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A cold day with a simple message of hope.

I headed off quite early with the goal of going to see Corrie Ten Boom’s house in Haarlem before coming back for the 2pm intercession set at the Tabernacle of the Nations (the prayer room). I arrived in Haarlem around 10am and went looking for the house. In cold rain and wind I walked towards the centre in hope of finding this house that is famous as the house where Corrie and her family hid Jews during the Second World War from the Germans. I found the house, but I also discovered that the next English tour was not for another hour and a half (and it’s the kind of set up where you can only go in with a guide).


Cold and wet I decided to walk around in search of a cafe I could use the internet in (some cafes offer free WiFi). Not the best of ideas as I ended up walking around for a while getting colder and colder and finally a wee bit lost. But then I recognised a street and made my way towards the centre again. I found a cafe which offered coffee and homemade apple pie and sat there. It was so nice to get inside! And the cake and coffee tasted incredible.

As I was strolling around I think I must have accidentally wandered into the Red Light District of Haarlem. There were the red lights and empty “windows” in some hidden alleyways, ironically right next to a church. In Amsterdam the Red Light District is in close proximity to Oude Kerk, which is known as the oldest church in Amsterdam. A bit of an in-your-face statement if you ask me. It’s so sad. The church needs to wake up to the reality that there are women who are working as sex workers, and that many of them are not there voluntarily and many want out.


I did make it to the tour of the house and was so encouraged and inspired by the story of Corrie and Betsy and their love for God and people. The main message was: there is no pit so deep that God’s love isn’t deeper still. Simple and true! And it brings hope, no matter what situation you’re in.

Then I hopped on the train back to Amsterdam, grabbed a sausage roll at HEMA and went to the prayer room for the rest of the day.

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