|
Written by Joseph Dindinger
|
|
Sunday, 30 September 2007 00:00 |
 Early Life
How do we determine the strength of a person? What do we look at when we choose our leaders? What do we consider to be advantages in life?
A girl was born in Holland in 1892. She was not born into privilege or wealth, and yet her name is now legendary because of who she became and who she believed in. Her name was Corrie Ten Boom.
Corrie's early life was shaped by her family. Her Papa, as she called him, was famous through all of Holland and Europe as a master clock maker. A true spiritual leader, Papa would read the Bible
to the family every morning and night. Corrie's mother somehow found time to take care of her children: Willem, Nollie, Betsie and Corrie. Besides the four children they had three Aunts living with them. It was one big, happy family that filled the large home sitting on top of Papa's shop.
From the beginning, Corrie did not have an easy life. She was born prematurely and this was probably one of the reasons she was so often sick. It may also have been what caused her to look slightly odd. As a young girl, Corrie realized that boys weren't interested in her. Her two sisters were beautiful, but poor Corrie was the ugly duckling of the family. Only one time in her life did she begin to hope for romance, but those hopes were dashed when the man she loved chose a more beautiful, and rich girl instead.
But Corrie's life was not only full of challenges, there were also many blessings and accomplishments. At a very young age, Corrie gave her life to God and by the time she was fourteen, she was a wonderful, young lady of conviction. She loved God, her family and her country and spent time dreaming and planning what she could do with her life.
Helped by her Papa, Corrie became the first woman watchmaker licensed in Holland. But a good career was not enough for Corrie; she wanted to serve God with her life. She started Bible Studies for different groups and eventually founded an organization for girls that grew to thousands of members and exists to this day.
Around the time that the First World War ended the Ten Boom family began taking orphans in to live with them, many of them Jews. Corrie learned to love the Jewish people through her family. Her grandfather had founded the Society for Israel in 1844, when it was very unpopular to like Jews. Papa would read the Talmud with Jewish friends and even celebrate the Sabbath and holy days with them. Was God preparing her for something?
Nazi Invasion
On May 10, 1940, when Corrie was 48, Nazi Germany invaded Holland. The Germans claimed they were here to defend them against the French and British, but their ruthless treatment of those who showed any resistance proved their lie. The Nazis were here to stay.
Soon signs began to appear in stores barring Jews from entering. Then, official signs appeared barring them from public places like parks. Jews were made to wear large, yellow stars on their clothing at all times. Corrie's Papa was dismayed: "The Jews are the apple of God's eye," he said, "the Germans cannot go farther than this. I pity them."
But they did. The Gestapo, the German secret police, soon began taking Jews for "questioning." Entire families, including friends and neighbors of the Ten Booms, just disappeared over night, nobody knew where to.
It slowly became evident that God's will for the Ten Boom family was to defy the Nazi invaders. They became an active part of the underground resistance and were able to save hundreds of Jews through various strategies. Even though Corrie was almost 50, she soon became the commander of the resistance in their town. Could this be God's plan for her life?
The Hiding Place
If Jews could not be hidden in farms or elsewhere, they were often brought to the Ten Boom home. The family decided they needed a place to hide Jews living in their home in case of a Gestapo raid. Corrie's room was chosen because it was on the 3rd floor. A wall was made in her room which hid a secret room. This room, measuring 2 1/2 feet by 8 feet, became known as "The Hiding Place."
The Ten Booms began practicing for the unexpected. It was not a game. If they were ever caught hiding Jews, it would probably mean death, so the drills were intense. Their goal was to have everybody hidden in one minute. The Gestapo liked to strike at mealtimes or in the middle of the night. Anything from misplaced trash in a wastebasket to a mattress that felt slightly warm would be enough to give them away. They would practice waking each other up with violent shakes and screaming questioning - it was a long time before each of them could play the part well.
Captured!
And then, one night the terrifying possibility became reality. The Gestapo burst into the Ten Boom home. Thankfully, all the Jews were able to make it to the hiding place just in time! Nobody broke under questioning, and the hiding place was safe. However, thirty-five people in all were arrested at their home and dragged off to the police station. They spent the night together in a gymnasium where Papa quoted God's word in a deep, steady voice, as they fell asleep: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty-He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (Psalm 91)
That would be the last time Corrie would see her Papa. He lasted only nine days in prison. Upon arrival, he had been offered release if he would promise to no longer help the Jews. He refused. He always said he would gladly die for the Jews. And he did.
The good news was that many of those who were arrested with them were shortly released. Her sister Nollie was even able to send a secret message saying that "all the watches in your closet are safe!" Corrie thanked God that her work for the Jews had not been in vain.
Then, after almost three months in separate cells in prison, Corrie and her sister Betsie were transferred to a concentration camp in southern Holland. Betsie was looking very thin and sickly, but it was wonderful to see her at last. They prayed together, even for some of the guards they had been able share with. Betsie shared a vision with Corrie that they would be able to use everything they were going through to glorify God. Many people would be able to know God better through their experiences.
The sisters were able to learn the name of the man who betrayed them. Betsie had forgiven him, but Corrie just couldn't find a way to stop hating him. "Think of how much he must hate himself!" said Betsie, as she urged Corrie to pray for him. "Pray for that Devil? Never!" replied Corrie. But eventually she was able to force herself to pray for him, and God performed a miracle in her heart. That night she slept without bitterness and anger for the first time since she learned the man's name.
Betsie had never gotten better and now weighed less than 100 pounds. She was always sick and obviously anemic. But one morning a prisoner was released! Corrie and Betsie hoped that their release would only be a matter of time. Oh how Corrie prayed that they would be released before Betsie suffered much more.
Ravensbruck
One day the inevitable happened. The Allied forces were driving the Nazi's back and the camp was being evacuated. Most of the prisoners were roughly forced onto freight trains, destination unknown. They were the lucky ones, hundreds of others were executed. When the train finally stopped, the women discovered they were in Germany at the infamous Ravensbruck camp. The prisoners had heard of this work camp. Nobody ever left this place. Ever. "Hell on earth," whispered Corrie.
Life at Ravensbr\u00fcck was harsh, even for a concentration camp. Prisoners lived in tents with floors swarming with lice. Thirty-five thousand prisoners crammed into a space built to hold a third of that. Work was brutal, and punishment harsh. Prisoners who collapsed from the hard work were taken away and never heard from again.
It was very hard on Betsie and she rapidly got worse and worse. Even so, it was she who reminder Corrie to "give thanks in all circumstances." "Am I supposed to give thanks for fleas?" asked Corrie sarcastically. "Yes." Several days later, they realized the guards were not going into their barracks much. They were able to talk and share with the other prisoners more freely. They realized it was because the guards were afraid of the fleas. "Praise God for the fleas!" said Corrie, this time more sincerely.
As the weeks went on, Corrie felt far from God. Perhaps the many times when her prayers were seemingly unanswered had brought discouragement. Maybe it was the hardships themselves. Whatever it was, she realized that the closer her sister Betsie seemed to get to God, the farther away she felt. Betsie was holding onto her vision that what they were going through could be used by God. But where could Corrie find such faith? "Oh Jesus help me! I'm sinking!" she prayed. One day as she read her Bible, a passage in 2 Corinthians grabbed her: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness - for when I am weak, then I am strong." She realized that she was relying on her own power instead of letting God be in control. From that moment on, she felt closer to God. She would need it for her next trial.
The End of Pain
Betsie simply could not move to get up one morning. The weak were usually treated worse than the healthy, but surprisingly, she was taken to the infirmary. As she was carried away, she once again reminded Corrie of her vision: "Corrie, we must tell people what we have learned here about Christ."
Those were the last words Corrie ever heard from her dear sister. Betsie died in the infirmary. Corrie's grief was almost unbearable, but the reality that Betsie was now transformed and happy with God made it easier. "Thank you Jesus," cried Corrie. Her sister was free.
But Betsie's vision troubled Corrie. Why was it that Betsie spoke of her vision so many times? Surely Corrie would die here too. Her poor body could only take so much punishment before it gave out. "Help me not to give up hope," she prayed.
One morning, out of the blue, Corrie was taken to the infirmary and given her belongings. Marched out of the camp, she was put on a freight train going back to Holland. She could not believe it. Almost a full year after she was arrested by the Gestapo, she arrived at her front door and fell into the arms of her sister Nollie.
"Thank you God."
Betsie's Vision
After regaining her strength Corrie began to help the people around her. The war had devastated much of Holland, and there were many lives to rebuild. She began speaking to groups of people and telling of their experiences. Many found consolation and strength through what they went through. The Nazi plan to exterminate all Jews had failed, but six million Jews, and many millions more had died. Much healing was needed.
Corrie personally still had battles with forgiveness. She finally wrote a letter to the man who had betrayed them all telling him that she forgave him for everything. "God will also forgive you everything, if you ask Him," she wrote. Then, one day, after speaking to a group, she noticed a man making is way to the front. "No!" she thought. But he came right up to her. "You aren't going to believe this, but I was a guard at Ravensbruck. God has forgiven me, will you?" he asked, holding out his hand. She distinctly remembered this man who stood by as she and her sister were stripped and forced to march past the guards. It was so hard to be a Christian in times like these! But she extended her hand, "I forgive you," she said. And she did. God's grace was enough for even that trial.
Corrie lived until her 91st birthday. She never stopped telling people of God's grace and love. Betsie's vision had come true after all! Countless people have been encouraged through their experiences. Her story is recorded in several different books as well as the Golden Globe nominated movie "The Hiding Place."
How can we know the strength of a person? Corrie Ten Boom and others like her showed that God's grace and power are more than a mere religious sentiment. They are sufficient for even the hardest trials. Surely his grace is sufficient for my life, even through my many weaknesses.
"for when I am weak, then I am strong"
|
|
