From Eric (Monday and Tuesday, May 31 and June 1)
For most of my life visiting behind the "iron curtain" was never one of my desires. When I was a teenager, visiting a communist country was never on my radar screen. Maybe it was because I never had the ability to travel there, maybe it was because my heritage and teaching was that traveling to a communist country was not a good thing or a patriotic thing to do, but mostly it was because westerners were simply not allowed to visit East Berlin and the surrounding areas. I had heard of the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin wall, and Check-Point Charlie but never had a thought about really being here. Today we got to stand at each of them and got to touch the Berlin wall.
For the past two days we lived in, eaten in, and traveled around East Berlin. For me it was very surreal. Germany has always been of great interest to me because my dad was born in western Germany (that visit will come later in the trip). However, visiting East Berlin for the past two days has been one of the most fascinating experiences I have had in a long time. After walking 10+ miles through the streets sometimes led by an incredible guide named Max from the UK and others times just wandering around, we learned much about the history of the Jewish people at a museum dedicated to them, about the holocaust, and about what life was life living in a communist city.
Maybe what was most overwhelming was that everything here has changed since 1989. People are now free; people have opened all kinds of businesses and restaurants, and everyone is glad to share the goodness of living in East Berlin today. When someone tells me that things can never change, I now will always think about the incredible, enormous changes that can take place in the lives of people in relatively short times. Absent was any evidence of the Church being alive here (of course you would expect me to be looking for this!) but I will pray, as I ask you to do too, that someday the changes that have started here will make its way into the hearts of these friendly and intriguing people and that all will see these 20 years as the gift of God to them and their nation.
Please send comments. They mean more than you can imagine when everyone is speaking a language that is foreign to us!
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5 comments:
Dear Lohe Family, It truly sounds like your journey is amazing and it has only just begun! We can only imagine the emotions, the excitement and realizations you all are experiencing. We so look forward to reading your posts. God Bless! The Brown Family
Dear Lohes,
Your stories are so interesting to read. Thanks for sharing! I am excited that you are getting opportunity to travel. You are in ours prayers. Thanks for being you! God bless! The Giovanoni family.
I'm enjoying traveling with you via blog! Reading and commenting on blogs is new for me so here goes! Can't wait to hear even more about your journey - sorry that the baggage is so cumbersome. We're so looking forward to your arrival here - the kids are excited! We have the photos on the bulletin board and are getting everything ready (I hope!)! Keep writing - we're praying! Carolyn
I was given a small piece of the Berlin wall, and now I'm not sure where it is! It would be a shame to have misplaced it! Please tell Carol that the girls have been following this blog and enjoyed seeing the photos (post more). We had Emily and Rebecca over and they were all huddled around the computer reading the blog. Then, in true FOCUS fashion, they got out the atlas and began looking where you are and where you are going. I know that will not surprise Carol - she nurtured that curiosity well.
Stay safe!
Jamie Carmosino
Hey Carmosinos! (and Emily and Rebecca!) It's Carol, here in the Czech Republic! We went to the National museum today and I was wishing our whole class could have taken a field trip over to see all this great stuff! Thanks for reading our blog. I had Kristen take a picture of me outside the museum just for you and we'll post it soon. I also bought you some JoJos today to share when we get back--see if you can figure out what they are! I'm glad to hear you've been using the atlas--you go girls!
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