Berlin

The mother mourning for her son, housed in a building that has changed hands and purposes with every war:

The statue that Napoleon pointed to:

Our first hostel!!! It was called the three little pigs :)

The "Ministry of Ministries" during Cold War communism, it was a stark building, tall and imposing bt was built to give friends of the government jobs doing very little:

A part of the propagandic mural on the Ministry of Ministries building, this was the ideal attitude towards communism, in the courtyard facing this mural, was a real-life picture the same width and heighth of people protesting:
The German Cathedral, built opposite the French Cathedral:
A part of an old train station, through wich millions of elderly Jews were shipped off, never to be seen again:

My favorite, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe:
Brandeburg Gate, the one gate almost every great army of the West has walked through:

It was so interesting hearing the history of the city in our free tour. Berlin is old. Sometimes you forget all that was going on before WWII, simply because the Nazis are so infamous. But Berlin has a very rich and vibrant history and it was fun to rediscover it. Friedrich the Great, Wilheim I and II, Napoleon, and WWI and how these made the people who they are and set the conditions for WWII. Mom, Molly, do you remember that famous quote by Napoleon when he was pointing to Freidrich the Great's statue and said "If this man was still alive we could not be standing here now."? I saw the statue!! It was one of the greatest compliments Napoleon ever paid someone. The Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe was my favorite though. It was extremely moving. It takes up a city block and is made up of rectangular, grey, cement blocks. As you look out over it the blocks are of varying heights but they are all even and evenly spaced, then you begin to walk through and you discover that the gound is terribly uneven. As you continue to walk the cement blocks rise higher and higher over head. Every once in a while you catch a glimpse of someone but for the most part you feel completly alone and isolated. It is deathly silent as you are walking through, it is somewhat disorientating. You are surrounded by towering grey cement blocks it is almost oppressive. Then you begin to think about what it must have been like for the Jews. They were being forced into a trap that would most likely lead to their death, they could make friends but more than likely those friends would be gone soon, never to be seen again, they were oppressed and disoriented, helpless and hopeless. But then one begins to see more sunlightand the blocks gradually become shorter, you emerge on the other side, the hate, prejudice and injustice that had been so oppressive and strong is fading and losing power. You are free but never the same. I suppose I liked Berlin so much because the entire city is that way, they are free but not the same, they cannot and will not forget the circumstances and passions that have brought the city to it's knees many a time, but they refuse to be broken, they continue to build and hope and live fully.
That could be the exact description of the Antioch church there. They live and love so well, hoping and building. I truly enjoyed being there. Worship was incredible! I stayed with Stephanie, Shannon, and Sarah on Saturday night. They made me feel so at home and loved.

That's it for now... London coming soon.