Thought for the week: Confronting the barriers that threaten our civilisation
Last Sunday when I came home from church I watched the BBC News prior to Songs of Praise 'Chorister of the Year'.
Following a weekend when politicians and the foremost commanders of Nato had gathered at Riga, the lead story was of an even heavier night’s bombing by Russian drones of residential accommodations in Kiev.
I had 30 years practical experience of preparation for conflict in Europe. I was a chaplain serving either with our army reserves or a regular unit. The greater majority of my time was in north Western Europe when the Iron Curtain still existed.
Even when you stood in the field beside the Iron Curtain, you couldn’t take it in. It was about 25 feet high. Concrete pole after concrete pole literally stretching miles in either direction and with delicacies added in areas where people from East Germany had tried to escape from the communist regime.
The Royal Artillery regiment of Ulster and Scottish gunners which was my parish was selected to take part in 'Operation Lionheart'. This was the biggest-ever Nato exercise since World War 2. We went out by road, specially hired ferries and by air. Coming off our plane in Germany we were already in our NBC - nuclear, biological and chemical gear.
One night in particular sticks out. Driving to our mobile headquarters I passed a fair distance of narrow roads. There were infanteers on each side trying to get a bit of sleep in despite the steady flow of rainwater passing down the road on which they were lying.
I passed a Belgian battery of Honest John missiles whose range and power was awesome. I had to give way whilst a division of German tanks moved across my route. The very earth beneath our Land Rover trembled. The upswing came when an entire division of US paratroopers parachuted to their target and on time following their overnight flight from bases in Texas.
Peace not only has to be prayed for but paid for, and sadly in conflict in lives as well as prayers. I don’t have a ready answer to the present dilemma in Ukraine but it cannot go on. I say that set against another experience in uniform.
I had two periods of ministry at what was a major UK base called Hohne on a road south east of Hamburg. Just beyond the camp there was a single track railway terminus and across the road there was a small reception building.
When you went through that building there was a clearing in the woodlands. And there were in every direction areas of waist level raised grounds.
Held up by large rough stones with a large stone engraved with the number of people buried there. Hohne during the Nazi regime was the guard camp of Bergen-Belsen. No one was gassed there. They were simply worked to death.
The main memorial was dedicated by a president of Israel, who served with he British forces in WW2, and who was born in Belfast by name of Chaim Hertzog.
When good people, indeed people claiming to be godly, do nothing in the face of evil, there are results. That indeed may be so in my home province.