A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer, invites readers to visit a time in 1898 in the Alaska wilderness. In a time that evokes images of Indian tribes living among the forest regions and sustaining themselves off the land. A time when white missionaries, trappers and gold miners are coming into their regions to earn fortunes or souls for God.
In A Whisper of Peace, we are brought into the story of Lizzie Dawson, an Athabascan Indian, who has been exiled from her tribe because her father was a white man. Lizzie lives not far from the tribe in a remote part of the Alaska forests and has learned to live alone, taking care of her own needs throughout the years. She does have one regret and that is that she wants to make amends with her Indian grandparents, which was her mother's dying wish. However, she does not know how to make amends.
One day she encounters 2 white people walking through the forest on their way to the Athabascan village. Clay Selby and his stepsister, Vivian, are looking to begin a missionary school in the village to teach the Indians about God and his love. What follows is a story of friendships, going against the wishes of the tribe as a whole for the greater good, following God's rule of love and understanding rather than humans rules, and finding peace and forgiveness in God's time.
A Whisper of Peace is a gentle, engaging and overall wonderful read. I could not put it down. The characters were developed well and the mini story lines evolved pleasantly around the bigger story. Miss Sawyer allowed me to feel a part of the story line, and not an outsider looking in. I found that I grew attached the characters and really felt the anguish and the love that is wound throughout the book. I would encourage everyone to read this novel, not only as a way to get a glimpse into what life may have been like pre-1900's but also to gain a better understanding of our own relationships with God and with others.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book for free from Bethany House Publishers. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
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