Friday, December 7, 2012

Blessed Child

I have read nearly all of the books that author Ted Dekker has written. However, I have avoided reading his Blessed series for reasons that I didn't understand, until recently. For some reason, the book covers creep me out. However, I had the opportunity recently to read the first book in this two-part series called Blessed Child. It turns out that the book is very much in the style of other Dekker works.

The story begins in Ethopia where American relief worker Jason Marker is getting ready to clear out of the country due to instabities caused by warring military factions. Before he leaves, a friend asks him to go to a local monastary and collect a small boy and take him away from the area of hostility. Jason arrives at the monastary as a contingent of troops begins to move in. He barely escapes with the young boy, Caleb, and a Red Cross nurse named Leiah, before the monastary is completed leveled. Jason, Leiah, and Caleb then flee for their lives as they are pursued deep into the heart of the country. On this harrowing trip, Jason and Leiah begin to bond and also begin to see the first signs that there is something very different, very special about Caleb.

The trio leaves Ethopia and arrives in the United States. Following the instructions given to Jason by Caleb's caretaker, the boy is given over to an orphanage run by a Greek Orthodox priest. When this Father Matthews sees that the boy possesses unique powers of healing, the unscrupulous father begins to exploit Caleb for every nickel and dime that he can. Caleb's name begins to become well known as he performs group healings of larger and larger audiences. Yet Caleb, while only 10 years old and completely innocent, does what he does not because of threats from his cruel master, but because of his walk with God and his only purpose to make His name known. The other story arc running throughout this book involves a very popular presidential candidate who has a long history of dirty dealings in Ethopia and has reasons to want to make the boy permanently disappear. An enjoyable read. Now onto the second book in the series, A Man Called Blessed.

Who says that a straightened hand is more powerful than a healed heart?