Book Review "Kabul 24"

There is a lot that I have to say about this book and how it plays into my own personal experience. I will try to do as little of that as possible in order to give the best critical review of the book.

First of all, the subject matter of the book is summarized well with the reverse cover, which reads:

'In 2001, extremists set out to rid Afghanistan of anyone who posed a threat to Islam and the influence of that Taliban.

The Shelter Now International humanitarian effort led by Christians in Western countries topped the Taliban's list.

Kabul 24 is the story you didn't see on CNN. It's the story of the human heartbeats behind the headlines that captivated the world during one of the most volatile political windows in recent history. Relive the harrowing, true account of how eight humanitarian aid workers imprisoned behind enemy lines would survive and even thrive in the midst of betrayal, inhumane conditions, and the massive Allied bombing raids-conducted by their own countries- following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.'

This book is a re-telling of the story that we never heard. The group of 24 SNI mission workers that were captured and held under false pretenses of proselytizing Christianity for 105 days in various prisons in Afghanistan.

The book is written by individuals uninvolved with the hostage situation. The authors Henry O. Arnold and Ben Pearson deal with the subject matter in a delicate and understanding way. They obtained the information with interviews, letters, etc. all from the people involved in the hostage situation. Arnold and Pearson give an accurate picture of what the individual hostages were going through, the governing forces involved in the hostage situation, and the political front of the world at large. Overall, from a literary sense, I believe that the book was written well.

This story itself is truly touching. The faithfulness of the hostages involved is astounding. The SNI worker's continued trust in God through the circumstances that they were thrust into is inspiring. As a future foreign missionary, I have found myself asking questions that were brought up in this book. Would my faith remain if I were captured/tortured/etc? Would my prayers be answered for safekeeping and strength? Would my story, even in death, point to the gospel and god's story? This book showed that my questions are futile in comparison to an almighty God and that casting my worries on him is all that I can do to escape my sin tendency of fear.

I would recommend this book to anyone. Believers and non-believers alike. Anyone interested in missions should definitely read this work.