I have read this book and It's on my must read list for my friends.

I have read this book and It's on my must read list for my friends.

My Hands Came Away Red

By Reviewer Shawna
Title: My Hands Came Away Red
Author: Lisa McKay
Primary Audience/age group: Adult
Genre: Christian Fiction
# Of pages: 400
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Year of Release: 2007
Part of a Series? No
Rating: 2 for violence (View Scale)
Recommend? Yes

Description: From Amazon “Cori signs up to take a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home. Five weeks after their arrival, a sectarian and religious conflict that has been simmering for years flames to life with deadly results on the nearby island of Ambon. Within days, the church building the team had constructed is in ashes, its pastor and fifty villagers are dead, and the six terrified teenagers are stranded in the mountainous jungle with only the pastor's teenage son to guide them to safety. Ultimately, Cori's emotional quest to rediscover hope proves as arduous as the physical journey home.”

Review: The story of Cori and her mission team is not a true account but is based on the real conflict between Muslims and Christians in Indonesia. I chose this book because the story seemed real and the main characters were teenagers and young adults. Although it is an emotionally distressing read at times, it conveys the differences in reactions of believers who fall into treacherous situations while serving God abroad. McKay’s characters were well-developed and exhibited true emotions. Upon reading the last sentence, I heavily pondered what I would do in the type of situations Cori and her teammates had to face. A book that leaves you thinking is a book worth reading.

Rating: 2 for violence

Positive: We are given glimpses into the lives of several teens and young adults and how coming to Christ had changed them. It is a good reminder that God can and will forgive all sins if we come to Him and repent. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

The book also shows how we need to trust God in all situations even if we cannot comprehend why He allows certain situations to happen. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

Spiritual Elements: All the main characters are Christians, and we are given many details about Cori’s and her teammates beliefs in God. Daniel and his son, Mani, were converted from the Muslim religion to Christianity. The Muslim religion is detailed along with Daniel’s conversion experience. Mani also explains some of the old tribal beliefs of the townspeople.

Violence: The worst violence (why the book has a 2 rating) is the massacre of the pastor and his wife, which was retaliation when the Muslim village heard that the Christians had burned mosques, killed Muslims, and raped women. It is a very heavy and detailed scene but pivotal to the plot. Other scenes in the book that would fall into this category aren’t quite as violent.

Language: none

Sexual Content: There are a couple of mild kisses and the romance in general is mild. Drew, one of Cori’s teammates, has a troubled past that included her turning to alcohol and sleeping with someone she didn’t know as a result. She is very repentant.

Other: Kyle, another teammate, was a runaway who ended up in lots of trouble including smoking pot before becoming a Christian.

Recommendation: Although the plot of the book is very deep and certain scenes are disturbing, McKay gives you a scenario that could very well happen today. We live in a country were we do not fear for our safety because of our religious views. I often forget that there are places in this world were becoming a Christian is a much more dangerous commitment, and yet God still calls us to go. “And He (Jesus) said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” Mark 16:15

I recommend the book because it is a good reminder that other Christians do not have the same freedoms we do, and we need to pray for them and the missionaries who are sent to minister to them. It is most appropriate for older teens aged 15 and up.

TeenLitReview is the website where I get most of my book reviews. Shawna is the original blogger on this site and has helped me with finding some really good books to read. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Sincerely,
Anj