Nathan pushed Nonna into the ditch.  Within moments, she heard Nathan’s mother scream his name, then Nathan’s small, lifeless body fell on top of Nonna, still holding the bread she had given him earlier.  Covered in mud and Nathan’s blood, Nonna held very still, too afraid to move or breathe.

Within minutes the sound of gun-fire ended and all became quiet.  Nonna climbed up from her grave, in shock, and made her way back to the train where she had last seen her mother.

This is a paraphrased segment of a book two of my friends have written.  The Secret Holocaust Diaries- The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister, by Carolyn Tomlin and Denise George, Tyndale House Publishers is the story told by Nonna through her diaries after her death. http://secretholocaustdiaries.com/

When Germany invaded Russia, Nonna was about nine years old.  At one point, her mother, now widowed, decided the only thing left to do was to go to Germany and work in the factories.  Receiving a ticket, she and Nonna, boarded a train bound for Germany. They soon discovered that their situation ranked slightly above the Jews, who were in the cattle cars at the end of the train.

During one of the stops, Nonna discovers Nathan, a four-year-old boy with sunken eyes from exhaustion and starvation.  Nonna determines that she will give this boy some of her stale bread.  As she does, the cattle car doors are opened and Nonna finds herself caught up in the rush of Jews running, with dogs chasing them, and baton swinging guards yelling at them to run into the field.

In the field, there are Jewish men digging ditches.  All the people are lined up facing the ditch and the execution begins;  One bullet in the back of the head and they fall into the ditch.

Nonna’s life was saved because of the actions and the blood of someone else.  It reminded me that as Christians, we too are saved because of the actions and the blood of someone else.

For it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me.  Galatians 2:20.

I now try to live my life each day remembering that He took my sentence of death so that I could live my life reflecting His image.

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Diane W. Bailey

Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

Latest posts by Diane W. Bailey (see all)

• What God Can Do with A Shattered Heart - September 5, 2022
• When It Is Time to Bring Your Ship Ashore - January 2, 2018
• Art Of Hospitality – How to Love Others As Ourselves - November 27, 2017

Subscribe for updates!

Join our mailing list and be the first to receive the latest news.

Look for blog posts, podcasts and and an occasional newsletter, and all of it is fashioned for wise women.

SUBSCRIBE!

Awesome -- you're in! A confirmation email is on the way.