 Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Christy Vaniraghan and I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live. The woman faced her former prison guard. He and the other guards had done terrible things to her and other women in the prison camp. The guards had beaten the women. They had denied the women food and medicine. The women had done nothing wrong. They did not deserve this punishment. But now, years later, the guard had come to her. He was asking her to forgive him. What would she say? How could she answer him? Today's Spotlight is on this woman, Corey Tenboom, and her answer. You may have heard another Spotlight program about Corey's father, Casper Tenboom. Casper and his family lived in the Netherlands during World War II. During that time, the German army controlled that country and many others. They were fighting a war for control of Europe. The German government was also trying to rid these countries of particular groups of people, including the Jews and Gypsies. They killed millions of people in planned executions and in prison camps. The Tenboom family disagreed with these policies. For four years, Casper and his family worked to help Jews and other people in danger. They hid people in their home. They also worked to find safe places for the people to stay. Places outside the city where they lived. In this way, they helped to protect more than 80 people. But finally, in February 1944, the authorities learned of the Tenboom family's illegal acts. They arrested many members of the family, including Casper, Corey, and her older sister Betsy. Casper was very old. He died ten days later in prison. Corey was 51 years old. Betsy was several years older. The two sisters were held in separate rooms at the prison. They stayed in this prison for several months. Then, in June, the authorities moved both sisters to a prison camp. Here, they were together again, but their situation was about to get extremely difficult. In September, authorities moved many of the prisoners in the camp. Guards ordered them onto a train. This train was originally designed to carry cows. But now, people filled the cars. They had little food or water. Finally, after four days, they arrived at a prison camp in Germany called Ravensbroek. Ravensbroek was the largest prison camp for women in Germany. It was a terrible place. The prisoners had very little food. Guards forced them to work hard. They beat prisoners for any reason. And they also killed many prisoners by poisoning them with gas. In the camp, Betsy's health quickly began to fail. Corey did everything she could do to protect her sister. She tried to give her extra food. She protected Betsy from the guards and from difficult work. Betsy also protected Corey, but in a different way. Betsy followed their father's example. The family was Christian. Every day, their father read the Christian Bible with his daughters. They also prayed to God together. It was this faith that caused them to protect people in danger. They were following the example of Jesus Christ. Even in the prison camp, the sisters continued to read their Bible and pray. However, Corey was very angry. But Betsy encouraged Corey to be thankful, even for the little things and the difficult things. She also encouraged Corey to forgive. This was the most difficult thing for Corey. But forgiveness is a central teaching of the Christian faith. Christians believe that God forgives people for the wrong things that they do. They also believe that they must follow God's example. They must forgive people that do wrong things to them. Betsy did forgive the guards. However, over the months, Betsy became more and more weak. Finally, in December, she died from sickness and lack of food. Soon after Betsy's death, the authorities released Corey. Corey did not know why they released her at this time, but her prison sentence was complete. She returned home to the Netherlands without Betsy. Corey moved back into her father's house alone. She felt lost without Betsy. How could she continue? But slowly, she remembered their talks in the prison camp. Betsy had wanted to share a message of forgiveness, and she wanted to open a home to help people damaged by the war. The war ended in 1945. Corey opened a home just like Betsy had wanted to. At first, the people who came were former prisoners, but soon the home also began to serve Dutch people who worked with the German authorities. These people were now suffering very bad treatment from their communities, and they also suffered deep regret for the things they had done during the war. At first, Corey found it hard to accept these people, but again, she followed Betsy's example of forgiveness. Corey also began to travel and tell her family's story. She wrote a book about these experiences. It is called The Hiding Place. She tells the story from the beginning of this program. In 1947, Corey spoke at a church in Germany. After her speech, a man came to talk to her. He had been a guard at Ravensbroek. However, since then, he had become a Christian, and he deeply regretted the terrible things he had done as a guard. He asked Corey for forgiveness. He held out his hand for her to hold. Corey wrote about her feelings and thoughts in that second. Forgiveness is not an emotion. I knew that. Forgiveness is an act of the will. The will can work even if the heart is cold. Jesus, help me. I prayed quietly. I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling. So Corey put her hand into his hand. As she did, something amazing happened. She began to feel a healing emotion. It was forgiveness. It filled her heart, and she began to cry. Corey wrote about what she said. I forgive you, brother. I cried with all my heart. For a long time, we held each other's hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God's love as deeply as I did then. Corey worked with victims of war for the rest of her life. She died in 1983 at the age of 91. Corey was honored by many governments and Jewish organizations for the work she did. But it was Corey's example of forgiveness that brought healing to many people. The writer of this program was Christy Veneragon. The producer was Michio Ozaki. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again and read it on the internet at www.radioenglish.net. This program is called A Story of Forgiveness. Corey, Ten Boom. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.