Christian Book Reviews

I always like to read the back cover of a book to get an idea of the contents.  This is what Dr David McAdam, missionary ad medical Director at Chitokoloki Mission Hospital in Zambia wrote: "This is the story of Betty Magennis who left Northern Ireland to work for the Lord in Central Africa for more than 46 years.  She worked without a salary and was sustained by the faithfulness of her God and the care of his people.  She saved the lives of innumerable mothers and their new-born children.  Despite facing personal health challenges, she continued to serve with unwavering faith and dedication. She heard her Lord's command to go and she went.  This book is a powerful record of how our Lord Jesus Christ can use a person obedient to his call to bring blessing to countless numbers of people.  Betty's obedience to her Lord and Saviour has left a lasting impact and we pray that her story might challenge and motivate his people today." This book is a wonderful test...

This book is an account of a missionary in the 1800's who was born in Scotland.  John's father at 17 years of age decided to follow Christ. He asked his mother if they could not only attend church but have morning and evening prayer and bible reading in their home. Up to his death he followed this principle and could recite a lot of the psalms when read verbally. He prayed for local people - one woman known as the worst woman locally used to creep underneath his window late at night and heard him pleading in family worship that God would convert "the sinner from the error  of wicked ways and polish him as a jewel for the Redeemer's crown." Now that is some prayer! She said "I felt that I was a burden on that good man's heart and I knew that God would not disappoint him. That thought kept me out of Hell and at last led me to the only Saviour." Amazing grace! With a legacy like that it is no wonder his son went to the mission field. John Paton's fa...

This book has really made me appreciate having a bible in my own language and being able to read it any time night or day. It gives you an insight into the Saunders every day life living amongst a tribal people in very difficult circumstances. Each word of the language had different tonal sounds and whilst you might get that correct writing it down was a whole new experience. I was amazed at how even words like man and woman change according to the time of day! Then coping with traditions and ways of interacting with the locals was  another experience. Cooking and dealing with heat conditions as well as the frustrations of people appearing at your door at all times of the day was another challenge. This book is open and honest but very humbling. The perseverance, commitment and dedication of the Saunders amazed me. At times I was left in tears as there were so many occasions when they had to deal with personal problems that seemed insurmountable - a toddler who was not thriving phy...

I was captivated by this book from the opening pages as David described the testimony of Lop in a Cambodian village that a American missionary stopped at overnight. The missionary could not stay in the village but told Lop to pray and God would answer his prayers. 18 years later Lop heard the story of Jesus in his own village once again through David's parents. Despite years of opposition Lop had remained true to his decision to follow Christ and testified continually of God helping him. A prayer answered. David's father suffered violent abuse at the hands of his step-father who on hearing of his decision to follow Christ ordered him out of the home. This one decision led him to become a pastor and then a missionary in Cambodia. Later David would receive news while studying in America that both his parents had been killed in Vietman.  David had made his own decision many years before to become a doctor and pursued this career with the purpose of serving God hopefully in Asia. G...