Growing up, I had been convinced by my own experience and
the history of my people that everyone wanted to kill Jews, especially Eastern
Europeans and Germans. I therefore resisted Anita's plans to visit Poland
during the celebration of our 25th anniversary. My four grandparents had come
from Poland, and they had little good to say about the Poles.
However, after two weeks in Poland, I was so encouraged
by the Polish people that I too began to call myself a "Pole." Now,
after almost three weeks in the Ukraine, I feel that I am almost Ukrainian.
Of course, here, my experiences have overwhelmingly been a
reflection of the Ukrainian Christians I have met and the various churches
where I have taught. Surprisingly, these churches gladly display Jewish symbols
and routinely pray for Israel.
A few days ago, we visited a Carpathian Mountain Evangelical
church in Rakhiv. The pastors, Joseph and Vadim, took us to visit a Jewish
cemetery hidden away in the mountains. They even instructed me about the Jewish
symbolism on the gravestones. More surprisingly, they and their church have
felt led to keep up this cemetery, without any compensation, in respect for the
great tragedy sustained by the Jewish community.
However, good deeds cannot long remain hidden. One Jewish
doctor, when informed of their sacrificial work, could not contain his tears.
I could not resist boasting about the love of Christians for
Jews when I had met an Israeli family in Rakhiv. They knew about the cemetery
and were planning to visit. However, they were not surprised by what I related.
They too had heard about the sacrificial work of this Evangelical Church.
These accounts, and many others that I had heard, have
bolstered my conviction that Christ transform lives and builds community as He
has done for me. Christ is the Source of love and peace. He is the only bulwark
against the threats and fears that we face. He assures us that He will even
convert the greatest threats into occasions for great rejoicing.
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