"I could not put the book down nor could I read it without tears in my eyes. The strength of the story that Steve tells is that he is also part of it, he knew the people he writes about and he brings each character to life as if they were alive today. I am indebted to his diligence in unearthing history and telling it accurately. This book will never be old." -- Paul Hudson, Elim International Missions Director

Haunting – no, that’s not the right word. Inspiring, that’s better. Encouraging, that’s good too. Comforting, that works too. But none is adequate by itself. This book did all of those things to me. This is a very rare book. Griffiths has written one of the most comprehensive biographies I’ve ever read. It doesn’t just focus on the lives of his parents or even just the mission group they worked with. The politics, culture, factions, military forces, and even international pressures that affected their lives and played into the (I won’t call it a tragedy for they wouldn’t) climax are explained very carefully. The dark history of Colonialism and Revolution that lead to the war are covered as well. Don’t be put off by that. It’s vital to the point of this book. There are so many lessons to take away from this book. Christianity is hard. God’s will can be hard. God is strong. God is Sovereign. Men are evil. Forgiveness is hard. Evil is real. Life is complex. The rewards God gives are not always immediate or evident. God moves through the deepest tragedy to give His followers glory and victory. Perhaps, the best way to sum up the ultimate impact of this book is to quote He who orchestrated it all. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37) One this that made this biography even better is Griffiths didn’t stop just after the deaths of the missionaries. He carried the story on through the next thirty years. You can see the struggles they still had to endure to forgive the perpetrators, to carry despite their grief, and the comfort God gave them. At the end, he tackles the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" It's a wonderful section full of Biblical wisdom and comfort. You should read it. Don’t get bogged down. The beginning is a little slow, but be sure to keep reading. If you are saved it will encourage you. If you aren’t, I’m sure the author’s prayer, and mine, is that you will see Jesus as the hero of this story and the Savior who offers you forgiveness for your sins. It’s written by and about Pentecostals; though, their particular distinctives aren’t emphasized. There are also overtones of ecumenism in the beginning. I’m not sure how much that was the author’s perspective or his parents. I received this as a free ARC copy from NetGalley and Lion Hudson Plc. and Monarch. No review was required, but it was my pleasure to write it.