Apple of My Eye

The year was 1998, and my husband Dennis and I had spent a year in Texas after he suffered a heart attack. While we were still in the midst of some of our most dire straits, we were invited to share our true story on the largest international Christian television network on its prime-time program. This opened the door for what turned out to be one of the most disturbing meetings in my entire life.

We were invited to Dallas, Texas, to meet with a man, who wanted to show us real videos of what was being produced with Christians’ money by Palestinian extremists. The naïve group who had been working on this supposed educational project in the name of peace had no idea that their funds were not being used as agreed upon. As the video started it looked like a Middle Eastern version of romper room, or any other American early childhood tv show.

To our horror, as we watched the translation, as young children marched around the room, with great glee, we realized that they were being brainwashed to sing songs about how they wanted to grow up and kill Jews. In great happiness, these children marched and sang with great gusto to please their teacher and included in their graphic were lines like: “We will see their blood running in the streets,” and even how they could not wait to grow up and blow themselves up for Allah.

This educational video, that had been smuggled out was going to be shared with the television studio, that thought they were helping start Christian television stations in the Middle East and I could not get it out of my mind. What hope could these kids ever have if this was their brainwashing?

In the early 2000s, I was in a journalism class and on one specific assignment, I was horrified at a verified picture of a child, that had been dressed up like a suicide bomber. What the magazine article confirmed was that this was not a joke and the child’s picture had been found in the home of a terrorist in the Gaza strip by Israeli defense forces. Remembering the video, we had seen, it was not a stretch by any imagination to realize this was not a joke, the photo was indeed real, and that the indoctrination of these children was heart breaking.

I remember preparing for this presentation and when the picture of an innocent small child was projected on the screen, I found myself uncontrollably weeping. Thinking that I should apologize to the class, I opened my mouth and instead as I looked at the faces of young adults mostly 18-30 years old, I heard the following:

“I was going to apologize for weeping, but I am wondering, if the horror of what you’re seeing is not making you weep as well? What on earth would make you weep? Some things we should be willing to die for and some we should openly grieve. This is that.”

Now in 2023, we see the reality of a culture who has literally convinced its people that Jewish people need to be exterminated. Well as you know, this is no new theme. Herod wasted no time in trying to annihilate all the Hebrew babies, due to the fear that out of them would come a king who would threaten his power. Spiritually, biblically, we know there is a war going on in the spirit realm and that sadly, the hatred of the Messiah and the Jewish people has been consistent through history.

So here we are, with history repeating itself, and now silence is not an option.

The ignorance of some of the American people about history, the Holocaust and all that goes with it is astounding. The talking points of the university students who have no idea what they are talking about are as vulgar as the picture of the child with the suicide vest.

The one main theme though that I see over and over, is that pure evil, darkness, ignorance, and hate are being exposed in a new way that seems to be waking others up. These are not days for the faint of heart, and I do believe in the power of prayer along with our Special Operations Forces.

Currently, I find myself praying for the safety of the innocents, wisdom for all our military forces, and supernatural manifestations of the Kingdom of God, to intervene were men fail. These are historic times in so many ways. Good will prevail. God will prevail, there are more who are with us than those who are against us.

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For 43 years, Dennis and Diana Nickell shared their lives, passion, and hearts. Dennis, a Vietnam Combat Veteran who dealt daily with the aftermath of his 14 months in-country, spent his later years reaching out to Veterans, their loved ones and tried to help share why you should never give up. Sept, 12th, 2021 Dennis joined his brothers in arms in heaven, who never had the chance to have the life he fought for daily, and his wife Diana still carries on the mission of educating, enlightening, and encouraging those who have paid such a heavy price for freedom. 

Dedicated to ALL, first responders, and heroes, Diana has found peace in the wealth of her family and her faith. The YouTube series Surviving Vietnam can be accessed freely at https://www.survivevietnam.com/

“Quiet Place” first appeared in Breaking Chains, written by Dennis Nickell.

All rights are reserved, for created content shared about their amazing journey, including original poetry by Diana. Feel free to contact Diana at dnickell1955@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.