Episode 74: Episode 74: The Power of Forgiveness

Oasis of Hope

The Power of Forgiveness In the past ten years we have seen the rise of antisemitism across the world. Historians have credited antisemitism as the root cause of the atrocious Holocaust against Jews. This hatred was the belief system of the Nazi ideology. The Holocaust was the systematic, government launched target, persecution, brutal mistreatment, gassing, deadly living conditions and killings of six million European Jews between 1933 and 1945 (Holocaust Encyclopedia). For many survivors of the Holocaust living through such dehumanization came at a high price for them and their families. In this special episode, Drs. Johnson and Feyi Obamehinti host Holocaust survivor Mrs. Rosian Zerner- who was born in Lithuania. In 1941, when Germany invaded their town, she and her family were confined to the Kovno concentration camp. Through the help of her parents, she was able to escape through a hole they dug under the fence of the confinement quarters. She was met by her father's secretary and hidden by several rescuers before being liberated by Soviet troops in 1944. Surviving such atrocities to live a successful life takes the power of forgiveness, grit and love, both for self and others. The Bible provides the guide on the freedom that comes through forgiveness. The medical field attests to the power of forgiveness. In a series written by John Hopkins Medicine, it states that one's health depends on forgiveness. In an article in the Harvard Medical School published in 2021, some methods of forgiveness were explored to help people overcome unforgiveness. However the Bible already provided why unforgiveness can be a self-imposed prison for anyone. Matthew 6:14 states, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you." Take a listen as Mrs. Zerner shares why she forgave her persecutors, how she was able to do that and how she has blazed a trail for peace and love around the world, speaking out about her lived experience as a Holocaust survivor. This is one episode you do not want to miss. Tell a friend, pull up a chair with your favorite tea or coffee and take a listen. "Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins" 1 Peter 4:3