What do I do with 25 lbs. of boiled eggs? I was recently given a “gift” of a huge bucket of eggs. Twenty-five pounds of eggs! As happens with gifts, you also have responsibility. First, I made room in my refrigerator for this big gift. Then I started thinking about what I might do with them. Thankfully the expiration date was a month away!
Egg salad and deviled eggs were easy. Then I looked up eggs in my Carla Emery’s Old Fashioned Book The Encyclopedia of Country Living. If you need to know anything about country living this is the book. There are over 800 pages to this book. There was a whole section on eggs with ten recipes for pickled eggs.
What did I do? I pickled a gallon of eggs. I have never pickled eggs before nor do I think I have ever eaten pickled eggs. I have tried pickled pig feet, pickled okra, pickled peppers, cauliflower, and of course regular pickles. The pickling process for eggs takes ten days to complete. They are supposed to keep for months. So I will try to remember to share my thoughts on pickled eggs when they are ready to eat.
As Patricia Crawford said, “when you have eggs, you eat eggs”! We have been eating boiled eggs for breakfast, lunch, and snacks!
Please share your favorite boiled egg recipes! I have a few dozen eggs left.
Today I want to share some encouragement and hopefully some ideas of how we can share hospitality during a pandemic.
I love sharing recipes and collecting recipes. Over the years I have traveled back and forth across the country. Most of those trips involved ministry of one kind or another. I have collected recipes on these trips. Many of the recipes I share on this blog have come from some of those collections.
As I have sat around the tables of many of my Christian sisters I realized that a lot of encouragement happens in the homes of fellow Christians. In fact, I believe more happens there than any other place. I believe the early Christians were very hospitable.
Hospitality in the early church began in Jerusalem when the early church was started. Many people were there and stayed there. The Christians gathered daily growing their new faith in God. I can just see the new Christian sisters gathered around sharing what they had with others. Sisters cooking side by side to feed those new friends and brethren. Opening their hearts and homes to these new Christians.
Acts 2:44 -47 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
So many of my life stories have come from Christians who have opened their homes to me and my opening my home to others. Strangers united by Christ.
We can change the world through hospitality. When this pandemic is over open your heart and your home to those around you that God has placed in your life for just such a time. But while we are still in the midst of social distancing. I want to suggest some ways we can practice hospitality.
Think of those who may need a word of encouragement.
Write notes.
Do not think you need fancy cards or stationary. Just a piece of paper will do. If you want to draw a funny picture or send a cartoon you have saved, great. Everyone needs a laugh. What about all of those postcards you have collected from trips? Why not send those to people who would enjoy them.
Care Packages
You might want to send care packages or a sunshine package from the wealth in your own home. Do you have a book you have already read and enjoyed? Send it to a friend. What about an adult coloring book? Send a page or two with a note. Or color the page or have your child color it for a friend or neighbor. Sometimes suspense is fun. Make an envelope for each day of the week for them to open. Items you might want to include in the envelopes: scriptures, pictures, homemade confetti (you know which of your friends can handle this), a fun memory or picture of a time you spent together, assignments like writing 5 blessings you have on this paper, etc.
Phone Calls
Almost everyone in America has a phone it seems. Call someone today, just to say hi or share a memory you have of them. Ask them, “Do you remember when?”
Call an old friend you haven’t talked with in a while. You will both be encouraged.
Blessing Ring
Start a blessing ring today. Count your blessings for they are many.
Fun and Games
Maybe you can make up a game.
Send a puzzle you have already done for someone else to enjoy.
A deck of cards.
Teddy bears in your window to cheer passersby.
Check out the Facebook group Happy Heart Hunt. Placing cheery hearts in your windows, chalk outside people’s doors, etc.
A lady from church gave me permission to share what her neighborhood is doing. Chalk the walk. So that when people take a walk they will be cheered.
Also, my neighbor had the idea to chalk a hopscotch game on the pavement behind our townhouses. Fun!
Check out Pan and Cora’s Adventures on Facebook. http://redaredding.com/PanAndCorasAdventures
Send Encouragement Online
One thing I did today was to send encouraging scriptures to my friends in Malawi. They do not have many available Bibles and really appreciate the scriptures and encouraging words. I used WhatsApp to do this but we have so many resources to use. I also sent them a face mask pattern. I was told they have no masks there.
Have an idea of how we can practice this gift of hospitality in the midst of the coronavirus? Leave your ideas below. We can all use some more ideas to get through this.
Yesterday I started brainstorming about fun things to do with your kids at home. Many people have found themselves unexpectedly homebound. How long will this crisis last? Tornadoes, viruses, injuries, and snowstorms can all cause our world to come to a screeching stop. I do not remember a more uncertain time in my life. I do not ever remember workplaces shutting down at this rate. This has produced a lot of anxiety for some people.
I recommend making your day a more positive day. Don’t give into sitting and watching a play by play on TV or on the internet. There are many things you cannot control but you can control your home environment. Don’t give in to all-day screen time.
Below is a list that I compiled just off the top of my head. There are many things you can do. These are some things I have done over the years or wish I had done. I hope maybe some of these ideas will make your days at home a little easier.
I have eleven children and I have homeschooled for well over 30 years. Staying home for days at a time surrounded by great books with beautiful and brilliant children was my joy and my life. I miss those days. Were my days perfect? No. There are so many things I wish I had done better. Here are a few things I did do.
Making Chores Fun
If you haven’t already gotten your family on a chore system now is the time. There are several reasons for this. First, you will feel better when the basics are taken care of. This is a basic life skill. Second, you have a lot of hours on your hands and children truly need something to do and this benefits the whole family. There are several ways you might do this.
Pull slips with jobs on them. This adds a bit of mystery. You write single jobs on strips of paper. Fold them up and put them in a basket. Everyone chooses one and goes and does that one. They continue until all are done. You can set a timer to make it more interesting. These are extra jobs, not weekly chores.
Whiteboard with lists of jobs let them choose which one. And of course, get the joy of wiping off the accomplished job!
Assign chores by the week as I did when my children were younger. They became chore chart participants at 8 years old. We switched every Sunday. Dishes, table, babies, floors, etc. We have 11 children so for many years I needed help cleaning the high chair, buckling kids in car seats, etc.
Set a timer and have everyone work together in one room or folding all the laundry and then do something fun.
Stories
Tell Stories, everyone loves stories
Make chain stories where one person starts it and each person takes a turn adding the next part to the story. We did this frequently on car trips.
Read
Listen to audiobooks available free from your library even when your library is closed.
Read great books. If you have not read the classics they are great! There is a reason they are called classics. The long ones I prefer the audio version. Unabridged of course.
All those books on your shelf that you haven’t had enough time to read. Now is your opportunity.
Set a reading time every day during this confinement.
Write (or Dictate) and Practice Penmanship
Have your children write and illustrate a story. I have recently been going through files of things I have saved from my children’s younger days. Their stories are fun to read later.
Write stories and then let each one share. Your younger kids can dictate their stories to you. You can have them dictate first and then illustrate or the reverse.
Writing simple reports can be fun and educational. Let them choose a topic to learn about and research about it for a set amount of time and then have each one share his report.
Write out a scripture verse each day.
Write a letter to a grandparent, friend, neighbor, a sick person, or someone in the nursing home.
Stages of Frog
Arts and Crafts
Have an art show. Hang a string from your curtain rod end to end. Especially if you have a large picture window. This works great. Everyone draws or paints pictures etc.
Craft time. Drag out the craft supplies and create pictures. If you have no craft supplies get creative and use noodles, string, make newspaper hats, etc.
Draw a picture for someone and mail it to them.
Take old mismatched socks and make something out of them. Ideas: sock doll, ball, puppet, doll hats, etc.
Memorize other facts you may need like multiplications, verbs, etc.
Games
Play sound games with your preschoolers. Ask them how many words can you think of that start with the same sound as banana, or apple, or penny, you get the idea.
Drag out your board games.
Play charades. Choose a topic. Bible characters, animals, etc.
Music
Learn a new skill
Practice a musical instrument
If you do not have an instrument you might make a paper keyboard and practice as did several famous musicians. Or create rhythm instruments from things around the house.
Practice singing together.
Learn to read music.
Toys
Get out the legos and play together.
Have the kids sort their toys and find some they would like to share with others.
Put together jigsaw puzzles.
Homemade Fun
Make your own homemade family carnival.
If you have a laundry basket make a game of throwing old socks or balls, etc. and ringing the basket from different distances.
Make your own ring toss game.
Make your own dart game using rubber bands and try to hit a target you make.
Get out the shaving cream and on a safe surface give everyone some shaving cream to play with. It is a lot of fun. Remind them not to rub their eyes.
Make playdough ( recipe here) make figures out of it. Set themes: everyone make a dinosaur, or farm animal or flower, etc.
Cooking
Cook together
Bake cookies or bread or pretzels.
Let each child help you make a meal.
Set the table extra pretty for special guests who are going to be there and let someone make a centerpiece for the table out of things you have on hand. When supper time arrives tell your family they are the special guests.
Outside
Let the kids play in the yard or if they don’t want to, insist they run a couple of laps around the outside of the house for exercise.
Go for a walk.
If you cannot go outside put on some oldies and have a dance party. My 20-month-old granddaughter loves Barbara Ann. Take this time to laugh and be silly with your kids.
Look out the window and count how many birds you can see and what kinds. If you don’t know what kind of bird it is look it up!
Exercise videos
Play hopscotch
Generational
Have your child play the reporter and Interview their grandparents on the phone or face time.What games did they play? Were they ever stranded at home? What was the longest time they ever remember staying at home? Snowed in? Epidemic? Earliest childhood memory?
Have the child interview different members of your church by phone and have them ask about their conversion story! How old? Where? Etc.
Have you been snowed in during the wintertime? If you know me you know that I lived many years on Redding Mountain. I used to have a blog called Redding Mountain. If you would like to read some tales about our adventures there you can check out www.reddingmountain.com.
Although we are going through a different sort of adventure at present there are some similarities and so it brought back many memories.
When you live in West Virginia it is very likely you may live on a mountain and find yourself snowed in during the wintertime. If you lived on Redding Mountain you would surely have experienced this as well as many other “adventures” in the wintertime such as no electricity for days or weeks, frozen water pipes, cooking on a kerosene heater, and/or a ride up the hill on the tractor when the road was impassable.
During our snow days, we became very creative. Being snowed in actually became some of our fondest times. When you are snowed in for days everything becomes an adventure. Keeping your water pipes from freezing was a chore we had to deal with. If we had a frozen pipe, someone would go under the house and find which one was frozen. We would then use the hairdryer to thaw the pipe. That is if we still had electricity. If no electricity we would have to rely on the water we had filled available containers with to use for drinking, cooking as well as flushing toilets. Many times we would have a kerosene heater to keep the main living area warm.
If the electricity was out we would move all the mattresses into the living area and close off the other rooms or cover the openings with blankets. There were so many of us that my father-in-law would mention how many BTUs we produced. That many bodies in a small space produced a lot of body heat. I would pile on the quilts and soon we would all be toasty.
During the day when we were not taking care of survival, we would read books and play games. At night we would have our Bible reading time and sometimes quote memory verses or sing songs. Stories would be told by their dad and lots of laughter would ensue. Especially, with the antics of the “three little gitters” with the Redding kids always saving the day.
So find joy in these days that might seem hard and stressful at the moment for they’re what memories are made of.
From my earliest childhood, I knew the scriptures were important. As I sat in church listening to the Bible being taught I knew I was to sit quietly. My memories were not really of the lessons themselves, here it is, I thought I would become an angel when I died. Where I got this idea I have no idea. I was taught the usual Bible stories and enjoyed it all immensely.
High School
When I was a student at Mortimer Jordan High School in the 1970’s we had a POW speak to our assembly. I was very impressed with his story. I really wish I could remember his name. Even though I cannot remember his name part of his story has stayed with me for over 40 years.
This POW shared some of the experiences he had while being held captive. One of the things he and his fellow prisoners did to help sustain them was to put together a Bible. Each man shared what scriptures he could remember and they wrote them on toilet paper. They compiled their own little Bible! This impressed me with a desire to commit scripture to memory lest I find myself in a similar situation with no Bible.
College
While a student at Alabama Christian and later Freed-Hardeman University each Bible class gave us memory verses. I enjoyed this activity. One teacher emphasized in his life the importance of memorizing God’s word. It was said that he could quote whole books of the Bible. I was impressed. I wanted to have chapters and books memorized.
During my early years as a young bride, I would put a scripture beside my bathroom mirror to help me memorize the Word. It was mounted on a paper that said a scripture a day helps keep Satan away. I memorized a lot of verses this way.
Books
In the book Ordering Your Private World Gordon MacDonald shares the story of Howard Rutledge, a young man who is captured during wartime. As a civilian, this young man never had time for spiritual things. He soon realized he did not have the spiritual resources he needed to sustain him during his imprisonment.
Being imprisoned he said his hunger for the spiritual soon outdid his hunger for food. He said, “It took prison to show me how empty my life is without God.” By the time he was released, he realized his need to grow in his relationship with God. You can read his story in the book In The Presence of Mine Enemies. This story really stayed with me and gave me a greater desire to memorize the word of God.
Resources
We lived in Logan, Ohio in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Barbara Dunn, a friend, and Bible teacher gave me a copy of the Bible ABC’s. My children and I memorized these during that time. They are still with me. Through the years I have found several versions of these. Check out these two :
I memorize scripture because God’s word is the Word of Life. I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin against you. Why not memorize God’s word for yourself today!
Please share in the comment section what things you have used to commit the Word of God to memory.
Gratitude. My heart overflows. The more our family grows it gets harder for us to all get together at the same time. I am thankful to Gabriel who started the Redding Formal tradition. This last weekend was the Second Annual Redding Formal. Solar Punk was the theme. I am not sure I really understood the theme but I did dress a little more colorful than usual.
What mom doesn’t like to have all of her children together for a beautiful event? I am thankful that each of our children, their mates, and children were all able to be there.
We had before dinner speeches, and strange (non-alcoholic) drink combinations, ate crickets, told stories, and shared our year. We had a delicious catered dinner of baked chicken, red potatoes, green beans, caesar salad, and rolls. Dipping dots and ice cream with peanut butter was our offerings for dessert.
This time of year I think brings our hearts closer to family and a great sense of gratitude for all God has done in our lives. I especially have so much to be thankful for and in reality, we all do.
I want to do better about expressing gratitude even after the immediate events have passed.
Today I tried a new online company source for cards and invitations. I have used several of these sources through the years and was thrilled to be invited to try this one. I explored the website and found several useful products. It was easy to use and to personalize. I love the little envelopes you can choose for your cards too! So check out: https://www.paperlesspost.com/
My heart is so full! How could I begin to put on paper what my heart has experienced this last couple of months?
When I returned after being in Malawi for a month, I hit the road. My overflowing heart shared news and greetings from our Christian family in Malawi. I hope to express my deep appreciation for all who shared in our work. My heart is still so full of the beautiful people, Bible studies, new Christians and great needs that I witnessed. I thought I would be able to put into words my second trip to Malawi but I know they will not convey what I have experienced. I must try. Be patient with me.
This year we spent a month in Malawi.
Below lists some of the things we did. I am sure it cannot possibly be all that we did while there. There is just too much nor can it convey the joy that I experienced among people who have so little of this world’s possessions.
Prison Ministry
We visited prisons at Ntcheu, Domasi, Mzimba, Maula, and Kachere. It was wonderful to get a report from the chaplains that our people are doing a great work. They are always there. The inmates who studied WBS were not repeat offenders. Not the case with others. When we give them hygiene gifts, the inmates know they are not forgotten.
It was nice to be remembered by those we met before and those who had become Christians last year. It was great to see them active in their faith. They were excited to receive more teaching. Many obeyed the Gospel. We met some new students and signed up new ones. We did teaching and preaching in the prisons as well as delivering soap and toothbrushes.
Ntcheu
We were able to teach men and women at Ntcheu again this year. There was only one female inmate. Last year two female inmates and two female guards obeyed the gospel, as well as seven men. This one remaining female was very excited to see us again and receive a Bible. She and the guards were doing well. She is learning to sew with instruction from the guards. We gave her a piece of fabric to help her along.
There were 21 baptisms at Ntcheu. Because of the lack of water, the inmates have to go outside the gate to haul some in.
Mzimba
Our new sister Cecilia and the Chaplain Peter wanted to provide a meal for us so we spent one evening visiting them at Cecilia’s home. The Chaplain escorted us to theofficers quarters and on our return. We also found out Cecilia has adopted her niece. Many have adopted orphans in Malawi. Her son is away at University.
We made two trips to Mzimba
Soap and toothbrushes distributed.
Bible teaching to the men and women two days.
Baptisms 18. Mzimba has over 100 members of the church in this prison. I was happy to see the spirit among the members with their new brothers. It was also a bit easier to do baptisms in that there are two wells on the prison grounds.
We did a sewing lesson with Mzimba prison ladies and gave them small sewing kits to repair their own clothing. These $1 kits were greatly prized.
Visiting Muya Tembo
We went to Muya Tembo’s (one of our prison ministers) new place and spent some time waiting in his neighborhood while our tire was repaired. His living conditions are very simple. There is no indoor plumbing, and cooking is done outside over an open fire. There is a well in the area. We only heard great things about Muya’s work. We also witnessed first hand how he went and talked with the neighbors as they gathered around to see the drone as we waited for the tire to be repaired. He also gave them some Bible materials and over heard questions being asked. We were able to give Muya’s daughters and friends hygiene bags as well.
Cecilia attended church with us at Makari where my husband, Lawrence preached and after church my daughter Esther and I both taught the ladies. There was one baptism. It was nice to see that they also have teaching for children at this congregation. This was our first visit to Makari but somehow a bookmark made by the ladies day group at church last year found it’s way all the way out to this far out village and was hung from the ceiling as a decoration.
Domasi
The OC Officer in Charge, Eunice wanted to meet with us. She was pleased to receive a Bible and surprised to find out she was mentioned in the Bible. We were able to share the story of Eunice in the Bible, and she encouraged us to continue the great work with this prison.
We gave hygiene bags to Domasi prison which had all new female inmates but one. They had heard that there was a lady there last year who brought these and they were really hoping I would come again. Unfortunately, the first visit I did not have any with me. I was not scheduled for a second visit so I told them they must pray. And it became necessary to make a return trip to that area for a totally separate reason. They were very happy that God allowed the second visit. We were also able to give our one remaining student from last year a Bible. We taught them and also started them on WBS courses. Two visits to Domasi.
We gave soap and toothbrushes.
Lawrence preached to over 300 male inmates,Penjoni a local WBS worker and preacher also gave a message and then while we were waiting for them to fetch water for the baptisms one of the christian brothers who is an inmate gave a lesson. There is a baptistry on the grounds but it’s water had been used by someone doing laundry. So 14 guys took 5 gallon buckets down the road for water to fill the baptistry. There were 24 baptisms at Domasi our first day visiting there. Peter Masters one of the Orrs Sellers preaching school students went with us and did the baptisms.
Ntaja Village
We made a long trek to Ntaja Village. We followed up with some who had requested to be baptized before their release from Domasi prison and had not been allowed. 5 obeyed the gospel. They are in a village surrounded by Muslims. They have been followed up with, given Bibles, and introduced to the local church which is 6 km away. We had a series of car problems and this was one of those trips we broke down. I thought we might have to stay in the village that night. But alas we were on our way and broke down again. We eventually reached our lodging very late. Our hosts said they had been praying for us.
Kachere
Kachere is the juvenile prison in Lilongwe, with 18-22 year old males. We met with the officer in charge Mary. We had met her last year and she had wanted a pink Bible like mine so I was able to give her one. Our friend and minister Watson has been taking care of this prison and their WBS lessons. There is much work to do here.
Bibles
Everywhere we go people long for Bibles. This really touched my heart; I was embarrassed to own 26+ Bibles. We spent $738 on Bibles to give to our students. We were able to give some English Bibles we brought with us as well. After some searching we were able to purchase a Shona Bible and delivered it to a sister (I taught last year). She will be released to go home to Kenya soon. She was beyond happy to receive a Bible and a visit. It was wonderful to see her looking healthy. Last year she was very ill when I was here. I met her at Mzimba prison but this year I visited her at the Maula prison.
TWO Sewing Co-ops Established
We were able to purchase three sewing machines and set up two sewing co-ops. One in Biriwiri and one in Ntcheu. We set them up with enough supplies to get them started and encouraged them to reinvest in their business. They are working together several days a week to further their sewing skills. Some seem to be doing well from the reports we get and some are taking longer to catch on to the skill of sewing. The Ntcheu Co-ophas two sisters teaching them. The Biriwiri Co-op has a local tailor teaching them. These ladies are all very excited about the new skills they are learning. We hope to set up more in the future and also to hold a business workshop in their area. This is very important work. They have so little opportunities to make a living.
Churches
We taught at a few Gospel meetings and church services (Lawrence and Eddie)and Esther and Reda taught at some ladies’ days while we were there. We were reunited with those we met last year and some who had become Christians.
Baleni village (7baptisms), Chinyamula village (1), Mdeka church of Christ (2), Makari church of Christ (1)
WBS School students
We went to some villages even though most of our work revolves around the prison ministry. We visited students we had come in contact with through the schools. And met one in the market place as well.
Children’s Tutorial Centers
We visited two tutorials even though school was not in session yet. It was to begin the next week. They came and recited for us and greeted us. We were able to give the teachers from three tutorials supplies and teaching materials. 37% of the children in Malawi are malnourished. Our plan is to re-establish a nutrition program in these schools. Betty Melcher (my mom) provided 40 sets of clothing (uniforms) to one of the tutorials. My mother made these sweet little skirts and shorts.
Preachers and Teachers Meetings
Met with all of the present and perhaps past preachers and also the tutorial center’s teachers to fellowship and share news and experiences.
Ntcheu Hospital
Visited with sisters in Christ. Gave 20+ hats to babies, baby blankets, and hygiene bags to new mothers in the name of Christ. Unbelievable hospital conditions. They have 20 births a day.
Hygiene Bags
We were able to give out 50 hygiene bags. On one occasion we hosted 20+ school girls at our guest house. We shared a time of fellowship, no bake cookies, crafts, and hygiene bags. Receiving these gifts thrilled the girls.
Water Wells
We visited several areas last year and this year that were in need of a closer water supply. Even though there are many needs we decided to focus this year’s walk for water on Milala community because it would have the largest impact. 280 families will have a changed life because of this. Children will be able to be in school more, Better hygiene, less illness, etc. We were part of a Walk 4 Water this last Saturday which raised enough money to drill a well in this community!!! Now we are trying to raise funds to host an Agricultural workshop in this same community.
Milala village
Oh the stories of dirty water, giant spiders, living without running water, cooking over an open fire, killing and dressing chicken for dinner, etc. There is so much more but I just couldn’t wait any longer to share some of my journey. If you have questions please ask.
My husband has a doctor in St. Louis, Dr. Simon Yu. Recently he had a lengthy visit with a procedure. After our lunch break I had two hours to spend in St. Louis. I decided to Google things to do near me and Google came through with several suggestions. I found the Holocaust Museum was in walking distance of Dr. Yu’s office. My youngest daughter and I went to the Museum. She was a bit reluctant. I feel like it is important for us to study the Holocaust and other times in history even though it is uncomfortable and unpleasant at times.
Fear
As we neared the entrance to the building I noticed a sign near the door about new security features. Isn’t it sad that we still have to fear those who will enter our doors to mistreat or kill us? They let us enter and were very gracious and appreciative of our coming to the museum.
How the Museum Came to Be
Our first stop told how the museum came to be. The museum was in memory of Gloria M. Goldstein who’s husband had made great contributions to establish the museum.. In 1977 a Center for Holocaust studies was established as a living memorial to the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Many Jews had settled in this area during and after the war.
According to the brochure, “Provocative speakers drew Holocaust survivors who had settled in the St. Louis area. They were invited to share their oral history and experiences with schools, churches, and other organizations. They became the teachers and as they shared their stories people listened, asked questions and learned the horrific lessons of the Holocaust. The Oral History project enabled the center to interview and preserve the testimonies of the survivors, liberators of Nazi concentration camps, non-Jews and all those who were impacted by World War II.”
We chose to do the self guided tour although there are guided tours available. We found out that all of the artifacts had a direct connection to people in St. Louis. As we walked through the exhibit we stopped to watch footage, read exhibits, and look at artifacts and photos from World War II and the concentration camps. No one was laughing and talking as they visited this museum.
Estimated 11 Million Lost Lives
Over 6 million Jews lost their lives as they were targeted by Hitler’s genocide. We learned that many non-Jews, maybe as many as 5 million also lost their lives. We learned about the different Star designations that betrayed obvious prejudice and hatred. The horror of women being ripped from their families, having their heads shaved and all their possessions taken, even family photos. They were allowed to keep their shoes. There were so many little details that my study of WWII in the past had omitted.
The Power of One Person
One part of the display stands out to me and that is the power of one person. Individuals who chose to risk their lives to care, defend and save the lives of others while risking their own lives. Stories of those who had hidden children and families to rescue them and help them escape death. One lady is thought to have rescued thousands of children. I am fascinated with these stories and I hope that I would have been willing to risk my life if I had lived during this time period!
Make A Difference in Your World
Regardless of what your government or anyone else does you can still do right. You can still make a huge difference in the world. Impacting one life is a beautiful thing. Don’t let this kind of horror happen again. Go out and make your world a better place. Be the change you want to see in the world!
God Bless You!
Reda
Mural at the Holocaust Museum – St. LouisReda and Esther visit the Holocaust Museum
According to the website the museum is open Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Docent-led tours by appointment. The museum is a department of Jewish Federation of St. Louis. Fran Poger is Chairperson.
A new adventure! Friday morning I left home with a group of 14 (10 teens and 4 adults) from church to travel 93 miles to Savage Gulf State Natural Area. We set up our camp at # 4 Group site. With hammocks hung and tents assembled we were ready for some fun before dinner.
Some of us decided to explore the falls while some stayed behind to play games. The hike to the falls started at the Ranger station. About 300 yards from our campsite was the Ranger station, so we had an easy time of it! It was 1.5 mile hike to the falls from the Ranger station. One plus to having the Ranger station nearby was that it has flushable toilets!
We crossed two suspension bridges on our way to the falls which were really cool. The hike was fairly easy. It was very humid but as we neared the falls the air got cooler and cooler. There were pools that ran over huge rocks. The kids stopped and climbed down the rocks to play in the pools.
Peeking through some giant honeysuckles I could see the pool but not the falls. We stood on the top of the giant rocks and looked over into a larger pool. I walked on down the path to the bottom of the falls where the water cascaded over the rocks from above and dropped into a beautiful pool surrounded by natural rock walls. As I was watching my son climbed around on the giant rocks surrounding the pool. It was beautiful! It was a fun place to climb around. Then I climbed back up the steps. Those steps were the hardest part of the hike for me. Getting my breath I started the 1.5 mile hike back to camp.
The next morning we decided to leave camp at 8 am to hike to the falls again with our whole group. It was actually much more humid than the evening before. Trees which must have blown over in the recent storms were uprooted and fallen along the path. A deer silently watched us from amid the trees. Crossing the suspension bridges took a bit longer with a larger group. We crossed two at a time stopping in the middle to look at the stream before stepping on to the end. When we had all crossed we continued on down the trail toward the falls.
No one was in sight when we arrived at the falls. It was very still and beautiful. The pool was shadowed because of the time of day but soon the sun reached us from between the high canopy of trees. Everyone decided to go swimming. There are too many huge rocks beneath the surface to allow jumping or diving but there were plenty of places to swim and play in the water. The group had a great time climbing around and standing beneath the water fall to get a shower. We explored the rocks and swam for a couple of hours and then headed toward our campsite.
As we started the return hike we met several groups out for a day hike. There were several family groups with young and old hikers. One group was 11 ladies, old college friends, who meet-up every year for a reunion. Everyone on the trail was friendly to our group. By the time we arrived at the Ranger station we were all hot and sweaty and ready for the bathroom and some water.
The prejudice that presented its ugly head in the lives of Southern people was not unique to those who were reprobates. As a learned tradition, it etched its way into the hearts of many family members who professed Christianity and who should have known better. I take some comfort, however, in the fact that their behaviors often conflicted with their spoken denouncements.
My Dad occasionally made racial remarks that were not becoming to his position as an educator and certainly not to his profession as a Christian minister. On the other hand, when someone had a need that Dad knew about, prejudice did not enter into his decision…he did whatever he could without hesitation.
In the forties and fifties, a black minister of the gospel won the hearts of many Christian people, and even though he has been dead for several years, his name and work are still alive. He succeeded in getting the support of several well known white brethren to help him establish a preacher training school for young men of his race, and Southern Bible Institute in Dallas, Texas continues to fulfill Marshall Keeble’s dream.
Once, Dad took the family to a neighboring town to hear Brother Keeble in a tent meeting. Brother Keeble, who was known for his use of humor in making important points, sometimes exploded a laugh through half-closed lips. My brother, who happened to be sitting on the front row that evening, declared that he saw a rainbow in the moisture that sprayed from Brother Keeble’s mouth during one of his witty outbursts!
Later, around 1953, my husband and I were privileged to take our small family to an outdoor meeting in Abilene, Texas in which Brother Keeble and some of his student preachers spoke. I am glad that prejudice did not do its dirty work and rob me of these two special experiences.
When I was teaching school, I discovered and read two wonderful books about African Americans to my students. One book, Amos Fortune, Free Man, was about a slave who was given his freedom when he was still a young man, and he spent the rest of his life buying freedom for others. The other book was a biography of George Washington Carver. I never tire of reading about his numerous talents and his unpretentious way of life.
From musician to botanist, to chemist, to artist, to sports doctor, to educator, Mr. Carver credited all of his talents to God. This man, who recognized God as the source of all his talents,….how could anyone suggest that he did not have a soul?
One of Dad’s sisters married the son of a German immigrant, who owned and operated a meat market in Athens, Alabama. Aunt Alma and Uncle Carl were respectable citizens of their communities. She taught in the public school system for many years and later in a private Christian school. I did not have as much contact with them and their children as with the relatives who lived a more rural lifestyle, but the times that we were together made good memories.
During World War II when Hitler began pouring out his terrible wrath upon Jews and others, people in the US identified all Germans with the detestable dictator and Nazism. The prejudice that resulted from this unfair way of thinking made it very difficult for innocent Americanized Germans, and it was particularly hard on their children who had to attend public schools and be subjected to the spiteful remarks that targeted all Germans.
Prejudice can exist between races, between sexes, between rich and poor, between young and old, between educated and uneducated, and it can extend in both directions. Although the cotton patch had a great potential for equalizing all who worked in it side by side, it did not always succeed, and there was also prejudice between those who worked in the fields and those who wouldn’t.
I have witnessed a great improvement in the attitudes of those close to me toward others who are different, and I pray that it will continue to be so.
Prejudice can rob us of having some rewarding relationships, and making generalizations is a form of prejudice totally unfair to those in the group who have done nothing wrong. Give honor to whom honor is due, whoever they happen to be.
