This book is an intense and compelling story about the call to and time spent as a missionary in Benin, Africa by the author and her family. When I first began reading I thought it would be an interesting book about their experiences in Benin including stories of natives gaining salvation and a few instances of physical danger. I was right, but it is much more.

Beyond what I expected is an actual description of their call and how they knew it was a call to overseas missionary work. I received some insight as to the process of missionaries being selected and sent through the Southern Baptist denomination. Throughout the entire book is a pleading for the reader to consider exploring overseas mission work with scripture references at the end of each chapter and interspersed elsewhere throughout the book.

As for the instances of physical danger - they are indeed included and more than I anticipated. Benin is the voodoo capital of Africa and a very primitive environment with unsanitary conditions thus dangerous from the aspect of illnesses as well as injury from others against you or your work. Not a place I would anticipate gladly taking small children to live, but they did. And they consider Benin their life work with their children now following in their footsteps as missionaries.

I would consider this book most suitable for teenagers and adults because of the intense, intimate nature of the book and descriptions of the dangers they met and continue to meet in Benin. At certain spots in the book, it may even be uncomfortable for the reader in an emotional and/or spiritual way. This would be a book I would definitely recommend for anyone considering entering the foreign mission field in a third world country.

-- Product Review by Nancy Wagner, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February, 2006