Kid's Good News
Vol 1-issue 26- Aug 15 -2002

Contents:

History - Corrie Ten Boom
This Week's Riddle 
Last week's Riddle & Winner

 

Corrie Ten Boom  

Corrie Ten Boom was a woman who lived in the time of Second World War in Holland and suffered by the hands of Nazis because of her faith in Christ.

Corrie Ten Boom was born in Holland on 15th April 1892.  In year 1837 Willem ten Boom opened a clock shop.  Later this house was passed down to his son Casper, and then to Casper’s daughter, Corrie.  Ten Boom family were devoted Christians and their home was very often called "Open House" because it was open for anyone in need.  They worked for suffering humanity with compassion and with love.

Once they were listening the radio and they heard the Prime Minister of Holland speaking that, "you need not to fear because they have promised that none of the countries fighting in this war will attack us."  But the old watchman said, "the Prime Minister is wrong". He said further that, Germany will attack us and we will be defeated."  The same night Hitler's army attacked Holland.  Holland's army fought with them but soon they were defeated and German soldiers started walking in the streets of Holland.  They took off all the radio sets from every home and newspapers were stopped.  Because they imposed curfew in town, Corrie had to shut down all her girl's clubs.  She also ran a club for mentally-handicapped young people where she used to teach them about the love of Christ.  They could not purchase anything without a ration card.  They made it compulsory for Jews to were a yellow star - "the star of David".

During this time many Jews were killed, their shops were smashed, goods where looted from shops and many Jewish families were disappeared.  Later people knew that Hitler Killed 6,000,000 million Jews.  When all these problem started Corrie Ten Boom and her family risked their lives and helped many Jews to come and stay in their home secretly.  They built a secret room that was hidden behind the false wall where many people could hide. 

But one February morning in 1944 a Dutch man came to the watch shop and asked Corrie to help him by giving some money.  He told her that he needed money urgently to save lives of some Jews.  Corrie did not know who this man was but thinking that if she could help any Jews it would be great, she promised to give him money.  But it was a trap for them.  At evening German police rang the bell of Corrie's house.  Soon all the guests piled into the hiding place.  Police entered their home and searched thoroughly for half an hour but could not find the guests nor the secrete room.  Corrie was interrogated by Police, "Where are the Jews?" but she did not reply.  Finally she said, "Lord Jesus help me."  But the Police officer said, "If you take that name again, I will kill you."  They asked Betsy the sister of Corrie and she was also beaten by police.  But she did not disclose the whereabouts of the secret room.  They smashed cupboards and walls of the house to find the secret room but could not.  Corrie, Betsy, Casper and few other family members were taken to the prison.  The house was sealed and house remained under guard.

Ten days later their father Casper died in prison.  Corrie was put in a separate cell as she was ill.  She lived in that cell for four months alone.  Life of prison was not at all pleasant.  There was no bed in cell and room was bitterly cold.  She got thin porridge for morning and a peace of black bread at evening.  One nurse gave her four Gospels in her cell.  She read those Gospels again and again and it strengthened her faith.  She was taken for hearing by police officer and after a few hearing, Corrie could tell her about the peace and forgiveness of Christ.  After that he became very friendly and helped Corrie in many ways but he had no power to release her or Betsy.

After four months in that prison, all the prisoners were told to pack their baggage and take a train.  When they were about to board a train Corrie saw her sister Betsy and finally both met in railway station.  They were taken to the labor camp so that they may work there.  Life was not easy in this labor camp.  They had to work hard and punishment was severe.  Many male prisoners were shot and women prisoners were sent to Germany.  Corrie and Betsy were taken to Ravensbruck concentration camp.  They had to load and unload heavy steel sheets there and guards shouted all the time to do work faster.  They had to wake up early, they had to stand straight, if not women police beat them with whips.  They were only taken to the Hospital if they were seriously ill and if they had high fever.  And the weakest person would be sent to the gas chamber to be killed.  The place was "Hell on Earth" but God showed them that He can help them though they were in this horrible place.

Corrie could manage to keep a small Bible and vitamin bottle without guard seeing it.  Everyday Corrie and Betsy read the Bible loudly.  At first it was small group who listened but it became bigger and bigger.  In the midst of death and horrible conditions, women of that prison got hope of eternal life and for blessed future.

One day Betsy was cruelly beaten by a guard for not working hard.  But she prayed for that guard.  One day she saw a vision that, " There was a beautiful house with a large garden and a big hall in that there was carved staircase.  She said further that, "we are taking care of those who were hurt in war."

Betsy was very week so Corrie was giving her vitamin pills every day.  Other fellow prisoners also needed vitamin drops so Corrie gave them too.  She knew that bottle would be soon empty but as she gave others, new drops came in the bottle.  No one could understand it until Betsy told them about the story of the Bible in which a widow had no money but prophet told her to bring jars of oil from neighbors and fill it with oil.  She brought the jars and filled the little oil that she had. It did not stop till it filled all the jars of the home. 

Betsy became weaker and weaker and finally was admitted in hospital.  Corrie was not allowed to go and see her sister but she used to see from one of the windows.  One day, her bed was empty, Corrie's heart broke.  one of the fellow prisoner asked her to come and see where all the dead bodies were put.  She wasn't ready to see but she went and saw her face glowing like an angel.  There was no sign of pain and suffering but she was looking very beautiful.

One day Corrie heard her name that she had to report after roll-call.  She was terrified, she thought that, she would be punished and killed."  She prayed to God that He would help her.  When she went there, they gave her a card stamped, "Released".  She was given few of her possessions; new cloths and railway pass to go back her home.  After a long and hard journey she returned her hometown.  She later came to know that her release was a clerical mistake.  One week after her release other fellow prisoner of her age were killed.

Corrie went to 60 countries and preached the love of Christ.  She got the same house which Betsy saw in her vision.  She wrote her story in her book, "The hiding place".  She was received by others with great honor and pride in different countries.  She got many awards for her work for Jews.  She died on her 91st birthday at 15th April 1983.  She said to the world, "There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still", and that “God will enable you to forgive your enemies”.

 

  This week's Riddle

Who turned the jars of water into wine? And how many jars were there?

Kids, who will be able to answer correctly, their names will be published
here.  While answering please do not forget to write your
"name" and "age"  To send your answers click here

Last week's Riddle

They were put into jail but while they were singing and praising God a great earth quake came and their shackles were broken. They found 
themselves free. Who are they?

Answer was :
Paul and Silas
And the riddle was taken from,
Acts 16:18-34 

Congratulations:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nithin Sam David, 8 years old, 
Bevin A. Thomas, 12 years old,
Angela Carvalho
were successful in sending the correct answer.


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