I didn't read the Hiding Place until my twenties. It's an autobiographical account of Corrie Ten Boom and her family. Long story short- her family was a part of the Dutch resistance movement during World War 2 and provided a hiding place in their home to Jews escaping Nazi persecution. They were betrayed by a neighbor, and eventually ten Boom was sent to a concentration camp with her older sister. Throughout the entire ordeal, she and her sister never lost their faith. In college I read Night by Elie Wiesel, and I can't help comparing the two books. Both writers were victims of the concentration camps of the Holocaust and suffered unimaginable tragedy. But whereas Wiesel loses his faith in God, Corrie Ten Boom's faith grows stronger. Her faith in God makes mine look lackluster, even on my BEST days.
One part of the book that stands out for me is when the barracks the sisters are staying in becomes infested with lice. ten Boom urges them to thank God for the lice, which seems absurd, but the Scriptures say to give thanks for all things. So everyday during prayer they continue to thank God for the head lice. Later it was revealed that the lice actually kept the Nazis out of their barracks and saved the women from being raped.
I usually read science fiction, but when I reach for biographies, especially ones with so many tragedies, I can't help but think about how easy my life is in comparison to what so many have gone through. There are so many untold stories of hardships that millions suffer through everyday. While this book centers around the suffering of the Holocaust, it is actually a story of hope. It changed my life and helped me draw closer to God.
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