I recently came across a story about a WWII hero. This man did not fly helicopters, carry a big gun, or lead a large military invasion. He was a simple man with a passion for life. A man that loved others more than himself. A man that refused to sit idly by while millions lost their lives. The man I am referring to is Raoul Wallenberg. A Swedish diplomat that outsmarted many as he saved over 100,000 lives.
I strongly encourage you to spend some time this week learning more about this incredible man. The stories of his work are truly amazing. Wallenberg cared deeply about the atrocities happening outside his window. This work consumed his life. His life’s mission was to save as many Jewish people as he could from their Nazi captors. One story about Wallenberg that stands out to me involves him stepping onto train tracks. He would literally step in front of trains transporting thousands of Jewish people to death camps. He would provide the Jewish people with Swedish protective passports. These passports coupled with his boldness forced the Nazis to release thousands of Jews. Wallenberg, in many ways, made the tracks his home. He made his passion his work.
His life was one that we should all admire. He woke up every single day with life on his mind. The amazing thing about this story though, is the life on his mind was not his own. He set out to fight for others and what he was able to do was absolutely amazing. Think about that for a second. Wallenberg had an impossible mission. How could anyone possibly make a dent in the terrible loss that was occurring of the Jewish people? How could one man in any way make a difference? These questions would cripple most with fear. These questions would send most into hiding. Yet, these questions only ignited the fire in Wallenberg. A fire that drove him to making an impact in a lost and broken world.
I realize that this history lesson is a bit different than past postings. What does a Swedish WWII hero have to do with Hope Resource Center? Wallenberg didn’t start the first pregnancy center or the first women’s health clinic. He probably never gave the first thought to the work we do. However, his example and his passion for life was undeniable. Are you a Wallenberg? Are you prepared to make the tracks your home? Are you prepared to step out of the shadows and bring light to a broken world? These are difficult questions. Questions that we ponder often here at HOPE. Questions that we are prepared to answer.
We realize that the work we have been called to is difficult. We realize that this work is dirty, tough, and exhausting. We realize that many will not join us, but we will never stop seeking to impact this community and the broken people living in it. We will make the tracks our home. We will walk into the storm with our heads held high seeking to love. There is a lot going on just outside our doors. Things many of you probably wouldn’t even believe. Stories that would shake you to your core…or at least should shake you to your core. God has brought us to this place, in this community, for a purpose. I believe that with all my heart. We are not here on Painter Avenue by accident. We are here because there is a need. A need that must be met. A need we will stop at nothing to meet.
The abortion epidemic will be the defining issue of the millennial generation. Nothing has taken more lives, destroyed more families, or attacked more women than this issue. This must change. We, here at HOPE, are unashamedly pro-life, pro-family, and pro-woman. We refuse to sit by while our community, our state, our country, and our world hurts. Wallenberg was just a simple man with a passion. This passion ignited a movement that truly transformed WWII. This movement saw partnerships formed with even Nazi supporters. Wallenberg didn’t operate in the shadows or allow a narrative to detract from his work. He simply went to work. He went to work with life on his mind. His passion became his work and his work impacted the world.
No one is sure about what happened to Wallenberg. He was captured at some point, but governments remained silent on his ultimate outcome. His name in some areas of the world is synonymous with “savior” while in other parts of the world it remains unknown. He did what he did because it was right, not because he wanted his name in lights or in history books. We share this mindset at HOPE. We work because we love. We work because we know that life matters, and we are prepared to proclaim that from the heavens.
I want to leave you with a quote from a young Jewish boy, Tommy Lapid, concerning Wallenberg. This boy had lost his father and was now left with his mother in a crowded Swedish protected house. Here is his account:
“One morning, a group of Hungarian Fascists came into the house and said that all able-bodied women must go with them. We knew what this meant. My mother kissed me and I cried and she cried. We knew we were parting forever and she left me there, an orphan to all intents and purposes. Then two or three hours later, to my amazement, my mother returned with other women. It seemed like a mirage, a miracle. My mother was there—she was alive and she was hugging me and kissing me, and she said one word: Wallenberg. I knew whom she meant because Wallenberg was a legend among the Jews. In the complete and total hell in which we lived, there was a savior-angel somewhere, moving around.”
We believe too that there is a savior. This Savior is not a mere man. We believe that our God is involved in this work and we seek His fame. I pray that you would join us…that you would see your love for life ignited and that you would make the tracks your home.
posted by Andrew Wood, Executive Director of Hope Resource Center
