Faith, Family and a Christmas Tree Stand
by Don Krause with Jeff Dewsbury
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Even though many members of my extended family (myself included) have never seen the little mechanical Christmas tree stand that now sits in my nephew Clarence Krause’s home in Saskatchewan, we all hold a special place for it in our hearts.
More than just a neat little trinket from a by-gone era, the little stand – manufactured in Germany in the early 20th century – symbolizes God’s provision for us through the generations. That simple mechanical device, which plays Silent Night (one of the all-time great sacred carols) as it slowly turns the tree around, played a role in delivering our family from a tumultuous and violent period of history.
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From the Beginning
The winter of 1911 was very bleak in the Ukraine, especially for Mennonites. My 
ancestors, Jacob and Helena Krause and their family, lived in the settlement of Nieder Choritza. The Russian Revolution was in full swing and Mennonites all over the country were living under the threat of violence. Every day stories circulated around the small community. One told of thieves riding in the night, demanding food and taking the villager’s horses. Another told of them burning barns. Apprehension permeated the entire area because people never knew when they would become the next target. In some of these attacks women and girls were raped, and men were kidnapped and never seen again.
Still, amidst the dark rumours, there was some joy, some comfort, for my family still had their faith. They would celebrate the birth of Christ in freedom, not in fear. Jacob and Helena’s oldest sons, Jacob and Peter, bought the musical Christmas tree stand as a present for their parents. On Christmas Eve, the family gathered around the tree to watch it spin in the glow of the candles it had been adorned with.
Then the Door Burst Open....
However, without warning, the calm was briefly shattered. As the stand clinked away Silent Night, the door burst open and a band of ruffians stormed in, all holding guns. Shock blitzed through the family, wondering what would happen next. They watched as the uninvited guests became totally still, then backed out of the house and closed the door, leaving the room as peaceful as it was before their intrusion.
That year the family celebrated not only Christmas but Thanksgiving too, for their God had preserved them. God had used that small, seemingly insignificant device, to signify his lordship over our family. His message – whether conveyed through the ‘miraculously’ rotating tree, or the sanctity of the family quietly celebrating the birth of His Son – registered loud and clear to the would-be bandits: “Hands off!”
When it came time for the family to flee the Ukraine in 1923, they were told to 
leave everything behind. All personal belongings would be confiscated on the train. But the tree stand held such precious memories that the Krause boys couldn’t leave it behind without a fight. Before leaving the country, they stealthily tied the contraption to the bottom of their train car. When the train chugged its way to Latvia, the boys got out at a stop there and retrieved the heirloom. They wanted the transport the evidence of that first remarkable Christmas Eve, so that all of us future generations could be blessed by the story of God’s faithfulness.
Would you like to know the God who protects? You can ask Him into your life to be your Savior like the Krause family members did so many years ago. Although much has changed with the family, God never changes. He would love to have you be part of His family. Why not sincerely say the following prayer and He will come into your life as He promised:
Lord Jesus, I really would like to be part of Your family. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. Come into my life today and be my Savior and Lord of my life. Amen.
Saying this prayer is the first step towards a personal relationship with Jesus, who will guide and encourage you every step of the way. We would love to pray for you and send you further information by e-mail.
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