Auswitz 9/14/03

Today we toured Auswitz. The past few days have an experience which is going to effect me the rest of my life, in fact, I?m going to go as far as to compare it with meeting Christ for the first time. I would say that this experience has opened my eyes, to the horrible things humans can do. As the leader of this seminar has put it, you can look at the Holocaust as the ?torah? of humanity, a torah is the ?law? book of Judaism, it is what the Jews use for learning right and wrong, and viewing their lives. The Holocaust was a horrible event in history, but when you study it you see the horrible side of humanity and the most amazing human acts of kindness anyone could imagine, and not imagine.

As I was walking through some of the barracks of Auswitz I (there are actually three parts to Auswitz) I could sense the evil which took place, the humanity, and the death which happened. I was overwhelmed with the images which entered my mind. In a number of places I could smell an odor which was of a dark death. As I walked around I was compelled to pray, sometimes for a family which has been affected by this, other times just for the hearts of people around me to be strengthened by this event in their lives, and for this to never happen again. But I know something similar will happen again, this time to Christians, I?m ready, and prepared, and I have no fear, in fact maybe I?m crazy, but I am not afraid to endure something similar or worse. Why should I want anything less horrible, why do I deserve to be treated any better, I don?t.

UPDATE: click here for pictures.