In early June, ACCTS' Executive Director and and another Christian military escort took two newly commissioned Coast Guard officers, a Coast Guard Academy cadet, and an Annapolis midshipman on a two week tour of the western European battlefields from "Waterloo to World War Two ' (W2WW2). At each location, these future military Christian leaders learned the strategic and tactical background of the battles, and spiritual object lessons on leadership, integrity, and character that will help them face the challenges for today's leaders. The following description of the trip is excerpted from the journal kept by the escort.
"June 2nd - - We had an amazing four-hour tour of Fort Breendonk. For those of you who have been to other concentration camps, you know just how emotional a tour like this can be.
June 3rd - We started the morning with a devotional on the "utter sinfulness of sin" as we reflected on Fort Breendonk. It was quite powerful to discover that despite sin's capacity to corrupt, the power of God to "make the whole lump holy" by the blood of Jesus is comforting. Thank you Lord, for your enduring work on the cross.
At Waterloo, preparations were underway for the bi-centennial celebration of the battle on June 18th, and everything was absolutely beautiful. The weather was perfect and there were no crowds. Our leader explained the history preceding the battle, and the challenges at each phase. We visited key sites, walked the battlefield, stopped by Napoleon's headquarters, and discussed the causes and outcomes of the battle. We could not have gleaned that much information or understood things better if we would have read twenty books on the topic. Following Waterloo, we drove twenty minutes east to Abbaye de Villers-le-Ville. What a contrast between living at peace with God and man, and the turmoil of war!
We ended with a marvelous meal in Brussels as we discussed the things we had experienced through the day, including the palace, the American Embassy, and a host of buildings dating to the time that Columbus was discovering America. God's mercies seem so amazing and surprising as they are renewed each day. After all, He is the God who created the whole universe with a "simple" command.
June 4th - We spent the day walking around Brussels and enjoying amazing art in the local churches, extraordinary handmade lace, carvings, church icons and the like.
June 5th - We jogged the ramparts of Ypres, Belgium, enjoyed a beautiful breakfast with our hosts at Algeria Bed and Breakfast, and worshipped at a Flemish-Catholic church before touring the battlefields of Ypres.
During WWI Ypres blocked the German advance into Paris. The town was heavily damaged by German artillery east of the city, but allied engineers finally tunneled under the German positions and destroyed them, leaving huge craters. Ypres was also the site of the first gas attack in WWI, and more than half a million lives were lost there. We visited a number of other memorials and cemeteries, including the site where Corporal Adolf Hitler was treated for a wound during WWI. It's reported that at one point Hitler was actually face to face with an Allied soldier, but both walked away, unwilling to shoot the other at such close range. How did Satan so corrupt him afterwards? Later we shared spiritual insights about warfare, and the importance of maintaining the high ground while guarding against undermining by the enemy.
We then drove two hours southeast to Agincourt, site of the 1415 battle in which King Henry V defeated Charles VI against overwhelming odds, changing the course of world history. Nearly 100 French knights lost their lives, ending petty rivalries and unifying France under the visionary Joan of Arc. It is comforting to know that we serve a sovereign God who "directs the hearts of the kings like a watercourse."
June 9th - Wow! What a whirlwind tour - I haven't had time to post for several days! We're in Bayeux, the home of the beautiful cathedral commissioned in 1067 by Bishop Odo. Earlier today, we saw the castle of William the Conqueror in Caen. Tomorrow, we'll view the Bayeux Tapestry, the 270 foot woven report of William's victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, then go on to the Beaches of Normandy.
Meanwhile, we've visited the Vimy Ridge Monument to the Canadian soldiers who displaced the Germans from that crucial spot, and saw the tunnels, trenches, and cemeteries. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains over 1,000 cemeteries in the area we've been traveling. Each features a "Cross of Sacrifice" at the center with every headstone meticulously carved from white marble. The arrays of flowers at each site are striking, and each is perfectly maintained.
This morning, we stopped by the Forest of Compiègne where the Germans surrendered at the conclusion of WWI - and where Hitler forced the French to accept equally humiliating terms during WWII. We also saw the site where Baron von Richtofen crashed at Vaux-Sur-Somme, and learned about the 1914 "Christmas Truce," when allied and German soldiers met in no man's land to exchange gifts and sing carols. We also visited the site of the first ever tank battle at Flers-Clourcelette.
It's hard to take all this all in, and even harder to synthesize it in a meaningful way - especially when moving from one century to another. The overwhelming sense, however, is that while there has been much fighting and death here, there has been an even greater amount of vision, design and creation. We are seeing both the wonder of the human spirit and the horrible results of sin. I don't think any of us will leave here without having expanded our understanding of the world. Our devotional this morning was from Mark chapter 8, where Jesus asserts that in order to follow him, one must deny themself, lay down their life and take up a cross. Suffice it to say, our discussion was rich.
June 13th - Last night our guide asked each of us to share our impressions. I recalled a video by a soldier who was at Utah Beach. He was most impressed by the bulldozer drivers who "nonchalantly" went about pulling vehicles ashore, building roads, and clearing landing craft as bullets flew and bombs burst. They seemed to have the "peace that passes understanding" in the midst of the chaos. This was a great lesson for the whole trip as we've seen not only the death and destruction of the battlefields and cemeteries, but also the extraordinary works of art, amazing wartime innovations, and the indomitable spirit of the men and women who have pressed on to the goal, sometimes over many years, with their eyes fixed on the prize for which God has called them heavenward.
In Paris I was impressed that construction of the Notre Dame cathedral began in 1160 and took almost five hundred years to produce a "final product," which is still "under construction." Ruth Graham's epitaph reads "Construction Complete, Thank You for Your Patience." It's hard to imagine being patient for half a millennium to finish a project, but our God has even greater patience as He awaits the unveiling of His ultimate glory."
One of the Coast Guard Ensigns reported, "This trip was a fantastic experience! A great blend of deep spiritual discussion, superb tactical and strategic military planning, and fun." The other noted, ""This trip showed me the depth of information there is to glean from these battles' histories - the leadership lessons, the military strategy, and the great heartbreak." A cadet commented, "Spiritually, I benefitted from doing IBS [inductive Bible study] every morning and discussing questions of faith. IBS will be very useful in the fleet and next year to study the word in short periods of time....Intellectually, I enjoyed discussions about justice, morality, framing arguments, just war, discipline, punishment, philosophy, and more...I regard to leadership, I learned a little bit at each stage. Talking about leaders, along with what happened, helped me to pick out qualities to emulate or avoid."
