(Song of Songs 1: 2-3)
I remember very well a school class on political information. In Soviet schools, before regular classes they usually had a briefing on political information for 15 minutes. I vividly remember a discussion of monuments at one of these lessons. Every town, every village and every Institution in the former Soviet Union had a statue of Lenin.
The teacher read a short article from a newspaper that said the greatest monument in the world was a monument to Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, South America. After the fifteen minutes ran out the teacher asked if anyone had questions about the political information and if so, to raise hands. I raised my hand and said that I wanted to see this monument. Everyone in the class laughed out loud shouting:
– She is a “shtunda” who wants to see the statue of Jesus Christ!
The teacher looked at me and said sternly:
– You will never see this monument. It’s very far at the equator. The Soviet Union is not on friendly terms with the capitalist countries, so your dream is impossible …
Twenty years passed since then. One day, when we moved to America, my husband asked me:
– Where would you like to travel?
(He worked for United Airlines and had free tickets).
I answered:
– If possible, I want to go to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and see the monument to Jesus Christ!
He agreed. That’s how I saw the largest monument in the world – a monument to Jesus Christ.
I believe in the power of the word and the fact that Jesus Christ is the High Priest of our faith. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. Our words can have both positive or negative power. Words have the power of life and death. Therefore, our words should be few. Let us stay strong in our faith for He Who promised is true.
I traveled to Israel in a similar manner, but that’s a different story …
Maria Delevan