There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' ... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.)Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids..) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.
Irena recruited 10 friends, all women, to help her in her effort to save Jewish children. During her time of doing this, she and her friends smuggled children out in boxes, suitcases, sacks, and coffins. In all, they managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught and tortured. The Nazi's broke both her legs and feet and beat her severely.
Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.
Irena was not well known until 1999, when four Kansas students wrote and performed a play called "Life in a Jar". In 2007, Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected; Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming. In April 2008, Irena died in Warsaw at the age of 98.
Let us not forget her courage and compassion.
There was a movie about Irena Sendlar on television not too long ago. I think it was on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. It was outstanding! She was outstanding! Such a sweet little face hid incredible power, didn't it? I always think that I lack courage to stand up for what is right, but when I think of Irena, I know that even the small things I do are so meaningful and it doesn't matter if the eyes of the world don't take notice, it's only the eyes of God that matter.
ReplyDelete(With all the flak about Obama and the Nobel prize, it pretty much makes you think its meaningless anyway. It wouldn't have gotten her to heaven any faster!)
What an amazing woman. I had never heard of her. She should have received the NPP. I do agree about the Nobel peace prize. It obviously doesn't mean much if people that actually DO good things to help people don't get it but those who PLAN to do good things do.
ReplyDeleteThis woman is truly a hero; may the angels lead her into Paradise.
ReplyDeleteDave
Stories of goodness that deserve recognition but are over looked.
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie and read her biography. God Bless Her. She was a real hero.
ReplyDeleteIf I were Al Gore in NObel Prize show , I dedicate the present to her....Alas!!!!