Auschwitz

If you prefer not to read this, I'll understand.  I've tried to express what I learned, witnessed and saw with detail, but in a sensitive way.

I cannot fully express in words how it was to go to Auschwitz.  We (the entire staff from YWAM Skien) went to Poland for part of our staff training.  The last day we had some free time and about 15 of us went to Auschwitz, for a tour, since we were so close. When we arrived back I was asked by a couple of staff members how it was and I honestly found it hard to verbalize my thoughts and feelings.  This may help, a couple weeks later someone had the movie "A Boy In Striped Pajamas" and since I had not seen it, I decided to. (side note: someone on the tour asked our guide if this movie was true and he declared it was not). So I knew it wasn't a true story, but I did know other things such as, the Nazi general of the camp did live near the base with his family.  The Nazi government tried to hide the horrors happening in the camp. Many people mostly women and children were almost immediately put in the gas chamber upon arrival.  The people coming to the camp really thought they were going to be taken care of, not murdered.  Therefore, while watching the movie I recalled the truths I had heard on the tour.  I did not cry at the end of the movie, but my stomach felt uneasy.  I went to my room and another staff, Marit, came into my room.  I asked her to pray for me as it was late and I was going to bed and it had been the last thing I had seen.  Then I tried to verbalize what I was feeling as I began to cry, this is what it came down to: I no longer see this as entertainment it had become too real.  I had seen the rows of pictures of people.  I had seen the bags they thought they would recover or the toothbrushes and other personal items they brought with them to the camp.  I had seen the hair, that was the most gut wrenching, there still was human hair that was found at the camp because they had taken it to make cloth. 
I guess the thing that I kept asking God was how; how could people be so angry and do this to other people.  It is so sad to see hate, sin, lies lived out. (That in part is why I do what I do, speaking truth and love into peoples lives.)  If you ever get the chance to go, take it, but know it isn't easy. Below are some pictures, there were some places you were asked not to take photos, like the place they had the hair and the "shower room".

A little bit of country...

I recently went to Grimerud, another YWAM base in Norway, but out in the country.  The DTS staff training was there.  What this means is all of the DTS staff from all over Norway come together to have training.  It is a time to bond, be encouraged and be equipped for the season ahead.  It was great.  I really liked getting to know people from other bases and having diversity in our training.  There are too many wonderful things to tell - really! The Norwegian staff sang the blessing song over the foreigners, a beautiful moment.  We got speaking on heart matters, missions matters and practical discipleship matters.  It was really encouraging and equipping. 

It was also nice to see a bit of Norway countryside.  Skien is in a city (it feels like a town, it feels very small, but in truth it isn't as small as it feels.), approximately 32,000 people live here.  This was my first place to visit in Norway apart from Oslo. It was lovely.



I think I have just begun to see the beauty of Norway and the Norwegian people.  I also am in the beginning of seeing God move here.  He is preparing my heart and soon things will take place... 

A little bit of fun

I'm trying to get the blog up-to-date so I am backtracking a bit and this the last event I did before officially starting on staff.

Sailing! It was God's way of blessing me in my transition.  The day was beautiful, there has been quite a lot of rain this summer here in Norway, so a day on the sea in the sun was quite a gift. 

It was a great day.  Norway is so beautiful.  Interesting fact: July is the holiday month because that is when the sun shines.  School summer holiday is only 7 weeks long (they have other breaks throughout the year though).  Since July is the time when everyone goes on holiday often churches close during that month or adjust to have services every other week, because so many, if not all the people go on some sort of holiday. 
So if you consider visiting me (and you should, hint, hint) and want sun, come in July.



The Beginning

I thought it would be nice to share a bit more with you on a more about my journey here in Norway.  I think I will let the pictures do the talking more this time.

I had a little over a week to get adjusted before all the bustle of YWAM began (details about that to come in other posts). I had the opportunity to go downtown to Oslo where the bombing had occurred and walk around with a friend who actually had been in the city, in the area when the bomb went off.  She was going to see the city after the chaos, I was going to see it for the first time:

Here I am.  Notice the tank, it was a beautiful summer day here in Norway and I was enjoying the stroll in the sunny weather. Sadly, the pictures below are not as cheery as the weather was.

This is the building where the car bomb was parked next to when the bomb went off.  The building was closed off, but you can see that people have brought flowers to honor the lives of those who were lost.

Here is a store that still hasn't gotten their glass replaced and again you see flowers placed by people who want to honor those lost.

A window shattered.  It was interesting to see what buildings were affected and which were not.  This was near the cafe where my friend was sitting when the bomb went off. Other windows were boarded up.

We went into the church that had the memorial for all those who died that day, for those who died in the bombing in Oslo and the shooting on the island. There was a place where kids had put up drawings they had made.  This one reads: "If one man can show so much hate, think how much love we can show together".  This nation is unique, it does have a trusting heart.  You don't feel afraid here or worry that your things will get stolen.  There is a country home feel, it's the only way I know how to describe it.  It's beautiful and rich. 

I'm grateful to be here, to see what God has in store for this time and to learn to love the Norwegians like He does.