Betsie ten Boom, Corrie’s older sister
Betsie and Corrie ten Boom spent time in notorious Ravensbrück Concentration Camp north of Berlin for hiding Jews in their home during the Nazi occupation of Holland.
The ten Boom family of Haarlem, Holland were watchmakers by trade.
They also lived as devout Christians. Corrie was raised to understand that honoring God included respecting the Jewish people.
Here is Corrie ten Boom’s famous story of Betsie and the fleas from The Hiding Place:
Barracks 28
We lay back, struggling against the nausea that swept over us from the reeking straw.
..Suddenly I sat up, striking my head on the cross-slats above. Something had pinched my leg.
“‘Fleas!’ I cried. ’Betsie, the place is swarming with them!’
“‘Here! And here another one!’ I wailed. ‘Betsie, how can we live in such a place!’
“‘Show us. Show us how.’ It was said so matter of factly it took me a second to realize she was praying. More and more the distinction between prayer and the rest of life seemed to be vanishing for Betsie.
“‘Corrie!’ she said excitedly. ’He’s given us the answer! Before we asked, as He always does! In the Bible this morning. Where was it? Read that part again!’
“I glanced down the long dim aisle to make sure no guard was in sight, then drew the Bible from its pouch. ‘It was in First Thessalonians,’ I said. We were on our third complete reading of the New Testament since leaving Scheveningen.
The Hague, Scheveningen Prison
“In the feeble light I turned the pages. ‘Here it is: “Comfort the frightened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all…’”
It seemed written expressly to Ravensbruck.
Women prisoners at Ravensbrück in northern Germany
“‘Go on,’ said Betsie. ‘That wasn’t all.’
“‘Oh yes:’…“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.’”
“‘That’s it, Corrie! That’s His answer. “Give thanks in all circumstances!” That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!’ I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room.
“‘Such as?’ I said.
“‘Such as being assigned here together.’
“I bit my lip. ‘Oh yes, Lord Jesus!’
“‘Such as what you’re holding in your hands.’ I looked down at the Bible.
“‘Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! Thank You for all these women, here in this room, who will meet You in these pages.’
“‘Yes,’ said Betsie, ‘Thank You for the very crowding here. Since we’re packed so close, that many more will hear!’
She looked at me expectantly. ‘Corrie!’ she prodded.
“‘Oh, all right. Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed suffocating crowds.’
Thankful for Fleas
“‘Thank You,’ Betsie went on serenely, ‘for the fleas and for–’
“The fleas! This was too much. ‘Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.’
“‘Give thanks in all circumstances,’ she quoted. It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.
“And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong.”
“Back at the barracks we formed yet another line–would there never be an end to columns and waits?–to receive our ladle of turnip soup in the center room. Then, as quickly as we could for the press of people, Betsie and I made our way to the rear of the dormitory room where we held our worship “service.” Around our own platform area there was not enough light to read the Bible, but back here a small light bulb cast a wan yellow circle on the wall, and here an ever larger group of women gathered.
“They were services like no others, these times in Barracks 28.
“At first Betsie and I called these meetings with great timidity. But as night after night went by and no guard ever came near us, we grew bolder. So many now wanted to join us that we held a second service after evening roll call.
There on the Lagerstrasse we were under rigid surveillance, guards in their warm wool capes marching constantly up and down. It was the same in the center room of the barracks: half a dozen guards or camp police always present. Yet in the large dormitory room there was almost no supervision at all. We did not understand it.
“One evening I got back to the barracks late from a wood-gathering foray outside the walls. A light snow lay on the ground and it was hard to find the sticks and twigs with which a small stove was kept going in each room. Betsie was waiting for me, as always, so that we could wait through the food line together. Her eyes were twinkling.
They Were God’s Protection
“‘You’re looking extraordinarily pleased with yourself,’ I told her.
“‘You know, we’ve never understood why we had so much freedom in the big room,’ she said. ‘Well–I’ve found out.’
“That afternoon, she said, there’d been confusion in her knitting group about sock sizes and they’d asked the supervisor to come and settle it.
“But she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t step through the door and neither would the guards. And you know why?”
“Betsie could not keep the triumph from her voice: ‘Because of the fleas! That’s what she said, “That place is crawling with fleas!’”
“My mind rushed back to our first hour in this place. I remembered Betsie’s bowed head, remembered her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for.”
Even Fleas
Barracks 28 at Ravensbruck was known as “the crazy place where women have hope.” And hope they had—a living hope.
Hope in the midst of darkness.
Hope in the midst of persecution.
Hope in the midst of unimaginable evils.
Many women in Barracks 28 knew and believed (as Corrie put it) that “there is no pit so deep that His [God’s] love is not deeper still.”
The conclusion of Romans chapter eight became one of the scriptures that sustained them all:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” ~Romans 8: 35, 37
Tina at Mommynificent
That excerpt was such a blessing to read! Thanks so much for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday at Mommynificent.com! Hope to see you again soon!
Tina
Montana Guy
I’ve read “The Hiding Place” and seen the movie several times over the years since being published back in the 1970’s and I recall that LICE was the reason as the place was crawling with them and thus is why the guards wouldn’t go into the barracks where the prisoners were there at the Ravensbruck concentration camp during WW2, as I don’t recall fleas being mentioned.
Jacqueline
Thank you, Montana, for your comment! I will check that out as it has been a while since I wrote this post! I hope I didn’t have a mental lapse when I wrote it! lol
PS. I just checked quickly online and this is what I found: http://www.broadcaster.org.uk/section2/transcript/hidingplace.html I am thankful I am not losing my mind 😉
Linda
I heard Corrie speak personally to our youth group in Michigan back in the late 60’s. She said it was lice. Made my head crawl just hearing it.
No matter. The results were the same!! God’s providence.
Linda
Jacqueline
Oh, Yes, Linda! God is so merciful! <3 You are blessed to have heard her!
Jan
I am a full-time caregiver for my husband who has a TBI and resulting Parkinson’s Disease, Lewey Body Dementia, Manic Bipolar Disorder, COPD, and a heart condition. I also assist my 90 year old father in the care of my mother who has Alzheimer’s, chronic back pain after 7 surgeries, A-Fib, a lung condition and on oxygen, to name just a few of her maladies. Needless to say, during this crisis, I have a full plate as I’ve had to let go the cleaning lady, caregivers, shower aides, etc. I have no help and I am exhausted and overwhelmed. My bright spot is my little 10 lb service dog whom God uses continually to minister peace to my weary body and soul. Now she has become infested with, yes, you guessed it: fleas! I treat her holistically with a multi-disciplinary approach which has kept them at bay in the past. Not so this time. Nothing tried and true is working this time. There’s not a tactic, a powder, spray, bath or method that is making a dent and believe me, I’ve tried them all. I feel as though I am battling plague and pestilence on all sides. My sweet, little dog is miserable and I’m defeated, ready to collapse in tears as this is just the final straw. I was crying out to God (and also a little embarrassed that after all I’ve conquered in my life through Christ, it’s a flea that is the source of my seeming defeat.)
And then I “happen” on your post. I’ve read the book and seen the movie. Corrie is buried across the street from the house I grew up in. Yet I had forgotten the story about the lice. (I believe fleas were referenced, instead of the lice as in the book, because I needed to hear about fleas)
I don’t know how He is going to use the fleas in my circumstances, but I trust Him and am thanking Him now for the army of fleas that seeks to defeat me. Whatever their purpose, I pray God delivers my sweet fur baby from the onslaught of the attack and heals my household., body, mind, soul and spirit. Thank you for your post and for the timely reminder.
Tina Houser
Can you tell me which chapter of the book the flea story is found in?
Jacqueline
Yes, Tina. It’s in chapter 13 entitled Ravensbruck, page 198 in my paperback.
Hope that helps!!
Caitlin
I was so glad i saw this question with a reply because i am studying this book for school. Though i was getting very stressed when i couldn’t find it on page 198. I luckily found it on page 185. Hope this helps anyone else
Sharon
Hiding place is one of my favorite books!
Karin
Thank you for this timely message.
Oluwaseun
Gosh! I am sooo blessed by this article. Couldn’t help but ponder on it for a long time. 🙂
Amanda
Thank you for sharing this part of the book. I am teaching a group of young women in my church tomorrow about gratitude and this part of the book popped into my head. I’m glad I stumbled across your blog tonight.
Jacqueline
Amanda, I will be praying for you and your group today! May the Lord grip their hearts for His name sake!
Bless you, friend! J
Barbara Trenoff
Thank you I needed to get refocused on the Fathers great love for his children, I have read the book years ago. But love touched deep within , for these women of God and their great faith.
Sam
I use this example all the time to encourage people and to encourage myself. God is so trustworthy and unfailing in character an I know that no matter what we go through there is nothing that Jesus did not carry the burden of at Calvary! We are never alone whether in joy or in sorrow. He knows the infestations of our lives and we must be thankful of all things. May it all be for his glory, in the mighty name of Jesus!
Marie
I know this is an older post, but it showed up at the bottom of the page and I was thinking specifically of this very story today!
I am planning to read it with my children this school year.
As much as I pray against it, I cannot seem to shake the possibility of a situation like this happening again.
I want my children to be strong, courageous, and thankful always regardless of their circumstances. I pray we never face a similar situation, but take comfort that Our Father will never leave or forsake us. May we all press on in faithfulness and thankfulness and endure to the end.
Jacqueline
Marie, the Lord will give us the courage we need when and if the time comes! he will not abandon his children!!
Keep the Son in your eyes,
jacqueline