A personal Turn
In deepest Saxony, near to the Czech border, in Vogtland, you come to the holiday destination Schöneck. Because of its beautiful location the Union of the Workers and Farmer’s State built a recreational home on the hill. The Protestant school lies in the valley below and today the 350 pupils sitting in the sports hall will listen to the Diospi Suyana story. While the boys and girls enter the hall noisily, I speak to Jörg Röder. What he has to say is exciting and I ask, if I can interview him in two hours.
When he was born the East Germans started to experience firsthand what real socialism looked like. “Growing up God was not even a topic for me,” remembers Röder. “My parents went to church for Christmas, Easter…,etc, but all that had no deeper meaning for me.” Jörg is clever and in a socialist state such a young man is destined to become a teacher. He receives his training in Halle an der Saale and it is here that Jörg truly understands why God belongs on the rubbish heap of outdated ideas.
1984 Jörg starts teaching at the school in Schöneck and is its head three years later. But then, for many totally unexpected, the peaceful revolution takes place. “We are the people!” call the masses and soon their slogan changes to “We are one people!” The Turn can no longer be prevented. From 1990 onwards the heads of school are replaced in droves. The country needs new figureheads.
Jörg is an atheist, but he has quite a few acquaintances who say that they are Christians. Quite nice people on the whole! Sometimes they invite him to evening discussions organised by the “Christians at work” group. The speakers report why they believe in God and how they can be successful in life and useful for society at the same time.
Then the day comes when Jörg Röder capitulates in front of the man on the cross. He prays and knows for sure that there is someone listening to him. The prayers said during services he attended as a boy with his parents were monologues. Now he is in dialogue with the Almighty God, who is actively involved in his life. “Again and again God intervened in my life and once he even healed me!”
“From what?” I ask. “I suffered from chronic back-pain which I even felt down into my legs. Then one day I was prayed for and from one moment to the next I was healed!”
If Erich Honecker heard that a former SED-followed now firmly believes in God’s wonderful power, he would turn in his grave. /KDJ
