Kreuzberg - April 13th

Yuppies Out!

Mom's Out!

 I had to laugh when I passed these walls of graffiti.   I think they say it all for the feel in Kreuzberg.  Today, I came out of the U-1 at Schlesisches Tor, took a right and then another right onto Falckensteins Str. which I walked straight on for 30 minutes. 

The beginning of Falckensteins Str. is really cute with great looking cafes on both sides - meaning to me - cheap food and charming!  There was Mexican, American, Asian and Italian.  Also, a darling ice-cream shop with fresh flowers in the open windows. 

The drug dealers are at the end of this walk

 I eventually walked straight into Gorlitzer Park once again, this time approaching it from the back side walking straight through and out to the street.  At the entrance and exit, there were so many African guys lined up to sell drugs, it was a bit overwhelming.  As well, the smell of marijuana was over-powering.  Once I left the park the Holy Spirit overwhelmed me with compassion for those men.  I know that most of them are illegal aliens from Africa and that they come to Germany hoping for a better future and jobs.  Once here, it is not as easy as they supposed and they end up dealing drugs.  To go back home is usually a dead-end as there are no jobs at home or war is breaking out and to stay means to keep dealing drugs.  I wept as I walked and prayed that the Lord would intervene in their lives.  When I came back through on my return, one of them started talking to me.  He shook my hand and I told him that I was a Christian and that I knew what he was doing and why.  He said that he sends the money home to his family.  I told him that I would be praying for him. 

I stepped into another Garden plot on this walk.  It was called "Kolony Freie-Stunde" or Colony Free Hour.  Even though this one was pretty run down, it still felt like stepping into "The Secret Garden".  Once in myriads of birds were chirping; crocuses were pushing through the ground; people were weeding and carrying wheel-barrows of weeds.  These gardens, even the small run-down ones like this one are just so sweet and special.  I could only pray that as those Germans connect with the earth that their hearts will realize there is a creator behind it all and that He longs for relationship with them.

The only deviation of my route was when the Holy Spirit directed me to go to a church that was on the next block.  It was a Catholic Church - St. Christopher's and after awhile I realized it was the same church I had just read about in a book about life in Berlin during the war. Many people were saved by living in the basement of this church during the bombings.  I wasn't sure what I was to pray but I walked around the building and prayed for renewal and that the fire of God would fall down in that place.

Walking back, I took pictures of this really cute place for kids called in English, "Children's Farm". There were goats and sheep inside of a large fenced area.  This was literally right next to where the drug dealer's are.  It made me sad when I saw some young Turkish boys sitting on some benches near the drug-dealers.  I can only imagine how young some boys might be who get involved in that world.  I prayed for Teen Challenge which is located in Kreuzberg.  I prayed for new strength to carry on; for finances to keep operating; and that drug-addicts would get delivered.