Thanks for the Fleas?!

The little, old watch shop in Amsterdam welcomed all: five children, unmarried aunts, the children of missionaries serving abroad, foster children, folks with special needs and, during World War II, Jews seeking a safe hiding places. The elderly watch maker, Casper, 84, and his mid-50s unmarried daughters, Corrie and Betsie, adjusted their lives around the demands of the underground, hosted last minute, unexpected guests and held drills to practice moving quickly to the hiding place if the Nazis knocked ever at their door. They knew the potential threat to their guests as well as their own lives.

Still, they made it a welcoming home with fun, games, Bible studies and songs. They had so much fun that one evening a neighbor knocked on the door, interrupting their fun to say, “Corrie. Please. We all can hear your Jews.” Neighbors knew their secret, and with their silence, helped shelter them.

Nonetheless the day came when the Nazis knocked at the door of the watch shop. Four Jews and two underground couriers ran for the specially constructed hiding place on the top floor while the family slowly responded to the insistent knock.

The family watched in horror as the wrath of the Nazis tore through the house, knocking holes in walls looking for contraband and Jews. Neighbors silently watched as the long respected Ten Boom family climbed into a truck to go to jail as political prisoners. Before hoisting Casper, 84, into the truck, the Gestapo commander said he would release the old man because of his age so that he could “die in his own bed.”

Casper replied: “If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door to anyone who knocks for help.”

The family went to prison. The hiding place securely protected all the Jews until an underground person entered the house to announce the all clear.

As a prisoner Caspar fell ill, was taken to the hospital and died in a hospital corridor waiting for a room. He was buried in an unidentified pauper’s grave.

Betsie and Corrie underwent interrogation in the Schevengingen prison before they were sent to a political concentration camp and then the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany. In her book “The Hiding Place,” Corrie Ten Boom describes the increasingly harsh conditions of each prison.

The overcrowding at Ravensbruck, meager portions of food, lack of clothing and medicine and long hours spent standing in line during roll call steadily diminished the population of overworked prisoners.

The first night the Ten Boom sisters quickly discovered the worst affliction: a massive infestation of fleas in their prison dorm. Looking around at hundreds of women from across Europe crowded into the building, the confusion of languages, the anger and fighting in the dorm, Betsie reminded Corrie of the Bible verse, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Betsie began praying, “Thank you for ….” and listed their blessings such as being together. Corrie echoed her sister and added her own thanks until Betsie prayed, “And we thank you for the fleas.”

Corrie looked up. No way was she thanking God for the fleas.

“In everything give thanks,” Betsie reminded her.

Corrie looked at her sister skeptically.

They settled into a routine of hard labor during the day and evenings spent reading the Bible they had smuggled into the camp. As they read to their audience of women from across Europe, they also translated the passage into German, others translated the scripture into other European languages. The walls of religion came down as Christians of all faiths prayed, sang and worshiped together in the flea-infested dormitory.

Betsie’s already weak body failed. She was assigned to stay inside and knit socks for soldiers. One day as the group of knitters tried to sort out their work assignments, they asked the guard to come into the dorm to explain. The guard refused.

That night Betsie met Corrie triumphantly. “I know why no one has bothered our Bible studies. I overheard some of the guards talking. None of them wants to come into Barracks 28 because of the fleas!”

Corrie wanted to laugh, “All right, Lord. Thank you for the fleas.”

Betsy died at Ravensbruck. Because of a clerical error, Corrie was released. In years to come, she shared their story around the world, including the lesson to be thankful for everything.

A lesson to be remembered this week of Thanksgiving. Yes, be thankful for the blessings of food, clothing, shelter, family, job, health and possessions. Then, look at all the difficulties, the inconveniences and unwanted elements of your life, and thank God for them. Just like the fleas, you never know what purpose they serve in God’s scheme of things.

Joan Hershberger is a staff writer for the El Dorado News Times. She can be reached at joanh@everybody.org


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