January 2008: More about Karen and Hiroshima
Throughout Hiroshima are reminders of the Aug. 6, 1945, atom bombing. On the cover of the January 2008 issue of The Little Lutheran, you can see a display of art behind Karen. Created by survivors of the bomb, the artworks show scenes from where Hiroshima Lutheran Church now stands.
In Japan, children like Karen learn from an early age about the bombing of Hiroshima. The atom bomb is probably the most devastating of weapons. Children learn about what happened so the horrors of war won’t be repeated and nuclear weapons will never be used again.
In Hiroshima’s Peace Park, a plaque on the children’s peace monument reads: “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.” All over Japan and the world, children use “origami” techniques to fold thousands of colorful paper cranes to bring to the monument.
September 2007: More about Amalie
Amalie Sieveking was born in 1794 into Germany’s upper class. A Lutheran, she was the daughter and granddaughter of senators.
When Amalie was 4, her mother died. She and her three brothers were raised together and received the same education. She was 15 when her father died. The children were then separated and sent to live with relatives. While her brothers continued with their schooling, the relatives Amalie lived with didn’t think she needed more education. Since she couldn’t change her relatives’ minds, she decided to do what she could. She taught classes for other girls out of her house. Later in life, Amalie spoke strongly that women should have educational opportunities just like men.
When Amalie was young, organized charity was not something done by respectable women. Amalie helped change this. Charity improved the quality of care for people who were poor or sick. It also improved the lives of other upper-class women like Amalie, who were not expected to have jobs. Even if it wasn’t to earn money, Amalie knew that women, as well men, needed to be able to use the gifts God had given them.
Amalie helped many people during her lifetime. In her 30s, she volunteered at a Hamburg hospital. She helped take care of people who were very sick with cholera, an often-fatal disease. At first the doctors and family friends weren’t happy she was there. But she stayed anyway. When she was done volunteering, not only the patients but the doctors and family friends were glad she had continued to volunteer.
Later, Amalie became an inspector in charge of all the nurses in Hamburg. She started the Women’s Society for the Care of the Poor and Sick. This group helped people who needed nurses, food or to find a job. The group also took care of many of the business needs of German orphanages and hospitals for children. In addition, Amalie helped start a Lutheran order of deaconesses who took care of sick people.
Amalie Sieveking lived from 1794-1859 in Hamburg, Germany.
