The invitation was simple: “Let’s see a movie about Corrie ten Boom!” For my friend Lydia and me, this wasn’t just a casual outing; it was a rare opportunity. Nighttime dates are a luxury when you’re navigating life with children, especially a medically fragile daughter. Our usual date nights are snatched lunch breaks while the kids are at school. The Corrie ten Boom movie felt special, a chance to step away and be inspired.
Initially, plans shifted. Friends backed out, and childcare became uncertain. Doubts crept in. Was seeing a movie about the Holocaust really a “fun” date night? Yet, something resonated deeply with the idea. Reviews of The Hiding Place movie glowed, and the thought of sharing this experience with Lydia, who cherished Corrie ten Boom’s book, rekindled the spark. We decided to go.
Leaving the theater, we were profoundly moved. The film, far from being just entertainment, filled us with faith and resilience. The gravity of Corrie ten Boom’s story – sheltering Jews during World War II, enduring the horrors of concentration camps – was undeniable, yet it illuminated the power of hope in the darkest of times.
Inspired, I delved into The Hiding Place book. Corrie ten Boom’s courage and her family’s unwavering faith were breathtaking. Their home, a haven for those persecuted, became a symbol of resistance against unimaginable evil. Arrested for their actions, Corrie and her sister Betsie faced the brutality of a concentration camp. Amidst this horror, Corrie miraculously smuggled in a small Bible.
This Bible became a beacon of light in the darkness. Every night, Corrie and Betsie shared God’s Word with fellow prisoners. Despite the fleas and squalor that ironically kept guards away, these secret Bible readings transformed the barracks into a sanctuary of hope. Women from diverse backgrounds, Catholics, Lutherans, Orthodox, united in whispered prayers and shared scriptures, experiencing “little previews of heaven beneath the light bulb.”
Betsie’s death in the camp only strengthened Corrie’s resolve. Surviving the war, Corrie dedicated her life to spreading a powerful message: Jesus’s love can penetrate any darkness. She established healing centers, extending compassion even to former oppressors. Corrie ten Boom’s life exemplifies the core values often instilled in environments like Pioneer Bible Camp: faith, resilience, and the transformative power of God’s Word.
Corrie’s story powerfully illustrates the mission of organizations like Pioneer Bible Translators, emphasizing the life-changing impact of having the Bible in one’s own language. This truth resonated deeply when I interviewed Christians from the Toma people in West Africa. They had faced civil war, persecution, and the Ebola epidemic, yet their testimonies were filled with joy because they had finally received the complete Bible in their Toma language.
Elisabeth Kebe Koivogui, a Toma Christian, shared her story. Amidst immense personal struggles, she received an audio New Testament in Toma. Listening to God’s Word in her language became her lifeline. “If I’m lying down, I’m listening to it. If I’m out in the country, I’m listening to it. If I’m walking along the road, I’m listening to it.” The Bible’s counsel offered her strength and direction, a stark contrast to the empty promises of traditional practices.
Elisabeth’s testimony underscores a profound truth: true peace and lasting hope are found in God’s Word. She chose faith over fear, finding solace and guidance in the scriptures during times of immense hardship. Just as Corrie ten Boom discovered in the concentration camp, Elisabeth found that God’s Word is an unwavering source of strength, a principle at the heart of pioneer bible camp experiences, where individuals learn to anchor their lives in faith.
The stories of Corrie ten Boom and Elisabeth Kebe Koivogui echo the sentiment: “God’s Word penetrates the darkness in every heart.” Whether in the confines of a concentration camp or amidst the challenges of life in West Africa, the Bible offers light, hope, and resilience. This enduring power of scripture is what organizations like Pioneer Bible Translators champion, and it’s a spirit fostered in places like pioneer bible camp, where individuals of all ages are encouraged to discover and live out their faith. May we all be inspired to draw strength from God’s Word, becoming “more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” wherever our own “camps” may be.
