Ariel Magazine Purim Edition Cover copy - Ariel Ministries

arnold’s adventures
Germany
The first time I came to Germany was as a
child in 1946 after escaping from Poland
with my parents.
We spent the next five years in seven different “Displaced
Persons Camps” (DPC) in the American Zone. My contact
with Germans was virtually non-existent, since I pretty well
stayed within the confines of the camps. I was too young to
know much about the Holocaust, except what I had heard
(or overheard) while listening to the discussions my parents
were having with other relatives who were also survivors.
The next time I traveled in Germany was in 1971. I had just
graduated from seminary and had been traveling with a
camper to Israel via Europe for two months. Some of this
time was spent camping in German camps where we met
many young Germans who were friendly and easy to talk to.
There were also older Germans, and I kept wondering what
they were doing during the Nazi era while the Holocaust was
taking place. But I never asked them that question.
I had not been in Germany again until Ariel Ministries was
born. When my book, The Footsteps of the Messiah, was
published in German, I began receiving invitations to speak
in Germany. This invitation grew more and more as time
went on. In the course of that time, we met with Manfred
and Hanna Künstler, whose father had a major role in giving
my mother some key information that would later lead me to
find my Messiah.
More and more meetings opened up and more and more of
my books were published in German. Eventually, Germany
proved very beneficial both to me personally and to Ariel
Ministries. In fact, last year we finally opened up a branch in
Germany in the city of Düsseldorf.
As I write this, I am in Germany again for a one-month trip
with lectures scheduled in four different places, and a fifth
one might be added by the time I leave here. It is winter,
which is never my favorite time of year to be in Germany, but
so far the winter is rather mild. There is no snow anywhere
and I pray it will stay that way until I leave.
My first conference was at a church, where one of the
members is responsible for publishing most of the German
books. I have been to this church several times, and once
again I met with people with whom I have had fellowship
05
before. I was able to enjoy both German, as well as
Russian/Polish dishes, since a number of the members have
moved to Germany after several generations of living in
Russia. Not long before my arrival here, they had published
the newest German translation, which is our Messianic
Christology book. I will be starting my second conference
tomorrow.
When I arrived, I was invited to a small home fellowship with
about 10 people. One of them told me that their son came to
faith after someone had given him the German version of
Footsteps. That book was not
intended to be evangelistic, but
God used it nevertheless.
I am looking forward
to this week and the
next two conferences
to follow. The Lord is
still using Germany to
bless me and
Ariel Ministries.
Before my
Germany tour
began, Mary
Ann and I had
just finished a
long vacation
where we were by
ourselves and very few
people knew us. The
few who did, kept our
presence a secret. We were able to
Hofgeismar
Germany
enjoy a very nice Thanksgiving dinner. Upon returning home,
Rivkah Kravitz took over the job left behind by Tovyah, who
moved to Pennsylvania to prepare for her marriage. She is
doing very well and Mary Ann and I are very happy for her.
Rivkah does not, as of yet, have her driver’s license. She is
preparing to get one in Texas. We ask for your prayers, that
Rivkah will pass all of her tests so that she can drive soon,
which is a very important part of her job description. We
continue to thank the Lord for your prayers and for your
support.