in the states in the next year and I'll get a chance to introduce him to you.
Of course, we also did the usual tourist stuff - boat tour of the canals, visit the museums - including the Van Gogh museum, toured a dutch east indies trading ship, and went to Delft to see how the Delft china is made. Two of the places really caused us to seriously reflect - the Anne Franke Haus and the Corrie Ten Boom house. Anne Frank's house was about 1 1/2 blocks from where we were staying. Corrie Ten Boom house was in Haarlem (a short distance outside of Amsterdam). I will write more about those places later.
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