Title: Mrs. MacKenzie’s Candle
Author: Bryan Webb
Publisher: Natora Press
Date: 2022
Pages: 135
Mrs. MacKenzie’s Candle
Bryan Webb, the author, is a missionary who has spent many years on the field in Oceana/Pacific regions of the world. He felt led by God to write some stories for children from a missionary child’s viewpoint.
This is his first book of five in a series, with the focus on making more, that follow two children, Caleb and Anna, going on a short-term mission’s trip with their parents to Vanuatu. They head to the nation with some excitement and fears, not knowing what to really expect. Once there, they find out that the plans for what their parents went for are completely changed.
Caleb and Anna learn to be flexible in the plans God has for them. They find that God uses them in great ways, and they grow in their walk with God. They allow their light to shine and be a witness to some of the children in that nation.
This book is geared for middle school aged children. It is a very simple read and short book. Though it is written as though from real children, none of the people in it are real. Bryan did take some of his real-life experiences and incorporated them into the story.
I do recommend reading it, especially if you have younger children. They can also read it to learn about mission life from a child’s perspective. Each book in the series follows the same children through different adventures.
I read this book out loud to my ten-year-old son and plan to read the rest in the series with him. He enjoyed it greatly and learned some things about the nation of Vanuatu.
