A memoir of a missionary kid processing her experience of growing up abroad, and especially of going to boarding school as a young child, “Letters Never Sent” takes the reader through a process of healing and seeking closeness with God. Written in the form of letters to her parents (the original title is more apt: “Letters I Never Wrote”), this is her story from early childhood through adulthood as the discovery that pain and purpose can co-exist begins to bring comfort & healing.
While unmasking some of the darker sides of missions and especially the family separations that often go along with it, Van Reken still honors the good in her experiences and how much she loves her and parents and loves God. She doesn’t look at her experiences in black and white but still gives helpful advice to those who are on a similar journey towards recovery and to parents of TCKs who don’t want to repeat her parents’ mistakes.
If you are looking for a light, uplifting book, this is not the one to choose. While beautifully-written, it is a sad, even tragic, story about Sarina, a 12-year old American girl living in Liberia. Sarina’s father, busy with his business responsibilities in other parts of the country, leaves her alone to care for her mother, a woman whose severe diabetes leaves her both physically frail and emotionally unstable. Fearful of losing her daughter, Sarina’s mother ties Sarina to the mango tree in their yard. When the lonely Sarina meets Boima, a young Liberian boy, she keeps their friendship a secret for fear her mother will prevent her from seeing him. Through their friendship she learns about the Liberian life beyond her own yard – both its joys and its tragic sorrows. Although the book is labeled as being for age 10 and up, its content seems more appropriate for slightly older readers.
Reading level: age 11-14 years
