Corrie Ten Boom's family consisted of herself, her father, her older brother, William, and her two older sisters, Betsie and Nollie. They all had an important decision to make. They could either protect themselves by ignoring what the Nazis did to the Jews or they could help the Jews by joining the underground, which was very dangerous. They all chose the latter because they knew that is what God wanted them to do.

The Ten Boom's became a very important knot in the spreading web of the underground for two reasons: they had connections all over Holland, and they lived in a funny old house called Beje (bay-yay). The reason the Beje was so important was because it was actually two houses and a watch shop. Therefore, it had mismatching floor levels and odd angles which made it difficult for outsiders to detect the secret room the Ten Booms built to hide Jews. Corrie, her father, and Betsie were directly responsible for the hiding place because they lived in the Beje. Corrie became the "ringleader" because she carried out most all the things that needed to be done.

Corrie took a great step of faith in hiding the Jews, because like Daniel, Corrie chose to honor God and suffer the consequences. Both Daniel and Corrie could have avoided their trials had they chosen to honor man's rule over God's. Had Daniel bowed to idols he would have escaped the lion's den. Had Corrie refused to hide the Jews she would have avoided the concentration camp.

Although Corrie suffered greatly in the concentration camp, God worked it ultimately for her good. The things she suffered worked compassion and forgiveness into her that she was able to use to help others.

If I had been in Corrie's family before they were arrested I would have had another secret room installed for my family.

Corrie Ten Boom was born in 1892 into a loving family in the Netherlands. Her family were devoted members of the Dutch Reformed Church. Their family helped their Jewish neighbors who were driven out of their homes. Corrie found places for them to hide in the countryside.

On February 28, 1944, a man came into their shop and asked Corrie to help him. He stated that he and his wife had been hiding Jews and that she had been arrested. He needed six hundred gilder to bribe a policeman for her freedom. Corrie promised to help. She found out later that he was a "quisling", an informant that had worked with the Nazis from the first day of the occupation. Because of this, Corrie and her family were sent to a concentration camp.

Corrie's father died, and Corrie and here sister remained in concentration camps, first in Holland, then in Germany. They held secret Bible worship services which people of all different religions attended. Betsie, her sister, died in December of 1944. Due to a mistake, Corrie was released from prison one week before all women her age were killed. She began traveling and telling her story of her family. After the war, she helped former prisoners.

The Ten Boom family did not protect themselves. They thought of other people, instead of themselves. Corrie's family could have avoided the prisons by not caring about, or helping the Jews.

If I were in Corrie's family when they were being arrested I would have tried to escape, and still help the Jews.