From the start of the Europe leg, Cathy and I remained in prayer for God to lead us to the places in Europe He wanted us and the countries to pray for. During the trip, God led us away from Pague and Krakow but instead led us to Berlin, Amsterdam, and Brussels.
We didn’t realize at the time but God had us traveling through the birthplace of Hitler in Vienna, Austria then to Munich, Germany where Hitler and the Nazi regime had a huge presence. After Munich we went to Dachau, one of Hitler’s many concentration camps. Dachau was actually the model camp. Then we went to Berlin where there was even more of a Nazi presence and also the place where Hitler and his wife committed suicide. Also, in Berlin there is a huge memorial for the Jews who were killed during Hitler’s reign. I believe it was at this time we began to realize the trail God had us on. After leaving Berlin, our next destination was Amsterdam where we visited the house where Anne Frank hid and wrote her infamous diary. While in the Netherlands we traveled 2 hours outside of Amsterdam to visit friends of Cathy’s that she met on a mission trip in Israel a few years ago. The evening we arrived they asked us if we wanted to watch the Corrie Ten Boom movie. This is a story about a family from Amsterdam who lost their lives by the Nazi’s in a concentration camp because they hid Jews in their home.
That experience of following the steps of Hitler really started to open my eyes of the reality and cruelty that happened during World War II. I could only pray that something like this would NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. You can read about the Holocaust and the conditions in a concentration camp but to actually walk in the places where true inhumane actions occurred, is another experience all in itself.
As soon as I walked through the gate at Dachau I was immediately filled with heaviness and sadness for the many lives lost there that I began to cry. I stayed in an attitude of prayer as I walked through the living and eating quarters, the line-up area and the gas chambers.
I wonder…has our world learned anything from the Holocaust? As I travel around the world, I see that persecution is still alive and well. People are being persecuted for their religious beliefs, their skin color, their nationality, their lifestyle preference and for many other reasons. It’s very probable that you’ve experienced some type of persecution.
In John 15:12 Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” We need to go into our world and regardless of people’s beliefs, color, or preferences and love them the way God loves them. Join me as we go out and show His love to a dying world!
