Amsterdam

Amsterdam. The city of bikes, trams and any sexual orientation under the sun. Or should I have left out that part? It's true, you know.

We've been here for a few days now, staying in a beautiful summer home about an hour away from Amsterdam with my husband's family, safe behind one of the many dams holding back water that should have covered the ground that we walk on here. The area is cosy and cute, with every front yard extremely well-kept and booming with blooms. It's beautiful and all film-like, like a Hollywood suburb in some Hollywood romance.

But back to Amsterdam. The city is a melting pot of people, bikes, trams and shops, buzzing like a beehive in the heat of summer. We've seen almost every type of personality here, from women with bright green hair to sensual, deep black men and women, to cross-dressed Asians and perfectly normal and average teenagers and working husbands and wives. My husband commented after a "in-your-face" trip down one of the alleys of the Red Light District: "this must be what the (Biblical) city of Corinth was like". The women in the windows and doorways were indeed very beautiful, but I found myself unable to look them in the eye - when I did manage a small peep, I meet emotionless eyes, no trace of any heart or feeling, not a hint of a smile or frown. We quickly retrieved to the safety of the more clothed madness of the city.

But I cannot help but think about those women, and bless my husband's heart for saying a prayer out loud for them. They were not created for this. They were not created for looking for love, acceptance and value in the filthy arms of men willing to exploit their fellow humans. Men were not created to act in this way, degrading themselves to the horrible acts of supporting prostitution - and in many cases human trafficking!

Walking these streets, I was reminded of a book called Living  on the Devil's Doorstep, written by no less than Floyd McClung. Floyd and his wife Sally lived in Amsterdam, reaching out to those in great need in this city. I can warmly recommend the book - it's a great read and also a true story. Thinking about this book, I felt slightly better knowing that there are already people in Amsterdam trying to reach out and love on these women, pointing to Jesus for hope and assurance and value. I cannot imagine my life without Him, how empty and pointless it would all be, and my deepest desire is for everyone else to experience how transforming and absolutely pure and free His love is!

Anyhow - there is no easy transition from this tainted topic to a more family-suited one...

As already mentioned, we are in Amsterdam with our family, and with 4 teenage girls, shopping was at the top of out to-do list. So we spent quite a lot of time in the more modest part of town, shopping and enjoying whatever Amsterdam  otherwise could offer. We didn't get to the museums, having a 5 and a 6 year old tagging along as well, so Anne Frank and Rembrandt will have to wait (unfortunately - I would really have liked to see these places and paintings).

Tomorrow morning we leave again, this times with bags packed for Paris. Ahead of us Disney Land awaits, a well as the Eiffel Tower and perhaps the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.