Helpful Score: 1
This is Viggo Olsen's autobiography, detailing his journey as he grew up to be a doctor, set out to disprove Christianity through science, and ended up a pioneering missionary in East Pakistan. It is also the story of the political turmoil in a country that changed hands three times in a dozen or so years, emerging as Bangladesh after a bloody war in 1971. The area around Olsen's hospital is home to Muslims, Hindus, those with various tribal beliefs, and, after the mission gets going, some Christians. In a series of long flashbacks, Viggo describes his preparation as a doctor, as a missionary, and as a husband and father. Every detail along the way is told, giving total glory to God. Toward the end of the book, the war of 1971 is told in great detail. Which groups were killing which groups, what politicians were doing and not doing, who was fleeing and who was fighting, and how all of the above impacted the hospital and the Americans running it.
As an interesting side note, while Viggo was still in America preparing to go oversees, he was a Sunday School teacher in Milwaukee, WI. A couple in his class had a mentally retarded son. The class as a whole devised a way to help this couple with their son, and ended up founding Shephard's Home. Little did I expect, when I picked up a book about Bangladesh, to find a bit of home in it - I know Shepherds! I know some of the employees, and I've met some of the residents. What a small world.
As an interesting side note, while Viggo was still in America preparing to go oversees, he was a Sunday School teacher in Milwaukee, WI. A couple in his class had a mentally retarded son. The class as a whole devised a way to help this couple with their son, and ended up founding Shephard's Home. Little did I expect, when I picked up a book about Bangladesh, to find a bit of home in it - I know Shepherds! I know some of the employees, and I've met some of the residents. What a small world.
