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Herrnhut
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Herrnhut

Herrnhut

A prayer that lasted 100 years · Germany

In 1722 Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf allowed Protestant refugees from Moravia to settle on his estate, where they built the village of Herrnhut, 'under the Lord's protection'. After years of quarrelling, a deep experience of unity during a communion service on 13 August 1727 made them one community. They began a round-the-clock prayer chain that went on for more than a hundred years. Today the plain white church hall and the 'God's acre', with its flat, equal gravestones, still show their ideals.

Did you know?

Herrnhut sent out some of the first Protestant missionaries, to the Caribbean in 1732. The daily Bible texts ('Losungen') still come from here.

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An inspiring story

Ready to become slaves

How far would you go to reach someone?

In 1732 two young craftsmen from Herrnhut, the potter Leonhard Dober and the carpenter David Nitschmann, set out for the Caribbean island of St Thomas. They wanted to bring the gospel to enslaved Africans, whom almost no one else cared about. Dober said he was even willing to become a slave himself if that was the only way to reach them. Why? Because he did not want to preach from a distance, but to stand next to them. They walked to Copenhagen with almost no money and sailed from there.

It became one of the first Protestant missions. Two craftsmen showed that you don't need a title to go.

How can they hear without someone preaching to them? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!Romans 10:14-15

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