Rating: 
Summary: Behind the headlines
Review: The plight of Christian workers Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer in Afghanistan was well-chronicled by American newspapers. This book fills in some of the blanks and tells how the girls went overseas in the first place and what their lives were like before they were captured by the Taliban. They attempted to help the poor people in this Muslim country while letting the people know that they were Christians. Since Taliban law forbade people from attempting to convert Afghans to Chrisianity, they walked a fine line. The majority of the book describes their imprisonment and the life they led while waiting to be rescued. Although the details of their captivity are presented in a somewhat confusing fashion, the book is inspirational in that these two young women gave up the comforts of home, and risked their lives in order to do God's will. They also describe some of the spiritual turmoil they felt while trying to look to God for sustenance.
Rating: 
Summary: Dinghies!
Review: The vicious attacks by some of these reviewers is truly frightening. No matter what someone may think of the particular beliefs of these two young woman, who can doubt that they are especially virtuous people? They are attractive, educated, talented women who freely chose to live in a hostile and poor country to minister to the people's phsyical and spiritual needs. The writing is fair. Their story is pretty interesting. They give us a decent window into a world that all Americans need to better understand. But the best part of the book to me is their deep love and respect for the Afghani people. These are pretty rough people that very few Westerners would dare visit, never mind live among. But these two women clearly fell in love with the Afghanis. Really interesting to see how this happens.
Rating:
Summary: a interestng story of sacrifical love
Review: The vicious attacks by some of these reviewers is truly frightening. No matter what someone may think of the particular beliefs of these two young woman, who can doubt that they are especially virtuous people? They are attractive, educated, talented women who freely chose to live in a hostile and poor country to minister to the people's phsyical and spiritual needs. The writing is fair. Their story is pretty interesting. They give us a decent window into a world that all Americans need to better understand. But the best part of the book to me is their deep love and respect for the Afghani people. These are pretty rough people that very few Westerners would dare visit, never mind live among. But these two women clearly fell in love with the Afghanis. Really interesting to see how this happens.
Rating:
Summary: Dinghies!
Review: These are sweet, nice girls. But, wow, what a couple of dingbats. They put a lot of people's lives at risk, though, so I would like to say they are harmless, but they are not really harmless. You can tell by looking at their pictures on the cover that nothing will stop their missionary works and they totally don't care about the lives of the people they endangered. I honestly don't think they are bright enough to realize that their actions actually endanger a lot of people and their actions may be doing more harm than good on a global level. Nothing will stop these girls, that much is clear. They say at the end that they are planning a missionary trip to the Sudan by way of Lybia. Good grief!! The book is not well written, a little rambly at times. These girls, I don't know, something is missing upstairs if you catch my drift. Also, I was sorely disappointed. I was hoping for some really steamy stuff about women in prison. Sadly, I guess Afghani womens' prisons aren't like American ones.
Rating: 
Summary: God will Punish These Girls
Review: These are the kind of people that should lock themselves in their bedroom closets and never come out. They (and others like them) are naive to believe that they know how to help the world. In their spiritual and cultural ignorance, they do more harm than good. They have brought darkness to the world.
Rating: 
Summary: Even the mislead can do good
Review: This book is classic example of how people motivated by poor theology and bad religion can still do some good. I know Dayna and Heather. I went to the church that Jimmy Seibert started. They not only believe all muslims goto hell, which is par for evangelicals, but they were part of the same discipling movement I was. That church stunted the lives and growth of many. But if you read this book, you do see the simplicty of Dayna's heart. She really does love the people she went to be a missionary to. I am sure more than one person was touched by god DESPITE their poor theology and the controlling discipleship style. Dayna, for all her misquidedness, is at least DOING SOMETHING. most people just live the quiet life of suburbia, and then read these books to titillate themselves. I am so glad she never sold out and stopped being a radical. But like Che Guevara, just because you are a radical, does not make your brand of christianity (or in che's case, marxism) true. I respect not her head but her heart.
Rating:
Summary: I like it
Review: this book is the best book i had ever read in my life time. this book is about two girls that did not have a strong faith about Jesus christ. when i started reading this book every thing in my life had change about me and jesus. my mother help me know how much Jesus means to me and how he make me happy and tells me that every thing is going to be ok. i allways read the bible more because i under stand what is going on in my life. i know that God is going to be with me no matter what.
Rating:
Summary: Quite Interesting
Review: This book tends to jump around a little bit, but it is chalk full of intriguing and sad stories of life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The reader is taken along with Dayna and Heather as they wander through the streets, interact with Afghan women and children and make regular visits at a hospital with woeful conditions. Years of war and oppression are evident everywhere. The Taliban had no qualms at all about beating their own people just for breathing wrong. Dayna's and Heather's compassion for these people are quite evident, although there is very little focus on what specific projects they or Shelter Now International were involved with. Instead, the focus of the book is on the Afghan people, the power of God and life in prison. The reader is also given a very detailed account of the chaotic events leading up to their dramatic helicopter rescue. Were Dayna and Heather perhaps a little careless in showing the life of Jesus on CD-rom to an Afghan family (which lead to their arrest)? Possibly, but that is a topic for another forum. Missionary/aid work is always extremely difficult and hard to do in a country where persecution runs rampant and not many are eager to do it. This is a fascinating and inspiring story - an excellent reminder of the tremendous freedom and prosperity we tend to take for granted here in America.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is a book that would inspire other Christians to meditate upon that divinely instituted responsibility of evangelization and the showing off of love, which are hallmarks of a godly driven life. Totally recommended and one that should be included in a growing library of books dealing with missionary work and faith.
Rating:
Summary: Keep NGO aid work secular!
Review: This is a timely book to read in light of the current military campaign in Irag and yet-to-be-outlined plans for "reconstruction" by a "born again" President. While poorly written (probably quickly written in order to capitalize on publicity following their imprisonment and dramatic pickup by US special forces), Prisoners of Hope gives insight into the mentality of two evangelical NGO workers. While no one can doubt the eagerness of these young women to visit the ill, feed the hugry, and clothe the destitute, their naive decision to show a Jesus film to a curious family had serious consequences for Afghanis connected with their project, other aid workers, and the US military personel dispatched to airlift them out of a dangerous situation. The book describes the daily suffering of the Kabul citizens living under the Taliban in a shattered economy but does not give any insight into their Islamic faith or mention of the honor Muslims accorded Jesus as a prophet. ( The fact that a family was curious to see a film about Jesus does not necessarily mean that they were on the verge of conversion. The appendix with instructions on "how to bring Jesus" into one's heart suggests a rather simplistic view of spiritual development.) Although their imprisonment conditions were terrible, it would appear better than those endured by ordinary Afghanis. Curry, Mercer, and other arrested aid workers were able to order food and supplies from outside and allowed to stay together.
Fortunately, I got this book from the library instead of purchasing it - it's too disorganized to merit a re-read. Still, I'm glad that I resisted urges to put down the book. It makes one understand why aid workers should not proselytize.
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