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Corrie Ten Boom
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Written By
Pastor Tim
Lane
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Corrie Ten Boom was truly a hero of the faith, during a time that saw
the world going mad under the twisted cross of the Nazi SS. Corrie and
her family were that shining example of sacrifice and love, a love that
God places in the hearts of His people.
Corrie was born in Holland on April 15, 1892 in the Haarlem district.
She was the youngest child of Caspar and Cornelia Ten Boom. She had a
brother Willem and two sisters Nollie and Betsie. She worked in her
father's watchmakers shop, started by their grandfather. Corrie and her
family were members of the Dutch Reform Church.
The Germans invaded Holland on May 10, 1940. As the Nazis started to
round up the Jews the Ten Boom family started helping and hiding as
many as possible.
To Adolf Hitler the Jewish people were something to be hated and to be
exterminated. But to the Ten Boom family they were people that God
loved and gave his Son for! Her family knew that with commitment comes
sacrifice.
Corrie gives us a beautiful example of hearts filled with God's graces.
Corrie told a story of a Pastor who was visiting their home. She asked
him if he would help hide a Jewish mother and child, to which he
replied "No, definitely not. We could lose our lives for that Jewish
child." Unseen by either of them, Corrie's Father appeared in the
doorway. "Give the child to me, Corrie," he said. Her father held the
baby close, his white beard brushing it's cheek, and looked into the
little face with eyes as blue and innocent as the baby's. "You say we
could lose our lives for this child. I would consider that the greatest
honor that could come to my family." (Ten Boom P. 99)
On February 28, 1944 Corrie and her family were arrested and taken to a
concentration camp. Two weeks after capture, Corrie's father was dead.
Betsie also died in the camp, and Willem died shortly after the war,
from complications received in the concentration camp.
Corrie was a woman of grace, love, compassion and forgiveness. One of
her quotes gives us an insight into a heart that walks by faith and not
by sight. "Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function
regardless of the temperature of the heart."
Luke 6:27-28 tells us, " But I tell you who hear me : love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Over her lifetime she wrote many fine books, The hiding places is
probably the best known. Corrie and her family were truly Heroes of the
Faith. Corrie died in Orange, California on April 15, 1983. It was her
91st birthday!
For further insights or questions please feel free to email our director, Pastor Tim Lane: tlane@ugmsac.com
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