This is the story of early Mennonite missionaries, their fellow Chinese workers, North American English teachers and their Chinese students and colleagues. It is a glimpse into each other's world through the eyes of those who allowed themselves to move beyond their normal boundaries. The author and his wife taught English at Shenyang Teachers College in China from 1987-1989 with the China Educational Exchange program. (464pp. illus. Masthof Press, 2024.)

We can learn lessons from the Mennonite story in China. They were willing to identify and seek to meet local needs by working within the system. They patiently preserved as "people of the soil," knowing trees take a long time to grow and bear fruits. Finally, they saw the importance of learning from the culture, not just about it.

-Joann Pittman, ChinaSource book review