God's Smuggler (1967 original; edició 2015)

I wasn't expecting to get quite so hooked into this story. It's incredibly interesting simply from a historical perspective on what life was like at that time under communist regimes because I hadn't previously known much. This is a moving story of how a young man had his life completely turned around and learned to trust completely in God for everything. ( )

A Christian book by an amazing follower who has lived the life he advocates. If you want to read a biography about a man who has lived a life of prayer and service this is a great start. This book is about knowing God and God's will from a prayerful follower. It is a good introduction to his organization, OpenDoors. ( )

Summary

God's Smuggler is a book about a Dutch missionary in the 1940's through the 1960's by the name of Andrew, who goes on trips to smuggle bibles into the Communist Iron Curtain to support the struggling churches in those countries. The book starts off describing his child life of pranking the neighbors and even the Nazi occupation. Andrew then joins the Holland military to fight in Indonesia, where he truly starts to fall apart. He would drink until all reason left him, and started up smoking. One day a bullet smashed through his ankle and he was out of the war. After he recovered he went back home to his family. In the time he was in Indonesia, his mother, who had a weak heart, died. Andrew's family was very religious but Andrew was not, and he drifted further and further from God. He got back into Christianity when he was invited to a tent meeting that night, and after it was over he started to read his Bible again. He started to go to church every time there was a service to go to. He stopped drinking and would turn down his old military friends' requests to have a "drinkfest". One night he decided to let go of his ego, and give himself to God. In a sermon done by a famous Dutch evangelist, Arne Donker, where he prayed over him and his friend Kees. Mr. Donker appointed them to preach in their hometown to learn how to be a missionary. After he preached in his hometown he decided to get a manufacturing job at a large chocolate factory to preach there. He got the job, and worked in a room of perverted wisecracking women. One day when their ringleader, Greetje, was mocking one of the crippled girls, Andrew told her to "shut up. And shut up for good!". After days of getting her out of her shell, she was converted to Christianity. After getting a new job, Andrew decided to enroll in some courses to prepare him to be a missionary. He decided to quit smoking because he would be able to buy his books that he needed to get for his schooling. He wanted to become a missionary sooner, because it would take twelve years to finish his education. Then he was informed about the WEC (Worldwide Evangelization Crusade), which would train the people who were ready for two years before sending them into the mission field. But there was one problem, there wasn't enough room for him in the school, which was in Glasgow, Scotland, so he went to London to wait. He was taken in by a man named William Hopkins, an associate of the WEC. After a while, there was finally a space for Andrew in the WEC. During this semester, Andrew subsisted off of gifts from friends and strangers all in God's perfect timing for when he needed them. When his two years in WEC training were almost over, he was invited to a socialist festival in Warsaw. He met up with a church and preached his first sermon behind the Iron Curtain. Afterwards he passed some booklets around town, and even to some communist soldiers. After this Andrew began his mission to strengthen the churches behind the Iron Curtain. He would smuggle bible in his car and distribute them to the community. He started an organization of people who would also get bibles across borders and preach to the disheartened people of the Communist countries. He even found a wife in his former co-worker Corry, who had three children with him. Even the people withe the worst starts can become a great child of God like Andrew did, and that's how he recruited so many people.

My Opinion

This book was a great read for me, and I would definitely recommend it to any Christian who wants to know about mission-work in foreign countries. It was an inspiring book that really gave me a new idea of what mission-work is like. This book was well written, and there were so many great extra parts that if I added them in the review would be far too long. All the interesting people Andrew met on his journey were exellently put onto paper. I don't generally enjoy non-fiction books, but this one was really fun, especially after the halfway point. I don't really have any criticisms for this book that aren't super nit-picky. Overall this book's a 5/5 because I had no real problems with it. ( )

Wow. Wow. Wow. This book, ya'll. I just can't even tell you how faith-strengthening, inspiring, adventuresome, and just down-right fun and encouraging this was! Simply amazing! Very highly recommended! Every Christian needs to read this! And even if your not into non-fiction, this is still a great book! At times I had to remind myself that is *was* non-fiction. Go find a copy of this! ( )

God's Smuggler is another must read book. Brother Andrew, from Holland, tells his incredible life story. He starts by sharing his childhood during World War 2 in enemy occupied Holland and from there takes you on adventure after adventure as he travels through Communist, Eastern Block European countries smuggling Bibles to oppressed people. The miraculous ways that God works in his life are a great testimony to the God we serve.