PEACE CHILD

In this inspirational memoir Paul Michael's resonant voice and deft narration capture the risk that missionaries Don and Carol Richardson took in 1962 when they moved to New Guinea, along with their seven-month-old son, to share the gospel with the Stone Age Sawi tribes. Michael's understated portrayal of tribalism, headhunting, and cannibalism sounds fully authentic. A custom of the Sawis was to honor the tribesmen they considered to be the most deceitful in bringing down their enemies—“to fatten with friendship for the slaughter." Michael's polished performance of what the Sawi tribes deemed honorable is chilling and hard to forget. This unforgettable story demonstrates some of the personal costs of missionary work, but listeners should be aware that the first four chapters are filled with graphic imagery of treachery and murder. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2008]