"Laura stared at the black cloud blotting out the sun. The cloud was unlike anything she had ever seen. As it got closer, it made a strange noise, like hail pelting the ground. Suddenly the sky began to rain grasshoppers. The bugs clung to Laura's hair and clothes and peered at her with bulging eyes. Soon they began destroying Papa's crops.
From the big woods of Wisconsin to the Indian country of the Great Plains, new adventures and landscapes filled the rich childhood of Laura Ingalls Wilder. On a frontier steeped in both danger and great possibility, Laura would grow up to witness firsthand the rapid transformation of the West as pioneers and covered wagons gave way to farms, towns, and railroads.
A pioneer, teacher, farmer's wife, and storyteller, Laura Ingalls Wilder experienced one of the most exciting times in American history -- history that this gifted writer brought to life for millions and preserved for generations to come."
"While studying to be a minister, John Flynn longed to apply his training to help people in practical ways. Soon he discovered that his mission field was inside his own countrythe vast and dangerous outback, or Never Never, where life-and-death struggles were a constant reality."
""Do you mean to say you have no food for tomorrow?" the Egyptian man sputtered. "Well, yes," Lillian replied. The man exclaimed, "How awful! Will you be able to sleep tonight?" One of the orphan girls laughed out loud and said, "Why, Mama never has any food for tomorrow, and she never loses sleep over it!"
"When Lillian Trasher founded Egypt's first orphanage, others thought that a lone American woman with no means of support would surely be killed or starve to death. But Lillian - certain of God's guidance - stood by her earlier promise to Him, 'If ever I can do anything for You, just let me know - and I'll do it.'
In the midst of poverty, war, and deadly epidemics, Lillian faced each day with a heart of trust, modeling the life she hoped her children would someday live in their own homes. During fifty tumultuous years, the Mother of the Nile cared for thousands of desperate children, with unwavering faith that God does indeed look after the orphans."
"Three thousand feet above China, it was Jake's turn to jump. He slid his pistol, knife, and ration packets into the pockets of his leather jacket and edged toward the open hatch of the B-25 bomber. He checked the tension on the harness of his parachute, made sure the handle of the ripcord was free, and then began lowering himself out of the hatch and into the darkness.
One of the famous Doolittle Raiders who first attacked Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Jacob DeShazer knew his one-way mission was dangerous. Indeed, it led to his capture as a prisoner of war. Beaten, malnourished, and alone in his cell, Jacob was given a Bible - and far away from home, this American soldier became a Christian.
After the war, Jacob returned to Japan and served his former enemy for thirty years as a missionary. His testimony of forgiveness and reconciliation - of love over hate - inspires a powerful gospel message for our lives today."
"When the canteen water supply ran dry again, Louie began to doubt they'd survive. He thought back to when he first arrived in Hawaii and Eddie Rickenbacker and his crew had just been rescued from a record of twenty-one days drifting on rafts much like the one Louie was in. Louie was sure that twenty-one days on a life raft represented the outer limits of human survival.
As an Olympic runner, a bombardier in the Army Air Corps, and a prisoner of war, Louis Zamperini was determined to thrive and survive. Never backing down from a challenge, he lived a life of adventure while modeling hope and forgiveness to a generation.
A magnet for trouble as a boy, Louie determined to create a new path for himself. Nicknamed the "Torrance Tornado," he set national records and traveled to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. His resolve as a runner was matched by his will to survive a plane crash, weeks adrift at sea, and years in a prison camp. This American hero encouraged countless others to have faith and to persevere through trials, revealing that no life is beyond redemption."
"When she arrived at a clinic, usually five hundred, sometimes a thousand people were there to greet her. Helen's reputation as the unstoppable Mama Luka had gone before her - she could do more to heal a sick child or baby than all the witch doctors in the area combined. This was the work God had called her to pioneer, and that belief encouraged her. Helen Roseveare served as a medical missionary in the Congo during one of the most chaotic periods in the nation's history. Arriving in 1953, Helen felt God lay on her heart the task of training future nurses to provide desperately needed medical care in the Congo. Helen worked tirelessly as a doctor in the villages and jungles, training medical workers and overseeing the building of hospitals. Gifted with an incredible amount of strength and energy, Helen yearned to see the Congo flourish. Even in the face of violence during the struggle for independence from Belgian colonial rule, Helen refused to give up"
"It was totally dark. The lights in the city were turned off, and there were no street lamps, no neon signs, and no extra glow in shop windows. Klaus noticed that theirs was the only car on the road. How would they slip by the checkpoint? Klaus glanced at his wife Tina, whose eyes were shut in prayer. Suddenly he heard a thunderous crash, then saw a bright flash of light.
Klaus-Dieter John (1960-) dreamed of becoming a medical missionary in the developing world. He would do whatever it took -- study in top universities and practice surgery in remote and dangerous places -- to reach his goal of providing health care for people who needed it most. Dr. John's seemingly impossible vision of Diospi-Suyana, a world-class hospital for impoverished Peruvians deep in the Andes Mountains, was blessed by God to the end. Despite challenges in fund-raising, construction, moving his family from Germany, and countless roadblocks, Klaus's dream was finally realized, bringing hope in a land loved by God."
"For two hundred years, British slave ships plied in the Middle Passage, taking African men, women, and children to their doom. Ending slavery in the mighty British Empire seemed like an impossible dream, but once William Wilberforce resolved to represent the abolitionists in Parliament, he would fight to the bitter end - for nearly half a century - to achieve that goal.
Together with a community of dynamic reformers, Wilberforce struggled to rid his nation of evil and to give dignity and freedom to all people - slave and slave trader, poor and powerful. His example continues to inspire others to use their gifts and influence to do good against the odds."
"William Carey watched from the dock as the magnificent sailing ship headed for the English Channel without him. Tears filled his eyes, and deep disappointment filled his heart. What would he tell the missionary society? So much work awaited him half a world away. He must get to India--and soon!
William's amazing journey to India would prove to be just the beginning of a missionary quest filled with hardship and heartache as well as tremendous victories.
Often referred to as "the father of modern missions," William Carey displayed a single-minded determination to set his face like a flint to the task of bringing the gospel to those lost in darkness. His life of service and sacrifice is a guidpost for Christians of all generations."
"With only three months of formal education, Thomas Edison grew up to be one of the most successful inventors of all time. Applying scientific principles to practical use, he made scores of inventions and held over thirteen hundred patents, from improvements on the telegraph and phonograph to the development of the incandescent lamp and a whole system for distributing electricity.
Edison's rise from humble beginnings and his unceasing struggle to overcome obstacles illustrate the spirit of America. His genius and investigative methods shaped the future and continue to influence new generations."
"'We've done more than our share to see you right, but you're a Hershey, a true son of a dreamer,' Milton's Uncle Abraham said. 'You'll never stick with anything long enough to make it work for you.' Milton gulped. He'd already suspected that his relatives had given up on him succeeding as a candy maker, but the words still stung.
When Milton Hershey's famous Hershey Bars debuted in 1905, few people knew of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice preceding the triumph. Debt, lack of support, and fatigue had been constant companions for the famous chocolatier and philanthropist -- a man with a fourth-grade education.
Despite comparisons to his wandering father, Milton never gave up. Learning from his mistakes, he spent a lifetime creating sweet things to eat -- first caramel, then chocolate. As his company soared, Milton used his wealth to care for others, founding a town for Hershey workers, a school for children in need, and a foundation dedicated to education, culture, and health care."
"Determined to make a difference and with an insatiable curiosity, love of adventure, and hunger for justice, Theodore Roosevelt exemplified a life directed by principles and not by circumstance.
Overcoming severe asthma and a weak heart set young Teddy on a life course against all odds. Whether rooting out government and corporate corruption, leading the legendary Rough Riders in war, establishing wildlife refuges and national parks, ranching in the Badlands of Dakota, writing books, or exploring dangerous uncharted land, the twenty-sixth president of the United States embraced every challenge and made his life count."
