My brother sent me a You.tube portion of the Glen Beck show telling the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish woman who worked for the Welfare Department in Poland as Hitler began his final solution. She was in charge of controlling TB, and used her restriction-less freedom to smuggle over 2500 Jewish children out of the ghetto in Poland - carrying them in toolboxes, caskets, gunny sacks and in ambulances accompanied by her trusted friend and cohort - a dog that would bark incessantly while she was questioned, so the Gestapo officers wouldn't hear the crying children.
When she was caught, she was tortured and beaten mercilessly, but escaped execution by bribing a guard and living in secret until the war was over. Not wanting the children to lose their true identities, she had written their names down, buried them in a jar by an apple tree in her backyard. After the war's conclusion, she retrieved the list and began helping the children rediscover their true identity and place many of those whose parents had died during the war and the Final solution with family members.
Glen Beck mentions that he heard of her because she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. My gut reaction is to state without fear of error that there are literally hundreds who have similar stories of heroism and simple true compassion for persons caught in the hate-filled hands of dictators and tyrants. Glen Beck had to end her wonderful story taking a shot at a political figure. That's too bad, because it cheapened his sharing of her wonderful story, and it demeaned the announcer himself.
God's speed on your new venture in God's new realms, Irena, and thanks for the ideal to live up to!
Peace!
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I read the story when they talked about her on CNN, and was sorry we didn't hear about her until after her death. She was honored in Poland a few years ago for her efforts.
Thank you Irina, for caring enough to risk it all.
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