This book is part memoir, part mission statement for Compassion, International, and part call to action to Christians in America.   The story of Dr. Stafford’s time as a MK (Missionary Kid) is so stunning that it dominates the book: both his life in a small village on the Ivory Coast and his misery in a missionary boarding school led by abusive tyrants.   As the cadence of the stories rise and fall, so do your emotions.  Funny stories are followed by warm stories of boyhood friendships; then the horror of the boarding school is told with careful honesty. 

Next, Stafford moves to the issues of poverty and a call to focus on children. 

American Idol Gives Back, a huge, self-congratulatory fundraiser, was a fascinating context in which to read this quote:

In a brief overview, Stafford, highlights economics, health, education, environment, socio-political and spiritual issues involved with poverty.  He warned against “microwave solutions” and suggested a slower “crock pot approach”.  I’ve flirted with the idea of really studying economics one day.  This section fed that flirtation and made me thirsty to understand.

At this point I take a respectful exception with Stafford’s solution.  In short, he suggests changing one child, who will change that child’s family, which will influence a church and eventually transform communities.  He employed surveys that study the statistical percentage of people who become Christians at a certain age, such statistics decreasing as the person ages. I have heard these same surveys used to promote certain evangelistic outreaches to children. 

But is this the focus of the Bible?  Certainly the gospel is preached to all people, which includes children.  But shouldn’t we be preaching to fathers and mothers who will influence their children (household) rather than vice versa?  The last verse of Malachi speaks of turning the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.  I think the order of the verse is significant.