p>Four unaccompanied migrant children come together along the arduous journey north through Mexico to the United States border in this ode to the power of hope and connection even in the face of uncertainty and fear. Every year, roughly 50,000 unaccompanied minors arrive at the US/Mexico border to present themselves for asylum or related visas. The majority of these children are non-Mexicans fleeing the systemic violence of Central America’s "Northern Triangle": Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. A Journey Toward Hope tells the story of Rodrigo, a 14-year-old escaping Honduran violence; Alessandra, a 10-year-old Guatemalan whose first language is Q'eqchi'; and the Salvadoran siblings Laura and Nando. Though their reasons for making the trip are different and the journey northward is perilous, the four children band together, finding strength in one another as they share the dreams of their past and the hopes for their future. A Journey Toward Hope is written in collaboration with Baylor University’s Social Innovation Collaborative, with illustrations by the award-winning Susan Guevara (Chato's Kitchen, American Library Association Notable Book, New York Public Library's 100 Great Children’s Books / 100 Years). It includes four pages of nonfiction back matter with additional information and resources created by the Baylor Social Innovation Collaborative.

The savage murder of 78-year-old Bible teacher Ruth Pelke by four teen-age girls was the beginning of Bill Pelkes Journey of Hope...From Violence to Healing. Initially Bill did not object when 15-year old Paula Cooper was sentenced to death for his grandmothers murder. Through the power of prayer and transformation, he moved from supporting her death sentence, to working to have it overturned, to dedicating his life to the abolition of the death penalty. This is the story of Bills journey, the obstacles he overcame, and the amazing, loving, forgiving, committed people he met on the way.

Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society (ACS) in the 1820s as an African refuge for free blacks and liberated American slaves. While interest in African migration waned after the Civil War, it roared back in the late nineteenth century with the rise of Jim Crow segregation and disfranchisement throughout the South. The back-to-Africa movement held great new appeal to the South's most marginalized citizens, rural African Americans. Nowhere was this interest in Liberia emigration greater than in Arkansas. More emigrants to Liberia left from Arkansas than any other state in the 1880s and 1890s. In Journey of Hope, Kenneth C. Barnes explains why so many black Arkansas sharecroppers dreamed of Africa and how their dreams of Liberia differed from the reality. This rich narrative also examines the role of poor black farmers in the creation of a black nationalist identity and the importance of the symbolism of an ancestral continent. Based on letters to the ACS and interviews of descendants of the emigrants in war-torn Liberia, this study captures the life of black sharecroppers in the late 1800s and their dreams of escaping to Africa.

The tragedies and traumas of war are enormous and the consequences of it change forever the lives of those who return as well as the lives of loved ones and friends of those who do and do not return. For many veterans the psychological battles continue long after combat deployments end. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder significantly affects many people and is not limited solely to war trauma. In this volume of hope and healing the authors recount their ongoing journey to hope. In an intensely personal yet broadly applicable discussion of PTSD, Mike and Kathy Langston provide encouragement and hope for all who struggle with the ravages of PTSD or who love someone who struggles with it. This is a powerful story proclaiming that recovery is possible and that the past need not control the present or the future.

After author Shannon Huffman Polson's parents are killed by a wild grizzly bear in Alaska's Arctic, her quest for healing is recounted with heartbreaking candor in North of Hope. Undergirded by her faith, Polson's expedition takes her through her through the wilds of her own grief as well as God's beautiful, yet wild and untamed creation--ultimately arriving at a place of unshaken hope. She travels from the suburbs of Seattle to the concert hall, performing Mozart's Requiem with the Seattle Symphony, to the wilderness of Alaska--where she retraces their final days along an Arctic river. This beautifully written book is for anyone who has experienced grief and is looking for new ways to understand overwhelming loss. Readers will find empathy and understanding through Polson's journey. North of Hope is also for those who love the outdoors and find solace and healing in nature, as they experience Alaska's wild Arctic through the author's travels.

I've told my kids for years that God doesn't make mistakes," writes Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Grammy award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. "Would I believe it now, when my whole world as I knew it came to an end?" Covering her courtship and marriage to Steven Curtis Chapman, struggles for emotional balance, and living with grief, Mary Beth's story is our story--wondering where God is when the worst happens. In Choosing to SEE, she shows how she wrestles with God even as she has allowed him to write her story--both during times of happiness and those of tragedy. Readers will hear firsthand about the loss of her daughter, the struggle to heal, and the unexpected path God has placed her on. Even as difficult as life can be, Mary Beth Chapman Chooses to SEE. Includes a 16-page full color photo insert.

Born in a demilitarized zone during the Vietnam War to a Vietnamese mother and American soldier, Sau Le arrived in the United States as a young woman with only twenty dollars in her pocket. Though bullied and abused since childhood, she nevertheless came to her new homeland armed with a commitment to build a decent life for herself, her infant son, and her traumatized mother. This is the story of how she overcame every conceivable hurdle—including significant culture shock, a language barrier, serious illness, heartbreak, and betrayal—to become a landlord, successful business owner, joyous wife and mom and a woman blessed with generous, loyal friends. She describes an arduous journey, both literal and figurative, from a place of terror and utter despair to a life she created that’s overflowing with prosperity, patriotism, and love. And ultimately, it’s the story of hope, something Sau thought she’d lost long ago in the minefields of Vietnam. In telling her story, Sau Le aims to uplift those who worry that their dreams cannot be realized. Her goal is also to remind everyone born on American soil that this is the greatest country on earth, and that anything in this land is possible for those willing to put dedication, faith, and passion to work.

The extraordinary story of a man's survival in the face of great adversity. Fostered as a baby and placed in four state-run institutions, Michael was kidnapped by his father and returned home to an abusive mother. He managed to survive the horrors of his early years and went on to university and a successful career.

The Journey to Hope is for the many - far too many - who have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse and neglect. It is a journey of healing for those of us who have been hurt, abused, belittled, or shamed; who have felt betrayed, blamed or confused. Everyone's story is unique. Some are able to describe their abuse, while others struggle to find words to explain what happened. No matter where you are or what happened, your story matters. The path towards healing can be painful and incredibly challenging at times. The Journey to Hope will guide you in navigating and persevering through the pain. As you face the past abuse, you will be free to move forward unencumbered by the pain and shame others have caused. As healing begins, life-giving hope returns. If you seek healing, hope and a life restored, The Journey to Hope is for you. More... The journey to Hope was written to help those who have suffered from abuse, neglect or trauma. It was also written for friends, family and professionals who want to understand and to help. The author writes, "I once led a 10-week support group for those who had been sexually abused. During our first two weeks I told everyone that they would have the opportunity to share their story during the last two weeks (this is what therapists refer to as the Trauma Narrative, considered key to healing). When week 9 arrived and I asked who would like to share, only one person volunteered. So, for the last session I compiled various checklists related to the who, what, why, when and how of abuse - checklists that provided the words to describe, explain and express what had happened. Once they were given these and completed them, everyone in the group decided to share." Woven within the pages of this book are many of the steps considered essential in trauma recovery. You chose how involved you want to be - depending on your level of emotional safety and support - whether to first learn about the trauma of abuse or to also complete various checklists which focus on individual recovery. This book guides the abused through the process of sharing their story in a way that is helpful and non-retraumatizing. The information and checklists take you on an intentional healing adventure, not always smooth and pain-free, but definitely worth the destination - Hope.