Called” tells the amazing story of Dr. John and his wife and Mennonite medical nurse Clara Schmidt and their strong will , determination and faith to follow God’s calling to serve the underserved, especially the leprosy community in the wilds of Paraguay. It follows this couple and their family for six decades and weaves in the important, sometimes mysterious character of Ana, who worked closely with Eva Peron. Ana appears and reappears in their lives, when it has the most important impact. The historical content of this book is rich with content and important background information, which I found valuable and enlightening.
How this couple does their medical work, in the face of opposition, government, local danger, uprisings and raising a family is a testament to who they are. They never lost faith in God and believed everything they did was for Him and the wellbeing of fellow man.
The evolution of Clara is so beautiful, at first a shy, unassuming Mennonite nurse who blossoms into a strong, fierce wife, mother, friend, and community activist. Clara and John are heroes, but always felt they were just being obedient servants of God.
I found this story to be truly amazing and enlightening. I was pleasantly surprised by this read - never expecting to find the depth and important historical content within its pages!
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me to read this book. Thank you to the author and publisher for sharing this intimate story.