Seed Sowers {Schoolhouse Crew Review}

When Addison started homeschooling nine years ago, I ordered a package curriculum without hardly looking at the list of books that were included. Some of the nicest surprises in that first box of books I ordered were the missionary stories.

I was reminded of those missionary stories when we received the book Seed Sowers: Gospel Planting Adventures by Gwen Toliver. Nine years ago, we read a picture book and prayed for people around the world who did not have scriptures to read in their native tongue. One of the groups we prayed for was the Quechua people of Peru. When we read chapter two of Seed Sowers, we read how the Quechua New Testament was completed in 2002.

Seed Sowers tells the stories of more than 20 missionaries that are working (or have worked) as Bible translators with Wycliffe Associates.

We read a chapter of Seed Sowers during our daily read aloud time. Most chapters were about 10 pages long and told a complete story about a particular missionary working on Bible translation. The stories held the attention of all three of my children, ages 7, 12, and 15. Addison preferred to hear the stories that told about a single incident in the missionary's life, but I enjoyed the chapters that gave several peeks into the lifestyle of a particular mission field.

Lauren's favorite chapter in the book was the one titled, "The Whistling Man." We all learned that the Mazatec language (Oazaca, Mexico) depends on tone and not necessarily spoken words. It can be whistled as easily as it is spoken. We were even able to hear an online sample of George Cowen whistling an entire conversation. Very impressive!

Addison says that her favorite chapter was chapter four, "When the Tall Lady Cried." She was touched by the description of the cheerful young girl that had fallen sick. Addison says that she realized how much a missionary cares for the individual people she is working with and isn't just seeing a group of people in need. I think she realized all along that the missionaries loved the people around them, but this story in particular illustrated that it was a personal, deep-felt love for each individual.

Addison also liked the chapter that was told from the perspective of a missionary radio operator in Brazil. Normally, when we think about missionaries, we think solely of the people in direct contact with natives. We knew that there were many people working behind the scenes (or behind the radio controls), but this specific story allowed us to see into the lives of people working at a mission headquarters in a foreign country.

I highly recommend Seed Sowers. Our family has been touched by these missionary stories, and we now feel more connected to the people that are giving their lives to help translate the Bible into different languages around the world.

We used Seed Sowers as a read-aloud for the whole family. According to the author's website, it has an independent reading level of 6th grade and up. Seed Sowers is 170 pages long and is available as a paperback book from Grace and Truth books for $12.50. It is also available in eBook form (Kindle version) for only $3.99.

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