Passport Through Darkness by Kimberly L. Smith ruined me. See, I have this preconceived notion about missionaries—that they all wear ethnic garb and have 10 kids (because there’s nothing else to do on the mission field when you’re not evangelizing or translating the Bible into native languages.) Or they’re single women who never got married. I know that sounds kind of mean, but it’s secretly (now not-so-secretly) what I’ve believed to be true.
Kimberly L. Smith changed all that.
A corporate executive, a wife, and a mother (not to 10 kids), Kimberly’s whole world changed in one terrifying incident. In Passport Through Darkness, Smith details her experiences not only fighting against human-trafficking, but also digs into the depths of her own heart. Surprisingly, the darkness is found both within Smith and abroad in orphanages through Eastern Europe and Africa.
Smith had a lot to lose, including her personal safety. Yet she wasn’t afraid to get uncomfortable (very uncomfortable) to challenge a system in which children and teens are used as sex slaves. Her writing is articulate and her use of language is beautiful, which only enhances Smith’s eye-opening story.
I didn’t expect Smith to get so personal; I thought she might just detail her adventures, throw in a few heartaches for good measure, and go on with her life. And I would go on with mine. But then again, when I saw that Philip Yancey, my favorite writer, endorsed this book, I thought it might just be different, and I was right.
I hope Passport Through Darkness will ruin you, too, that you will see beyond your stereotypes into a world hurting, long, and starving for redemption.
For more information on Kimberly’s work, be sure to check out her mission organization, Make Way Partners, which is working to build a private and indigenous network to end human trafficking in Eastern Europe and Africa. Also, she has a very interesting personal blog.
*Thanks to The B&B Media Group for my review copy of this book.*
She is Beloved 