Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.
If you ever wanted to read about first-hand accounts of how God works through missionaries to bring them together and to learn about His Excellence, the book Venturing With God in Congo by Conjurske Publications will reveal all this to you and more.
Our family delighted using Venturing With God in Congo as a read-aloud in the evening times after dinner and before bedtime. We usually pick a book with many chapters to continue most nights reading as a family, which brings about deep conversations and wonderful question-and-answer opportunities from my children. And because this book focuses on God’s works in faraway lands, my children stayed captivated with God’s massive reach all over the world.
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About Venturing With God in Congo
The missionary accounts are from Darrell Champlin and his family, how they ventured to Congo and brought the Word of God to the villages. His family includes Darrell himself, his wife Louise, and their four children, David, Jonathan, Deborah, and Ethan. Darrell kept a record of his missionary throughout the years and it was through his first-hand accounts along with his wife Louise’s writing that made the book possible.
The family did not have an easy journey since they were forced out of Congo a number of times due to the country’s civil violence and seemingly unending destruction within and around its borders. However, with complete faith obeying God’s command for them to bring the people of Congo to know and understand God and Jesus Christ, they continued the gospel back into Congo.
The family would end up staying in Congo for more than 10 years, bringing peace to the villages while establishing a new understanding of faith, replacing ancient worshipping of witch doctors to developing a deep love and relationship to the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus Christ.
Champlin and his family became well-known throughout the villages and surrounding villages, with other missionary leaders traveling far and wide to visit him. These visits were always exciting because it meant that the message of Jesus Christ was reaching further into the lands and many more natives were giving their lives to Christ.
Although the Champlin family, other missionaries and natives were striving in creating economic, positive growth for civilization, hardships and obstacles would occur. At times they met opposition, such as illnesses, opposing beliefs, and even civil war. At one time they were forced to evacuate their beloved Congo hoping to return as quickly as possible, but the doors remained closed to them. The government was not allowing any foreigners during the time of the civil war. According to the book:
But our jungle people were scattered, their villages burned, and our mission station destroyed.
Destruction touched everything they had built. Yet it saddened their hearts, this hiccup did not impede on their plan. Eventually, the family would return to continue in the rebuilding of the schools, economic structures, roads, houses, and, of course, continue in spreading the love and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The village people would welcome the Champlin family with open arms!
When the family was forced to leave Congo and prior to returning, their time spent in the States also held a purpose. While they waited for the doors to Congo to reopen, they began creating ties with the States’ universities and churches. And as God would have it, they would find themselves with a new mission from God to travel to Suriname, South America.
God lead them into South America to again share the gospel, teach about Jesus Christ, and help build economic civilization. The Champlin’s would find themselves sharing the gospel in Congo, the States, and in Suriname for years to come, God preparing their way into the hearts and lives of so many.
What I Like About Venturing With God in Congo
I like how the book is read in first-person point of view, from the perspectives of both Darrell and Louise. Because Darrell was called Home on August 26, 2015, the book was put together by Louise from both his record of accounts as well as from Louise’s observation of facts.
The book itself is a hardback book, yet the feel of it is soft to the touch, almost cushiony. The pages are thick and sturdy, and I liked the way they feel in my hands. All the physical aspects of the book are made of excellent quality. A lot of care and thought went into the production of creating the book, along with the cover art.
It is enthralling to read the words from Darrell during his time on this earth, to experience his experiences with his missionaries, and to witness how he followed God in faith and in his calling, expressing his story with scriptures from the King James Version of the Bible interwoven throughout the book.
A few visual effects are found throughout the book that I found intriguing, such as imprints of giraffes, trees, and birds.
It was interesting to see the family tree of the Champlin family, beginning with Darrell and Louise. I saw (before I read) that Darrell and Louise’s families both were also called by God to be missionaries. Louise’s dad was a missionary, so she was raised in the Belgian Congo of Africa on the mission field.
The book also reveals a map of Congo as well as a Timeline of Important Events. The reader can refer to these pages when reading Darrell and Louise’s accounts of their missions, following along in the story while discovering where the events took place during their missions. I thought this was neat!
Another part of the book I thought was interesting in addition to the Congo map, the family tree, and the Timeline of Important Events is that you also receive Pronunciation Tips for Lingala, the language used in Congo:
Venturing With God in Congo {Book Review}
To wrap this review up, we highly recommend this book! I’ve only been able to imagine what it might be like to be a missionary in struggling countries. You hear all the time of the hard work and dedication that these servants of God go through but it is within this book Venturing With God in Congo that you can truly see the trials and triumphs of what the honor it is to lead a missionary life.
I even love the Acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, as the Champlin’s give it all to God:
Be sure to check out the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read more reviews on Venturing With God in Congo!
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