Beaded Hope ~ by Cathy Liggett

"When four women embark on a mission trip to South Africa, they all have selfish reasons for going.  What none of them expects is how profoundly their lives will be transformed by those they meet."

Four distinct women with four very different reasons for joining this trip are all moved beyond the momentary heart pangs we often feel when we hear the statistics that mean death for real people.  These women are not different than most that I've met or even me.  These are relatable women with lives that are less than perfect.  They all join to go on this mission trip to help women of South Africa begin a sustainable source of income, but invariably are served more than they serve.  Though the characters are fiction, one can certainly imagine the real circumstances that they face and imagine the faces of the previously known only by statistics.

One thing that I appreciated was that the author was able to bring perspective to the women's issues in comparing them with the women in S.A., but the women were still pressed to solve their problems.  The strength of the women in Africa gave the American women the realization that God was bigger than they realized, and He is their strength.

The story was well put together and had an easy flow that made me want to keep reading.  There was some predictability, but not so much as to feel like it was unrealistic.  It had a clear sense of the Spirit, but was not over-the-top, and even exposed some of the feelings those of us who grow up in church often have.  Again, it was very realistic.  It was not a "happily-ever-after" tale and shared the heartache of different levels of pain and how God leads them through it.  It is not heavy on theology or doctrine, so it's a light easy read.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.  One of the things that I particularly enjoyed was that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the novel will go to support the very real organization, Beaded Hope in South Africa.  I plan to donate to the organization since I received this book without cost from Tyndale Publishers.  A story that supports a worthy cause is definitely one to buy.  Please learn more at www.beadedhope.com.