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Retired missionary Leland recounts adventures from his more than thirty years in the mission field in Indonesia and among many tribes. His consciousness of his sinful nature first arose at age three, when he "borrowed" some toys from a friend. But by age six, he was inspired to become a missionary, answering a call at church to stand with those dedicated to that purpose.
Remarkably, his future wife Amber had an almost identical experience at age eight, so their marriage seemed guided by a divine hand. Together they studied mission work, and in 1971, they traveled to West Irian (now West Papua), learned the Indonesian language, and moved to the village of Senggo. There Leland would build a house, help construct an airstrip, and, with Amber, establish a church. Experiences with the villagers had a sometimes-miraculous aura encompassed in dreams and seemingly biblically based occurrences. The posting in Senggo was followed by many moves and changes of duties throughout the region, all of which, combined with his diligent prayer life, served to strengthen and solidify Leland's faith and helped many.
Leland's book, opening in a moment of deep crisis in the early days of the Senggo mission, is enhanced through biblical verses, black-and-white photos, frank admissions of shortcomings, and a lively sense of humor. The intriguing narrative shows how the couple survived sickness and accidents and overcame unexpected challenges almost daily but were encouraged, too, observing that despite language and cultural differences, their village companions were open to receiving the word of God. In their careers, they taught and administered in schools and colleges, acted as house parents, trained missionary appointees, and even translated a book. Leland remains active in church work in the U.S. and helpfully offers this memoir as guidance for all Christians, especially those contemplating the mission path.