Risking Everything to Save Lives
In the shadows of war-torn Europe, Corrie ten Boom and her family risked everything to shelter Jews during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. ## From Concentration Camp to Forgiveness
Their devotion to helping those in peril led to their betrayal and subsequent arrest on a cold February day in 1944. Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to the notorious Ravensbrück concentration camp, where they endured unimaginable suffering. Yet, even there, they shared God's love, holding secret worship sessions with a smuggled Bible.
After the war ended, Corrie dedicated her life to speaking about God's forgiveness. In 1947, she traveled to Germany, a land still healing from the scars of war, to spread this message. It was in a Munich church that she faced a profound test of her own beliefs. As she finished speaking, a man approached her. She immediately recognized him as a former Ravensbrück guard.
The man, now a Christian, sought her forgiveness, saying, 'You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk... I was a guard in there. But since that time I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein, will you forgive me?'
Corrie found herself frozen, memories flooding back of her sister's suffering and the horrors they had endured. She struggled internally, recalling, 'I stood there—I whose sins had again and again been forgiven—and could not forgive.' In that moment, she turned to God with a desperate prayer: 'Jesus, help me! I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.'
With great effort, she extended her hand towards the man. As their hands met, she felt a wave of warmth and love, transforming her reluctance into genuine forgiveness. 'I forgive you, brother!' she declared, 'With all my heart!' This act of grace was not only healing for him but for her as well.
Corrie's life became a testament to the power of forgiveness. She spent over three decades sharing her story, opening a rehabilitation center for survivors, and demonstrating that true healing comes from God's love. Her legacy is a powerful reminder that when God tells us to love our enemies, He provides the love needed to do so.
