Customer Reviews

In search of the source: A first encounter with God's word

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not very many modern day people spend over two decades living with the most primitive people on earth in the highland jungles of Papua New Guinea. Neil Anderson tastes unusual "treats," hunts for bats with bow and arrow, deals with medical realities, and translates the Bible into a formely unwritten language. Observing life from this perspective while endeavoring to communicate universal truths in the process, Anderson draws images that stay imprinted on your mind and become a part of your heart!

Like thousands of Americans, I have heard Anderson in person; he is a masterfull storyteller. I've read "In Search of the Source" at least three times since it was first published, and learn new insights each time through. The most amazing thing to me about the main theme, the "bete" of life as found in the unforgiving tropics, is how applicable the same truths are to my own experiences found amongst the stone and glass urban jungle where I live!

Neil's book gave me a look into the life of another culture, as well as to the misunderstandings that come about through cross-cultural ministry. See also his wife's side of the story: "Do You Know What You Are Doing, Lord?" by Carol Lee Anderson.

Neil is a powerful speaker with a heart for conveying God's truth. The stories in this book display the power and insights being revealed to people looking for the Truth. Good, easy reading with humor and insight scattered throughout.

When Hyatt Moore lent his delightful style and literary talent to the great story-telling skills of Neil Anderson, the result was this incredibly engaging saga that draws you in from the very first words. I didn't just read the book. I experienced it! It was difficult for me to put "Source" down, as I lived alongside Neil trekking through the Papua New Guinea jungles, eating beetles, struggling to understand a culture who had no written language, and doing it well enough to translate the most important Book ever written, the Bible. The surprise to me was that I came away with much more than the enjoyment of an exciting and exotic adventure, but my own faith and understanding of the scriptures gained a clarity I didn't know was even missing! If I thought I loved God before reading this book, seeing how He reached out to these remote and very different people I will probably never meet in my lifetime (but will in the hereafter!), and the amazingly creative ways He did it, has caused me to fall in love with Him all the more. God uses everything... doesn't waste anything! Thank you, Neil and Hyatt, for being faithful to His call to the Great Commission.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a realistic look at life on the mission field in Papua New Guinea.

The book focuses on different problems that came up while translating the Bible into the Folopa language; it also shares the interesting ways they were solved. (Ex. Discovering the indigenous words for concepts like love and trust while hiking through the jungle and hunting for bats in a cave.)

"In Search of the Source" is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in missions, Bible translation, Papua New Guinea, or simply learning more about other cultures.

In Search of the Source is the kind of book that you find difficult to stop reading. Neil is a masterful story teller who is able to bring alive the task of Bible translation in Papua New Guinea. Shortly after I read the book I met Neil at an Urbana conference. It is wonderful to now be able to read the book and hear his voice. A great book to read over the summer. I would not hesitate to recommend it.

Neil Anderson is a great guy to work with. The Folopa people are great people to be with. The little narrow ridge they live on is hard to get to. The book as well as Carol's book give a good insight into what it is really like in PNG in the Folopa villages. Neil is great to talk to and work with. Him and his wife are great Christian people to be around. It is a great book to read. Enjoy it.