Beaded Hope

Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett was to say the least…. absolutely awe inspiring! To set the scene for you all, the book opens with a glimpse into the everyday lives of three women, and the teenage daughter of one of the women, who live in Ohio. They are all is facing some sort of conflict in their lives, and ironically, each of the women (including the teenage daughter of one of the women) decide to sign up for a two-week mission trip to South Africa. Cassandra, a highly acclaimed news reporter intends to turn in the story of her broadcast career when she returns to the states; Gabby hopes to escape the heartache that has turned her life upside-down; and Heidi and her daughter, Katie, who are still trying to get over the loss of their beloved husband and father are facing an adventure that could forever change their lives and the relationship that they have with each other.

Once they arrive in South Africa, these women are informed that they will all be working as a team to provide support to a remote village where AIDS is ravaging the women and children. There are no men left in the village as they have either succumbed to the disease or have abandoned their families after being infected. The women and children are living in rancid conditions and in places that one could hardly call home. The four women are mortified by what they see and suddenly, their personal problems back in Ohio seem to be forgotten.

The four women share a unit in a church compound, where the leader of the community, Mama Penny, welcomes them and informs them that she will be their guide for the next two weeks. They are introduced to an AIDS infected African American woman named Jaleela, who has come up with a way to help her community by selling beaded jewelry to people in the United States.

It is a story about commitment, community, family, and about how God comes through even in the most incomprehensible situations. It is a very family friendly book and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in sitting down and cuddling up with a good book.

I really hope that you guys choose to read/ review this book for yourselves; it was definitely worth it to me! I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book from Tyndale House Publishers and if you would like more information , please click on the link below:
http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/1_products/details.asp?isbn=978-1-4143-3212-3