_The Hiding Place_
by Corrie ten Boom with John and Elizabeth Sherrill
read by Wanda McCaddon
Caspar ten Boom's home over his watch repair shop was always filled
with family and friends, from early in the morning when he came down to
breakfast until after evening worship once the day was done. Once
Willem and Nollie were married and moved out, and Mama and her sisters
had died, Corrie and older sister Betsie were left living with their
father, Betsy eventually taking over the care of the house and Corrie
assisting in the work in the watch shop.
Father was deeply religious, and actually lived in accordance with his
faith, looking down on no one else, enjoying religious discussions and
debates with whosoever might wish to discuss faith with him, Christian
or Jew, Catholic or Protestant. Betsy, Corrie, and their father always
found ways to help others as they could, and now that his own children
were grown up Father fostered other children until they were grown--and
then the war began and Holland found itself under Nazi rule.
Unwilling to see their Jewish neighbors shipped off to the death camps
that all had heard of, Corrie found ways of helping people to escape
from the Nazis. A few people they could not find places for, and these
six they took into their own home, seeing a hiding place constructed
that the Nazis never discovered where their guests could hide
themselves should the house be raided--which happened.
Father died in a hospital while Corrie and Betsie were sent off to
Ravensbruch concentration camp in what was at the time Polish
territory. Throughout all Betsie inspired Corrie to see the spiritual
needs not only of their fellow prisoners but of their enemies as well,
foreseeing that in time she and Corrie would be free of the camp and
would help others heal spiritually of the damage done to them and that
they'd done to themselves. Betsie was freed by death within the camp;
Corrie learned later that her unexpected release was apparently due to
a clerical error, but that had she remained any longer she would have
been sent to the gas chamber. She returned to Haarlem to her former
home, and within a few weeks the Allies freed Holland and Corrie was
working with the disabled children she'd delighted to work with before
Germany occupied the Netherlands. But she still found herself looking
for the great house with the many gardens and the tall windows Betsie
had sworn would serve as a healing place for those critically damaged
by the war, and for the camp in Germany itself Betsie has seen as a
place where former Nazis could find spiritual healing alongside their
former prisoners.
A classic in Christian literature for the twentieth century. Well
written and well read by Ms. McCaddon. Definitely a highly recommended
book. Got it on sale from Audible a few months ago, and read it mostly
on my return from Oregon yesterday.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise
cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
