Darlene Deibler Rose, Witness for Christ

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

“The evidence of things not seen.” That is what Darlene Deibler put her trust in when she was interred in a Japanese prison camp during World War II. Things went from horrible to nightmarish when she was sent to Kempeitai, a prison known for torture and murder of prisoners. Expecting to be beaten or killed at any minute, she could still say that faith was “what I put my trust in. . . . in the unchanging Person of Jesus Christ.”  Suddenly she realized that she was singing:

When darkness veils His lovely face,          
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high ad stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Darlene and her husband Russell had been called by the Lord to serve as missionaries in New Guinea. She was the first white woman that many of the natives had ever seen. They had been working with the Dyaks for only a short time when they heard the announcement over a primitive radio that Pearl Harbor had been bombed by the Japanese.

The Japanese quickly took over many of the islands in the Pacific. The missionaries had a very short time to decide if they wanted to stay or leave. After much prayer, they decided to stay. This decision turned out to be the correct one, since the ship they would have left on was torpedoed and sunk only three days later. Darlene said, “It is imperative that we know the voice of the Shepherd and learn to follow Him when He speaks.” She would lean on His voice over the next four years of hardship and heartache. The men and women were eventually separated and sent to different prison camps. Her husband, Russell, would die of disease less than two years later.

At first Darlene was in a women’s prison camp called ‘Kampili’. The Japanese commander made her a barracks leader. Life was hard, but she showed respect to those in charge and avoided trouble.

One day, a spy maliciously gave a false report about her and she was hauled off to Kempeitai, a place of terror, where many were never heard from again. Here, her trust in God would be severely tested. She would go through a dark time, but ultimately remember that Christ is her solid Rock. God graciously spared her, and when you read her story your faith in God’s goodness will increase.

Darlene would be miraculously released from Kempeitai and sent back to the main women’s prison camp. There she would minister to others. Though she was ill all of the time, she actually praised God for His goodness. It is hard for us to imagine here in our comfortable homes how anyone could be thankful for the misery that she underwent. But, Darlene listened as the still, small voice promised her, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (IICorinthians 12:9)

She really needed this comfort when the Allies started bombing the prison camp (the prisoners were not sure why) and the women and children had to hide in knee deep mud in trenches or in wild forests.

I am not going to tell any more of the story. If you really want a boost to your faith, please read the book. Evidence Not Seen: A Woman’s Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II, by Darlene Deibler Rose. (Harper Collins Publishers, originally published in 1988. The newer book has an update written in 2003, which tells how this faithful woman has continued to serve Christ even into old age.) Darlene went to be with the Lord in 2004.

At the beginning of the War, the Lord had given Darlene this verse; Deuteronomy 33:12, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; and the Lord shall cover (overshadow) him all the day long and he shall dwell between His shoulders”. This promise of God was not only the cornerstone of her faith during her internment, but demonstrated that God is able to do abundantly exceedingly above all that she could ask or think as this promise remained the firm foundation of her faith all her days on this earth.

Darlene’s story has been a great encouragement to me. It has shown how God loves His children and takes care of them. He does not always give us an easy life. When He allows trials into our lives, He is there to comfort and to teach us to grow. When things are going right for us, we tend to forget God. When we are put into perilous situations, that is when we see His might and power. Reading Darlene’s story will boost your faith!