The Heart of Rotterdam Rotterdam began life in the 1100s as a
fishing village tucked into the delta of the River Rhine. In
1340 Rotterdam became a city, with a charter declaring that it
was founded in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy
Ghost. Years later Erasmus was born here. In the early 1900s, a
local believer began a mission to Jewish people emigrating to
the New World, providing them with food and clothing as well as
explaining God's love. World War II bombing raids destroyed
Rotterdam, leading to a famed post-war sculpture representing
the city: a man with a gaping hole in place of his heart. Today
Rotterdam, economic centre of the Netherlands, boasts the
largest harbour in Europe, and the third most active port in the
world. About 600,000 people live in the city itself—some 50
percent immigrants—with about 1.1 million in greater Rotterdam.
Agape's ministry includes a "House of Prayer," located in the
one-time Jewish mission building. Situated on an island in the
middle of the river, the House