THE POWER OF MUSIC

We watched the re-enactment march of the battle where Napoleon "met his Waterloo." It happened every year at the actual battle site near our home in Belgium.

Seventy-two thousand died in just a matter of hours.

I kept thinking about the men in Wellington's army that marched into the saber teeth of war that day.

Indeed, what powers can cause a man to march into any war? Of course, the desire to stop the enemy is strong, but it seems even other forces interplay to maintain the marchers' morale.

Demanding drums established a rhythm--a cadence that seemed to be a proverbial engine compelling weary bodies forward. Heavy feet thudded the pavement in cadence.

Yet, at the same time--what a masterful paradox--the high, lilting fife notes beckoned the marchers' minds and spirits to rise above the fatigue and fear.

Someone a long time ago learned the power of music. They knew the attitude of the marchers would tread the avenues of the melodies they heard.

Hell knows well how to do this. Secular media jack-hammer hell scripture lyrics into the minds and hearts of our children with a screaming, pulsing, flood of rebellion--hastening the march into hell.

But I have also heard another kind of music. In America, Australia, Rwanda, Swaziland and everywhere I go I hear Delerious!' song, "How Great Is Our God!" In Rwanda and Australia choirs of nearly 30,000 voices lofted high our spirits and compelled us to march into the face of the enemy.

I'm awash in goosebumps now just from the memory of those times.

The cadence is still there pushing me.

BELGIUM: BREENDONCK CONCENTRATION CAMP

One of Hitler's "final solution" extermination centers.

A sobering place to visit.

One pastor friend from Iowa visited with us. We were out back behind the buildings standing by the posts where firing squads executed the prisoners.

Our friend said, "Take a picture of me standing at the post." As he stood at the post and I set up to take the picture a volley of shotgun blasts came from just around the corner. My friend nearly dropped to his knees from the emotional shock. He's probably glad I didn't get the photo.

We didn't know there was a group of men with shotguns trying to shoot the rats in the moat that circled the camp.

All of us will remember that moment.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM; THE ROYAL FOREST

Every day as we drove to the office at International Correspondence Institute near the infamous Waterloo battlefield we passed this awesome chalet.

Hitler had used it as his headquarters during his occupation of Belgium. It has a foreboding, ominous lure about it.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, INTERATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE INSTITUTE

The Board.

Left to right: John Carter, Dave Ohlerking, Norm Anderson, Dr. George Flattery (President and Founder), George Davis, and Norm Correll

These men accepted the challenge to create Bible study materials for nations and language groups. They now cover the globe.

The Minister of Education for Germany told us once, "These are the finest distance education materials I have ever seen."

It was great to be part of this even though the cold, grey, rainy skies drove me nuts.