Jeanette Windle

I received this book on Friday and am posting the review on Saturday afternoon. This is to let you know how easily read this book is and how absolutely captivating it is from the first page.

I will say there are some grammatical errors occurring I suppose from the translation but other than these, that are easily overlooked. The one that stood out most to me was the use of the word impelled instead of compelled - I had to read this sentence several times as the word impelled always brings to mind the biblical account of the terror of the Assyrians and the historical knowledge of what the word impel means.

This is the story of the Chilean miners as told by Carlos Parra Diaz, the "Chaplain of Camp Hope". This Seventh Day Adventist Pastor gives his riveting testimony of how God broke his heart for a hurting people and moved him to give unselfishly.

The book is told with the use of metric measurements - which indicate the lack of our conformity with the rest of the worlds measurement system. I had to look at conversion tables to get an accurate picture in my head of the temperature and depth, and distance being spoken of. There are times when there is much description and it seems to drag a little slow. However, all this is worth trudging through as Carlos unfolds a story that changed the world.

In one part he recounts the story of one of the miner's wives. She says to him as he is handing out bibles to each family that she believes God has a purpose and that one of the purposes is that they should turn back to God with their whole hearts - not just in times of trouble. How true this statement is as it is echoed here in America as well. Too often tragedy unites a country or a people instead of peace. For in peace and plenty too often we become over taken with selfish thought and a business that drives a wedge between people and God who has provided the very blessings being enjoyed.

This book ends with powerful testimonies of the miners and the families that lived through this ordeal clinging daily to the one thing that brings about survival of tragedy - Faith in God - faith is a God who works miracles.

Absolutely heart stirring and eye-opening. I am amazed at the faith in which these people acted in the very eye of the storm in which they found themselves. It is stated in this book that though grief was a constant emotion there was an underlying peace that was anchored in a hope in God's provision and ability to answer prayer. In our own storms is this our anchor - will this be said about us in our storms of life when crushing odds are against us and the world and man would have us extinguish the small flickering flame of hope? Or will we be like these Chilean miners and their families desperately clinging to hope, guarding that flickering flame with a ferocity that drives away desperation and unleashes the power of God?

Thank you B&B Media for this review copy.
… (mehr)

Veiled Freedom is a compelling read that explores the dark underbelly of life in Kabul post 9/11 through the eyes of American aid worker, Amy Mallory and security chief, Steve Wilson. Both characters are well drawn and we see Amy navigate the complexities of setting up a home for women deemed as criminals by the Afghan community, and Steve coming up against the challenges of knowing who to trust in a culture very different to his own. This book provides no easy answers to the complexities of life, politics, and morality. One sensitively drawn character is Amy's NGO assistant, Jamil, to whom Windle throws some particularly poignant twists and surprises on the reader. At times I found the military aspects of the novel difficult to engage with, but that's little to do with the quality of the writing and more to do with my own personal interests.… (mehr)