Sometimes we wonder how or when God is going to speak to us and as we were in the Czech Republic I felt God talking to me in a lot of ways but there were two times that I felt it very strong. As we continued our journey thru the Czech Republic, we had the opportunity to visit two places that I was really Xcited about, Terezin and Lidice. To my surprise both places were part of our schedule in the Czech Republic.
When we had the opportunity to make our way thru the town of Terezin and we entered the museum, my heart sank as we were walking and seeing the horrible stories drawn by kids, the different stories of very talented people who were not able to flourish in their talents because they were put in this village and later sent to Auschwitz or other concentration camps without questions or reasons. There was only one important thing in mind, if you were healthy and able to work then you were sent to do labor work, if not then you were with the group of thousands that was about to be gassed simply because you were nothing. Those who had the chance to stay had to make their living in very small and cramped barracks with dozens of people in a very small room. On our second day in the Czech Republic one of my teammates and I slept in a homeless shelter with approximately 30 other men. If I was scared and frightened in that situation, I cannot begin to imagine how scared all these people were because of the living conditions of those living in the barracks; with all their possessions and with so many strangers. As we continued our way thru town, it was amazingly hard to stand right next to the rail tracks where many times trains were stationed picking up thousands of people and packing them inside as cattle and sent to an unknown deathly destination. However, it became even harder as we approached the cemetery where thousands were buried and even more people were cremated and their ashes either thrown into the river or used as fertilizer in farms; despicable acts of barbarity that would make anyone sick.
The other place that we visited was Lidice. At first I didn’t know that we were at the town because we started our tour at the end of the village. As we were looking at what appeared to be the foundation of a church and a school, from a distance I was able to recognize the monument of the Children of Lidice and I really was Xcited to be there; to know the meaning and significance of the monument. However, once I was facing the monument and I read the reason why the monument was erected quickly my excitement turned into sadness and later into anger. I couldn’t understand that eighty-nine children were gassed; eighty-nine beautiful and innocent lives ended for no reason. Only sixteen survived and that’s because they were separated from the others who were not blonde or blue eyed. I put myself in that position. I’m not blonde or blue eyed. I’m Latino with dark hair, brown eyes and not even white. If I was there I would have been gassed as well. It is just hard to understand that an entire village was wiped out of the face of the earth because the Germans picked randomly some place in the Czech Republic as a revenge for the murdering of Reinhard Heydrich, the close friend and Xpected successor of Adolf Hitler.
The reason why these two Xposures have made such and impact in my life is because it was hard for me to understand why people in the Czech Republic aren’t as welcome as I thought they would be; why is it a country with such a strong atheist community. History itself has shaped this culture into what they are today. Not only they faced the German regime but also the communist regime right after. You have over fifty years of this kind of life and a whole new generation who were brought up without the concept of God in their lives; only war, death and survival. Very few were strong in their faith and were able to pass it along to their generations; we witnessed that same example when we visited one family after our first Sunday in the Czech Republic, meanwhile others had nothing.
Today you have a nation with a very low ratio of Christians, approximately one for every one thousand or maybe less. Our position as Christians in the Czech Republic was to first gain their trust to at least bring the concept of God to be able to preach the gospel. However, I ask you, what is your position? Are you gaining the trust of those whom you want to talk about the gospel to? Are you planting seeds of hope for those that haven’t met God? Have you Xamined your values and priorities and Xcercised your faith so that others can see Jesus thru your lives? Are you ready to Xpand your mind and Xplore God’s word and world? I know my team and I did, and in God’s time those seeds will flourish and release more seeds. I challenge you to come and Xperience missions as you would never thought you would.
When we had the opportunity to make our way thru the town of Terezin and we entered the museum, my heart sank as we were walking and seeing the horrible stories drawn by kids, the different stories of very talented people who were not able to flourish in their talents because they were put in this village and later sent to Auschwitz or other concentration camps without questions or reasons. There was only one important thing in mind, if you were healthy and able to work then you were sent to do labor work, if not then you were with the group of thousands that was about to be gassed simply because you were nothing. Those who had the chance to stay had to make their living in very small and cramped barracks with dozens of people in a very small room. On our second day in the Czech Republic one of my teammates and I slept in a homeless shelter with approximately 30 other men. If I was scared and frightened in that situation, I cannot begin to imagine how scared all these people were because of the living conditions of those living in the barracks; with all their possessions and with so many strangers. As we continued our way thru town, it was amazingly hard to stand right next to the rail tracks where many times trains were stationed picking up thousands of people and packing them inside as cattle and sent to an unknown deathly destination. However, it became even harder as we approached the cemetery where thousands were buried and even more people were cremated and their ashes either thrown into the river or used as fertilizer in farms; despicable acts of barbarity that would make anyone sick.
The other place that we visited was Lidice. At first I didn’t know that we were at the town because we started our tour at the end of the village. As we were looking at what appeared to be the foundation of a church and a school, from a distance I was able to recognize the monument of the Children of Lidice and I really was Xcited to be there; to know the meaning and significance of the monument. However, once I was facing the monument and I read the reason why the monument was erected quickly my excitement turned into sadness and later into anger. I couldn’t understand that eighty-nine children were gassed; eighty-nine beautiful and innocent lives ended for no reason. Only sixteen survived and that’s because they were separated from the others who were not blonde or blue eyed. I put myself in that position. I’m not blonde or blue eyed. I’m Latino with dark hair, brown eyes and not even white. If I was there I would have been gassed as well. It is just hard to understand that an entire village was wiped out of the face of the earth because the Germans picked randomly some place in the Czech Republic as a revenge for the murdering of Reinhard Heydrich, the close friend and Xpected successor of Adolf Hitler.
The reason why these two Xposures have made such and impact in my life is because it was hard for me to understand why people in the Czech Republic aren’t as welcome as I thought they would be; why is it a country with such a strong atheist community. History itself has shaped this culture into what they are today. Not only they faced the German regime but also the communist regime right after. You have over fifty years of this kind of life and a whole new generation who were brought up without the concept of God in their lives; only war, death and survival. Very few were strong in their faith and were able to pass it along to their generations; we witnessed that same example when we visited one family after our first Sunday in the Czech Republic, meanwhile others had nothing.
Today you have a nation with a very low ratio of Christians, approximately one for every one thousand or maybe less. Our position as Christians in the Czech Republic was to first gain their trust to at least bring the concept of God to be able to preach the gospel. However, I ask you, what is your position? Are you gaining the trust of those whom you want to talk about the gospel to? Are you planting seeds of hope for those that haven’t met God? Have you Xamined your values and priorities and Xcercised your faith so that others can see Jesus thru your lives? Are you ready to Xpand your mind and Xplore God’s word and world? I know my team and I did, and in God’s time those seeds will flourish and release more seeds. I challenge you to come and Xperience missions as you would never thought you would.
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