Publisher Description

April Holden was told Africa would lead to her death. She went anyway.Despite chronic health problems, she was accepted by a mission, which sent her initially to Egypt. Then she seized the chance to move to one of the toughest, most war-torn countries in North Africa, pioneering homes for street boys traumatized by war or fleeing abuse. In these loving homes, the youngsters could recover and, repeatedly, she saw miracles of provision and protection.April returned to Britain in 2013, utterly exhausted, but was soon back in action with a new mission, working with Operation Mobilisation from a base in Zambia to train workers helping homeless children.April Holden has discovered a strength beyond her own.'A remarkable testimony to what God can do when you follow him wholeheartedly.' - Andy Butcher, author of Street Children

Notes

The story of how Christine Jones's faith compelled her to work with street children throughout Africa, unperturbed by her own health difficulties.

Author Biography

Deborah Meroff grew up in New England and spent summers on the coast of Maine. After earning BA and MLS degrees she worked in several libraries and authored her first books: Coronation of Glory; the Story of Lady Jane Grey, and Captain, My Captain. She then went to sea with OM Ships, serving as press officer for several years and eventually serving on 4 different vessels. After shipwrecking at the bottom of South America she returned to land and made her base in London, continuing to travel to over 100 countries and authoring countless articles and further books as a journalist and photographer. She most enjoys writing about the unsung heroes she has met and places she has visited, and never tires of going back to the sea for inspiration. She now lives in Maine.

Review

April Holden works with the poorest of the poor through Operation Mobilisation's global outreach programmes. They Called Us Love details April's compassion-fuelled strategies for responding to the human brokenness that occurs when hope is crushed. Effective training programs for community, church, students and crisis care workers have been built around resources that have been successful in similar ministries. Crisis Care Training International is grateful for the opportunity to join hands with April Holden in her vision to continue God's story of binding up the broken-hearted and setting captives free. Readers will be challenged to join April in embracing this vision. * Phyllis Kilbourn, PhD, Founder and Education Director, Crisis Care Training International *
Equal parts a call to compassion and a challenge to complacency, this book is a remarkable testimony to what God can do when you follow him wholeheartedly. * Andy Butcher, author of Street Children *

Promotional

The moving biography of a frail woman with a heart for the lost boys of Africa.

Long Description

April Holden is from St Helens, Merseyside. As a child she suffered from persistent ill health, and was both physically and emotionally fragile. Coming to faith in her teens, she became convinced that God was calling her to work with street children in Africa. While at university she applied to Africa Inland Mission, but they rejected her because of her chronic health problems. She then trained as a teacher, and during this period became filled with the Holy Spirit.In due course she was accepted by Operation Mobilization, who sent her initially to Egypt for training. While there she had an opportunity to move to Sudan, where the needs of the street boys were most acute: many had been traumatized by war, or were the offspring of sex workers, or had fled abuse. She opened a series of centers, despite ongoing infirmity caused by arthritis in her spine and frequent, severe muscle spasms.When the Americans invaded Iraq in 2003 the Sudanese reacted angrily, attacking anyone who looked American. One day, faced with an angry mob, April was protected in her car by four large men who held the crowd at bay while she escaped to a nearby compound. The following day she looked for them to thank them, but the manager of the compound assured her he had been alone.After harrowing experiences during the separation of North and South Sudan in 2011 she returned to Britain, emotionally and physically exhausted, and OM insisted she took a sabbatical. Within months however she was back in action, this time from a base in Zambia, where she continues to train workers from surrounding countries. Her team has also begun to train professionals like police officers who are already working with vulnerable children. Her passion is to prepare missionaries to serve as facilitators alongside African churches and communities, mobilizing and equipping them to work with homeless children and youth in a godly, professional, and sustainable manner. She continues to work tirelessly to this end.

Review Quote

Equal parts a call to compassion and a challenge to complacency, this book is a remarkable testimony to what God can do when you follow him wholeheartedly.

Promotional "Headline"

The moving biography of a frail woman with a heart for the lost boys of Africa.

Details