Tears choked her for a moment, but her granddaughter’s strong grip gave her courage to continue. “It’s no secret that Hitler despises the Jews and any that are not of his so-called master race. I have many Jewish friends here who are worried that staying in Europe will put their lives at risk. They left Germany hoping to find sanctuary here, but after the Nazis took Austria as well, those who can afford to do so are planning to leave. Since I started to dig deeper, I was horrified to learn that there has been a law the pastfiveyears in Germany that orders the Germans to sterilize anyone they deem unworthy of creating life.”
Melanie gasped and put a hand over her stomach. “What do you mean? It’s a law?” The young woman began to shake. Her mouth dropped open. “The letter ... it wasn’t just Mary Beth’s mother...” She stood to her feet and paced the room. “No ... it can’t be. I think I’m going to be sick.” Her hand went to her mouth.
Celestia bolted from her chair and wrapped Melanie in her arms. “It is sickening, yes, but we don’t have the luxury of waiting or crying over this situation.” She gripped the young woman’s arms in her hands. “Your mother was one of the strongest women I knew—leaving the atrocities and hatred that she did—and so are you, Mel. You need to swallow this fear. What the Lord has set before us is a mighty task indeed.”
Melanie’s trembling calmed, and she lifted her chin. Once she was back in her chair, Celestia took the time to study how her granddaughter was taking the news.
Face ashen, her lips in a tight line, Chaisley barely moved.
All right then, she’d continue. “This law means that they have forcibly sterilized people with disabilities, with mental issues, even those they believe are alcoholics by heredity. And it goes further than that. We have someone within Germany—inside the Nazis—who has told us a plan will soon begin to send away children who have any of these afflictions.”
“For what purpose?” Chaisley’s brows drew tight together as color filled her face.
“Under the guise of special schooling—” Celestia allowed the words to hang for a moment while she willed her own stomach’s contents to stay in place. “But the rumblings are that these children will be ... eliminated ... to ease the burden of their care on society.”
Her granddaughter rose to her feet with such force that the chair behind her toppled. “When?”
Celestia shook her head, though her granddaughter couldn’t see it. “I don’t know. According to our informant, the talks about it have just started. He has put his life at risk to give us information. He mentioned the tensions in Germany are rising each day. More and more political prisoners are being arrested and taken straight to camps. No trials. No way to defend themselves. All while Hitler’s propaganda is being spread about how Germanyis thriving and overcoming the awful unemployment and sad economy. I hope I never meet the man.” She wanted to spit the words but refrained. “What he has done to my mother’s country is despicable.”
The more she said, the more the fire inside her grew. She longed to take vengeance herself. Every day she had to pray for the Lord to quell her anger, to remind her this was about saving people, not killing the enemy. “They want to purge Germany and Austria—and eventually everywhere that Hitler takes control—of anyone and everyone that they deem not good enough. The longer Hitler is in power, and the longer the world tries to appease him to keep him at bay, the worse this is going to get. Our informant told us these things so we could help whomever we could—but we haven’t heard from him in a week, so I pray daily for his safety.”
Melanie’s complexion had turned from green to gray as she went to pick up the chair and touched Chaisley’s arm. After they retook their seats, she put her forehead in her hands.
Celestia’s hands shook as she gripped her cane even tighter. “I know this isn’t easy to hear. But it’s better to be prepared and to understand what you might be walking into as you travel on this tour. It’s also best that you don’t know too many specifics of what I am planning here. My hope is to use the wealth the good Lord has gifted me with to help whomever I can.”
She glanced at Chaisley. Tears slid down her granddaughter’s cheeks. Melanie still had her head in her hands. Had she shared too much?
Chaisley turned her head toward the group again, her shoulders rounded tight. “Grandmother? Are you all right?”
Oh. She had trailed off, hadn’t she? “Yes, my dear. Just gathering my thoughts. As I was saying, I wish I’d never seen the Great War, but I fear what is coming is so much worse. I can’t sit by and do nothing or pretend it isn’t happening. But each time you return for a bit of respite here, know that things will be different.We won’t talk about it. I’ll keep the details to myself unless a time comes when you must know for your own safety.”
Chaisley stood again, walked over to the window, and placed her hand on the pane. “That’s why Dr. Grafton gave us the list of his contacts. He already knew. I often wondered why he chose to travel so much the last few years.”
“Every single one of the people on that list can be trusted. Timothy ensured it.” Celestia’s voice cracked, and she pressed a fist into her hip. She would have to have a soak after this. Her body simply wasn’t what it used to be. But now was not the time to get emotional or fall apart. Both girls in front of her understood that if she used the good doctor’s first name it was either because she was about to cry or to let her temper reign. She coughed into her hand and raised her chin. “Grafton has organized a network across Europe. They aren’t simply contacts, they are people in key places, situated across Europe, ready to mobilize resources as soon as we need them. Again, we can’t predict what is going to happen, but we can watch, prepare, and be ready. We are praying that other groups like ours will rise up and heed the call. But because of the eyes and ears of the Nazis, trust is hard to come by. We may only be a few in the face of a great enemy, but I think of what God did through Gideon, and I am encouraged.”
Chaisley leaned her forehead against the glass. “Mary Beth, the little girl who wrote to me, said bad men were looking for them and they had to go into hiding. And her mother, Geraldine, said that being blind shouldn’t be a crime. This is really happening, isn’t it?”
Celestia’s throat clogged once again with tears. Why was it so hard to hold herself together? “Oh, my dear. I am so sorry to hear of their situation. But yes, itishappening.” She choked on the words.
Her granddaughter made her way back to the table and sat down, sliding her hand palm up on the table. Celestia took it, giving her a pat.
Chaisley cleared her throat, but then sobs overtook her for several seconds. Then she lifted her chin and shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s just overwhelming to realize that it’s not simply a bad dream.”
Celestia squeezed Chaisley’s hand. The hands that could bring audiences to their feet.
Her granddaughter sputtered and then swallowed hard, her face turning to flint. “They’ve already sterilized Geraldine. Since I read that letter, there’s been a prodding in my soul. I knew I need to help but I ...” Chaisley pressed a hand to her heart. “I haven’t known what God was asking me to do. So when the first letter came, I was determined to find this girl and her mother. I don’t even know if it’s possible—but I need to try. We’ve been corresponding, and I gave them this address as a way to reach me as I travel.”
“There will always be a place for them here if you do find them. How long it will be safe, I don’t know. Who knows which countries Hitler will go after next.”
“What else can I do to help?”
Shame wound around Celestia’s heart, squeezing it. The good Lord was probably tired of hearing how sorry she was for not acting sooner. But the regret was almost suffocating at times. “Don’t be like me and ignore things or try to reason them away. It took me far too long to get to this place, and I regret it more than you know. I could have helped so many had I not buried my head in the sand. There are still many that you can help. I don’t know how. But ... do the tour.”
Oh, how she longed to take back everything she’d just said! To tell her precious granddaughter to run. Far away. But no. If no one fought the evil, it would win. “Give people an evening of beauty and hope. Make contacts and listen to everything around you. You not only have a gift with your music, you have an incredible gift of discernment with your ears. This might force you to act a part at some point, but remember how the Lord used Rahab, how He used Joseph and Esther.”
Melanie stood and joined Chaisley. The set to the young woman’s jaw was as fierce as the look in her eyes. “I didn’t want to come, and frankly, I’m so scared I’m surprised my legs aren’t shaking. But at least I know why we’re here.”
Her granddaughter nodded and let go of Celestia’s hand. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Dr. G spoke with us about using the old form of braille to communicate. We’re also going to use the other two from the United States as well.”
