I was in Amsterdam over the weekend with a friend. What a lovely city rich with history and unrivaled beauty. While I was there I was unsettled that even though this city is so beautiful, it is so broken.
Many people warned me about the red light district and the amount of drugs that are around but, I didn't believe it was that bad. I thought they were over exaggerating. I was shocked to find out that all that I had been told was true.
Our hostel was literally one road over from the main section of the Red Light District, which I thought was a little dodgy. So here we were, smack in the middle of the Red Light District. As we walked through my heart shattered for these girls. I was first sad, and then my sadness turned into anger. That was on the first night in Amsterdam, and I was ready to go back home to England. The thought of spending two more days in a city that accepted that sort of thing was appaling and saddening to me. I felt hopeless because there was nothing I, or my friend Harriet could do to help the girls in the Red Light District.
I started to get angry about the “coffee shops” all around the city where you could go and smoke marijuana out in the open. I got annoyed every time I smelt a whiff of it.
Let's just say I prayed a lot while in Amsterdam.
I was confused why there was a Christian hostel in the heart of the Red Light District. I thought that seemed a little bit dodgy. I then realized why it was there. The hostel is called “The Shelter.” Their key verse was Psalm 91:1 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” This hostel was a shelter amidst the darkness. They are there to be a light and to be a safe haven. They were exactly where they needed to be. When I got back into England I was reading over Psalm 91 and came across verse 5 and it really touched me, “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” What a verse. I was given a hope and a peace about the Red Light District.
All in all I had a good time in Amsterdam. I got to experience the joys of hostels and sharing a rooms with strange people. The first night we shared with some lovely people from Brazil who spoke Portugese and only broken Spanish, so I got to communicate with them through my very broken Spanish, that was good fun. Then the last night we shared with two ladies from Germany and we didn't speak at all because they didn't speak English and we do not speak any German.
We also went to Anne Frank's house, the Van Gogh Museum (Which was my highlight), we walked loads, saw the beautiful canals, some lovely churches, a weird covent garden, and we took a really cool canal cruise.
I am glad that I went and experienced it, but I do not think I would go back no matter how beautiful and historical it is.
Psalm 91
whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in teh shadow of the Almighty I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whomI trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by fay nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see teh punishment of the wicked. If you say, "The Lord is my refuge," and you make the Most High your dwelling no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliever him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."
With all the Love in the World,
Natalie Xx
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