A Trip to the Netherlands: Scattering Seeds for Generations

 

Ever since Literature class in 6th grade when we read our first Holocaust story, I have been fascinated, moved, and drawn to stories of that time, but I had never before walked in the footsteps of someone who had to go into hiding until a few weeks ago. From the moment I heard that we had secured tickets to the Anne Frank House, I tried to prepare my heart for what awaited me by refamiliarizing myself with stories from that time and rereading Anne’s infamous diary, but even that could not capture the feeling of what seeing a scattering of family photos or standing in Anne’s bedroom or seeing her words in her own handwriting did to me.

Listening to audio on individual headsets, we walked from room to room and up flights of steep stairs deeper and deeper into the heart of life in hiding. Each room told a different story. Some highlighted what happened to the family members. Some portrayed what the room was used for during hiding. Still others plastered quotes and memorabilia and evidence of the lives they lived. I remember seeing a picture of Anne early in the tour holding a baby doll and smiling. I’m sure it was a few years before the family actually “disappeared”, but it brought home that she was truly just a child and that their family was like any other. If not for Jewish heritage and bad timing, they would have never had to make the choices they did. If not for Hitler’s hatred of a certain people at that time in history, it could have been anybody—any family trying to stay together and stay alive. The question that comes to mind then is why them? Why did they have that burden to carry?

And even though this answer is uncomfortable and I tend to wrestle with it, I think it’s because God knew their suffering had the capacity to impact generations in a way that not just anybody could. Anne Frank is not the only Jewish person whose story survived (there are so many great ones) but I think hers is among some of the most influential ones because of her choice to see good amidst the bad and to continue to hope for a future that she couldn’t see at that moment. I found these words by Lily Temmer online about Anne’s impact: “From Anne, we can learn to cherish each day, strive to be more compassionate, look at the world with wonder, and be glad to be alive despite our circumstances.” Anne Frank is famous not merely because her words were published but because her message was impactful. The faithful seeds she planted in the darkness of hiding have bloomed years later and are making a huge difference for so many more people than she could have ever known in the middle of her darkest days. 

As I think about this kind of legacy, I am reminded of another person who found himself separated from his family, in a pit of misfortune, in a forgotten jail cell, and tucked away from the kind of life he wanted. In Joseph’s story we see betrayal, calamity, and hardship fill his days before God steps in and turns it around. Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph couldn’t see what the impact of his suffering would be in the middle of it, but he chose to trust in what He could not see. Anne Frank could have never known that her life would extend far beyond herself as she sat huddled in an attic or in a concentration camp, but she chose to hope that something else was in the distance. I think what Joseph and Anne’s stories teach us is that there are also things in our lives—challenges, messy bits, doors closing, different answers than our choosing—that if we were to surrender, could end up impacting generations upon generations. It may seem that we are sowing in the dark. It might appear like it will never change. We may think that no good could ever come from the thing we are walking through. But what if it’s in fact for the saving of many lives? What if God is using our darkest moments to plant seeds that will have a much greater impact than we could ever imagine?

A few days after I got home from the Netherlands, I heard this quote: “It’s not what you gather but what you scatter that tells the kind of life you have lived” (shared by Hamp Greene, 21 Days of Prayer August 2024, Day 5). My mind immediately went back to Anne Frank and her family. Anne scattered seeds of hope, courage, compassion, and optimism. It wasn’t how much she had in life or how many degrees she obtained. It wasn’t the money in her bank account or how many followers she had. It was the way she didn’t give up, the lessons she taught about cherishing the gift of life, and the way she used what she had for something beyond herself. Anne’s legacy is her words and her spirit. Those are the things that have lived on and scattered all around the world.

And as amazing as that is, Anne's story was not the only one that encouraged and challenged me while I was there. I also met some other people that week who are using their lives to scatter messages of hope and love about Jesus. They are ordinary people who have decided they would rather put impact over comfort. They are people who have chosen to have open hands. And they are people that are not gathering everything they can in life but rather are planting seeds in places that have the potential to live far beyond themselves. I was humbled by hearing their stories; by seeing the tangible sacrifices they make for something greater than themselves and by being reminded of the call each of us has as Christ-followers. We too carry seeds of influence. We too have a choice to gather or scatter. We too can let God use what seems like something bad, for something good. Let us each be reminded that today is the day the Lord has made. May we rejoice in it. May we invest it. May we have the mindset of generations behind us driving how we live it. Go out and scatter, friends! 

—Only Hope

To the team: What a wonderful experience to go and invest in families and the work they are doing all over the world. Each of you brought something unique to the team and I enjoyed getting to know you better, laughing with you, and exploring a new city! From crafts and songs to lice outbreaks, buffet lines, latte machines, stroopwafels, Ferris wheels, eating gelato (more than a few times), visiting Leiden, being sketched by Rembrandt, touring Amsterdam, and everything in between, I enjoyed our adventures together. Thank you for saying yes and choosing to scatter rather than gather! Until our next trip…

To everyone else that I met along the way from all over, how neat is it that we come from different places but are united in our faith in Christ! I enjoyed meeting you, hearing your stories, serving alongside you and adding some new numbers and emails to my contact list.