My copy of this book is MIA (missing in action) so I will have to write this review completely from memory. It has been many months since I read the book so I will speak in generalities so as not to scramble the details.
Kisses From Katie is about and written by Katie Davis, formerly from Tennessee, if memory serves me. As a high school senior Katie planned a missions trip to Uganda over Christmas break. Due to details I don't remember, it ended up with no one but Katie going. Rather than cancel her plans, she talked her mother into going with her. During that time, Katie's heart was so drawn to Uganda and its people that she planned a return trip in the summer, before starting college. She was so determined to go back to Uganda that her parents were afraid she wouldn't come home so they made her promise to return in the fall before giving their consent for her to go for the summer.
Initially, Katie helped at a school. But she wasn't there long until she began to see a deeper need than for the children to learn to read. She saw children, young children without homes, without clothing, without food or needed medical care, without anyone to even care for them. Katie's heart went out to these children and she began to try to provide what help she could for them.
But she quickly realized that what she was doing was inadequate. She wanted to adopt these children and provide food, clothing, medical care, shelter, and love for them. But how could she? A single, young woman in a country that wasn't her own. She prayed.
There was one house available to rent in or near the village where she was staying; but it was a large house and the rent would be much more than Katie could possibly afford. Katie talked to the Lord. He did a miracle. She talked to the owner of the house and he rented it to Katie for an amount she could afford. Katie took in several of the most needy little girls and "adopted" them. Over the rest of the summer she "adopted" more and more children. Some were brought to her; some she became aware of through other ways.
As the fall and college enrollment approached, Katie was torn. She had promised her parents she would return home and she believed it would be wrong to break that promise. But she also felt that her place was in Uganda, caring for those girls. More girls were coming to her all the time and it wasn't long until Katie was "mother" to a dozen little girls. What would happen to them if she left?
Katie had one young woman living with her and had been teaching her how to care for the children and run the household. She left this young woman in charge and returned home for college, not knowing when she would return to her little Ugandan family. She stayed in close contact with the children through the phone and the internet. Katie enrolled and attended college classes, but her heart was in Uganda. The things that held her friends' interest held no interest for her: dating, sports, new clothes, make-up. These things just couldn't pull her heart away from those girls in Uganda who were waiting for her to return to them.
Katie finished the one semester then returned to Uganda and her girls. That was two or three years ago. (I am so sorry I don't have the book handy to check all these details. I must have loaned it to someone.) Katie continues to take in and mother an unending line of girls. I believe she adopted them (at least some of them) legally (though don't quote me on this) so that she can make decisions on their behalf.
Katie's ministry, Amazima, was founded to help provide support for these needy children and women. Katie has extended her reach to include boys as well. Not all children are adopted. Some have families who care for them as best they can't but simply can't provide all their needs. Through Amazima many children receive meals, clothes, and school supplies as well as tuition so they can attend school.
I hope you will read
Kisses From Katie. It is a well written book that is pretty much guaranteed to touch your heart. From what I've written you might think, "Well I don't see anything so unusual about caring for needy children." And you would be correct if this was being done by some established mission organization or even some mature couple. The truly amazing thing about this book and the ministry is that it started with a young woman. Katie was (and still is) at that point in life where our culture condones and even expects a person to be very self-centered and self-focused.
Katie showed herself to be mature and spiritual beyond her years. She saw a need and decided to do something about it herself, instead of saying "someone should..." as most of us do. She took seriously Jesus' command to care for children. Katie took major, challenging steps to go against the flow. Most seventeen and eighteen year old girls in this country are thinking about college, (maybe marriage) boys, dating, clothes, french manicures, movies, hair styles, what color iPad they want, etc. At eighteen Katie was trying to figure out how to feed the girls in her care and how to raise support so she could provide for other children who were going hungry and practically naked. And, Katie wasn't thrust into those decisions. She made a conscious choice to step OUT of the affluent, soft culture of her native country and INTO the situation with challenges that would stump many older, more experienced people.
Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis tells, compellingly, the story of how Katie accepted this "call" for her life. It tells about her starting the Amazima ministry to provide continuing financial support for the children in her care. It tells about the children and about the huge love Katie has for them. Katie talks about what she is "missing" by not being in the United States; but she talks more about what she is receiving and experiencing by being faithful to serve where she sees a need. The book has been available in hardback for some time now, but has just been released in paperback. You will be touched by this book about a young woman who has shown such character and faith that we all would be proud to have our children demonstrate.
Happy Reading :-)
