Our day at Auschwitz

Today we went to Auschwitz. I had lots of pictures in my mind of what Auschwitz would be, but nothing could compare to being in such a place. We started out by going to Auschwitz and going through several barracks. These barracks had different displays set up depicting prison life or memorials to those who were killed from particular countries or ethnicities. The museum was very moving seeing people that were just like me yet ending up in such terror and misery before their lives were taken.
The people were brought in to the camp and immediately separated into two groups. The people themselves did not know why they were being separated, but an SS doctor divided them based on their ability to work. Those who were able to work, stayed at Auschwitz until they died or became unable to work any longer. Those who were not able to work, children or those with children or the elderly were sent to Auschwitz Berkenau which meant immediate death in the gas chambers. There were so many painfully poignant reminders that these people who were murdered were innocent of any crime and were in reality people enjoying life just as I do. One section of a barrack had just a mountain of shoes—shoes that were taken from the people before they entered the gas chamber. One big mountain of shoes was just the shoes of little children. There were other things too horrible to even think about including a glass enclosed room of human hair—about 4,000 pounds of it.
During our time there, we saw the awful evidence of how degraded a human heart can become. As we ended our time there, we went to the gas chamber and crematorium. Already, before we ever got there, my heart was already heavy with the inescapable presence of an overpowering evil. It seemed like the whole complex just reeked of death and the stench of it seemed to permeate every inch of the place. When we got to the “showers” as the guards convinced the people that they were, it was almost overwhelming to enter, and I did not want to imagine all the horror that went on in that place. Some places I have to try to imagine the history that took place. In this large, dark room I was only trying to not be overwhelmed with the reality of what did happen there. There were candles lit and a few fresh flowers, but other than that, everything was just how it had been then only we were looking at it from history’s perspective.
I must say that I could not stay in such a place but just a few moments. After seeing the evidences just a few feet back of so many beautiful lives and then seeing their ends, made me have to get back into the sunlight and see if I could sense God’s presence there. As I left, I wondered if the sense of evil and depression that I felt was just because of what I saw. Was this just a human reaction to seeing the depths of depravity that a human heart can sink to? Perhaps almost everyone that comes out of this camp feels much of the same way. The other part of me couldn’t help but wonder if this feeling I had was more than my imagination and that there really was a deep spiritual darkness over this place. I am not a theologian, but somehow I just believe that the heart of God is still deeply grieved over all the hatred that took place there and one cannot help but feel it when you enter the gate.

In Germany and Poland

We are in the Czech Republic today and are enjoying the beautiful countryside. Our time in Czech is relatively laid back as we have had a very busy schedule up until this time and expect to have the same after we leave here. We felt that our time in Germany and Poland was very beneficial and hopefully very fruitful in the lives of the people we met there.

If you have ever been at the birth of a baby, then you probably know a little bit of the feeling that we experienced while in Poland. Quite some time back, we knew that we would be speaking to a homeschool group in Poland, but we assumed it would be a very small and did not realize the significance of the coming event. As we got to the location and began speaking to the host, we realized the magnitude of the coming meeting as the homeschooling community is just now being "born" and are very excited about the possibilities that they have. We thought that this would just be a few people from the local town and that was it.

We were delighted and humbled to know that when people heard about these day long meetings through the internet, they decided to come from all over the country of Poland to attend. I spoke to a couple of ladies that had started at 4 a.m. from their community of Gdansk (the home of Lech Walensa) and caught a train to attend the sessions which started at 10:30 a.m.
The group was excited as they realized that there were others in the country of Poland that were also homeschooling. They don't have any curriculum in Polish or any aids at all, but they have a desire to make a difference in the lives of their children and their country.

The experience taught me a good lesson too--how can I think I have difficulties homeschooling when I have untold catalogs of books, cds, dvds, magazines and lots of conventions, associations and tutors available to me, and they have nothing? The birth of homeschooling in Poland is going well and was a joy to see.

We spent time in Germany, however, and the birth of hoomeschooling there is not near as easy or pleasant. We spent the night with the Dudek family in a little vilage in the middle of Germany. They have been sentenced by the courts to prison terms just for choosing to teach their own children. It doesn't matter that both parents are highly intelligent and loving parents. It doesn't matter that the father tutors German children after school hours for his own livelihood. The problem is that Germany wants no "parallel cultures" as the courts state it. Somehow this term sounds vaguely familiar after visiting World War II museums in Berlin. It seems like that era was supposed to have died long ago, but somehow it is still alive after all these years and after so much suffering to supposedly free them from that type of thinking. At any rate, we were humbled and appreciative of the courage of this family who has endured so much already just to do what they think God wants them to do.

Here are also some random pictures of our time in Poland.

Christian saw so many muslim people in London and western Europe that he thought he would also fix his towel like them. By the way, over here, London is now called "Londonastan." It is humorous to hear him say, "Mom, there's a towel head."
One of the many plaques around Warsaw where Hitler's soldiers went on a killing rampage.
The International Church in Poznan, Poland.
The homeschool organization of Poland.
"Old Town" Warsaw, Poland
Rick buying me a basket of strawberries in Poland
Sunshine at Aldi in the Netherlands
The cultural palace in Warsaw, Poland
Pope John Paul in Warsaw.
Royal and Christian with the executioner in Warsaw. This guy was dressed up and would do a little jig when someone dropped a coin in his bowl at his feet. People were surprised that neither Precious nor Christian was scared of him. They went right up to him and touched him. I should have known that he wouldn't be afraid of this guy after what he did to the mummies at St. Michans church in Dublin, Ireland, when the guide said he could touch the finger of one of the mummies that was about 800 years old. He was in the room with Rick and the kids and I was outside with Paul. Just let me say this...if mama had been in the room, he would not have done what he did, but when dad is in charge, you just don't repeat what happens. Ask me when we get back--the internet is too public!

In Berlin Today

We are about three weeks into our trip now. We had services here in Berlin yesterday and visited lots on interesting places today. Tomorrow we head for a full week of ministry in Poland. Here are some pictures of our trip so far.

Here Royal and I are with two soldiers at the Brandenburg gate in Berlin. Can you tell which one is the statue and which one is living? The real guy is to your left...

The family at the Irish Sea in Northern Ireland

One of the highlights of the trip was touring the Ten Boom house in Holland. We saw the "hiding place" there.