The book A Father’s Promise by Donnalynn Hess tells the story of a young boy who is forced to hide from the soldiers of the Third Reich in order to remain alive. The events described in the book take place in Poland, during the World War II, when the Nazi militaries invaded that country in their pursuit of establishing the worldwide dictatorship by employing the method of Blitzkrieg. The main character of the book, an 11-year-old Jewish boy Rudi Kaplan, who is also a Christian, is forced to show a great amount of courage and wit so as to retain his life. Driven by the promise of his father, Jakob, to be reunited after the war, the main character of the story finds it indispensable to rely on God, for only He is able to lead the boy through the horrors of the Nazi massacres and the Holocaust.
From the very first pages of the book, we get to know that Rudi is a Jew and a Christian; and the strength given to the boy by the Lord will successfully guide him through the brutal scenes of the war alive. Taught by his father, Jakob, to rely on God, it is during training in survival techniques provided to him by a friend when Rudi starts to learn how to keep safe from the Nazi murderers. The boy witnesses the hideous consequences of the Nazi invasion; dying people, a wounded young girl whose relatives were killed due to an air attack, homes of people reduced to ash and debris.
Unfortunately, the people that are close to him become separated from the boy because of the crimes committed by the invaders. The boy’s father, for instance, faces imprisonment; he only gives his young son a promise of reunion that is to take place after the war is over. Being left alone due to the dire circumstances he becomes a victim of, the boy, however, retains the virtues of bravery and wit through the help of the Lord. In the attempts to save his own life, the boy goes through pain and humiliation, through hunger and want.
However, Rudi is not alone in his quest for survival; numerous other people also wish to save their life, but they frequently show heroism and self-sacrifice in order to preserve the life of a child. With the help of his new friends, and with his father’s promise in his heart, the main character manages to run away with his life from his pursuers. Even though the boy’s escape is often narrow and risky, God guides the child and does not allow him to lose his life. And, eventually, it turns out that the boy does not endeavor in vain; having gone through the horrors of the war and survived, Rudi learns that the faith in the Lord can accomplish incredible things.
Thus, during the story, it is the knowledge that the reliance upon God can achieve miracles even in the most terrible situations that Rudi has learned. No entity other than the Lord would have helped the boy to stay strong, brave and smart, and guide him through the horrors of the war. This piece of literature has also had its effect on me; it one more time demonstrated to me the dependability of God and the necessity to trust in Him even in the circumstances most dire. Even prior to reading the book, I knew that it is wise to always rely on the Lord, and would have done so in a grim situation; but the book has strengthened my beliefs even further. Indeed, the Bible says, “And Jesus… said,… be not afraid” (Mark 16:6). And it is clear that A Father’s Promise by Donnalynn Hess provides an undeniable example of why one should not be afraid if their faith in God is strong and true.