Safely Home

In Randy Alcorn’s award-winning novel Safely Home, former roommates at Harvard University meet after twenty years and discover their lives have undergone profound changes. Ben Fielding, the rich, divorced, driven sales executive for a globally successful manufacturer, used to be a Christian; and Li Quan, humble leader of a Chinese house church, used to be embarrassed of his Christian parents. 

Through the course of this informative, yet emotionally engaging novel, we witness the harsh realities of the persecuted church in China. The life of the American businessman represents the downward trajectory so many believers take after experiencing a tragic loss, in Ben’s case the death of his son.  Li Quan’s loss involves taking a stand for his Christian faith in a society that punishes belief in anything except the state. Instead of the professorship he deserves, Dr. Li Quan must confine himself to menial labor to support his family. While Ben Fielding repeats his business goals every Monday morning, Li Quan repeats the question he learned from his grandfather and father, “Is this the day I will die?” 

The story is rich with irony, the first one being that Ben Fielding is the man who brought Li Quan to the meeting at which he gave his heart to the Lord. Another is that the reason Ben visits Li Quan in the first place is to secure more business for his company, a goal that is subverted when he begins to question his extremely materialistic lifestyle.  Ben’s character arch leaves him a changed man at the end of the book. Li Quan’s character arch is one I won’t disclose but is one you as a reader will never forget.

One subplot that also cuts to the quick involves an employee of Ben’s who he fires because his coworkers resent his Christian testimony. This scene in the book describes to a tee the place many of us live. 

The painting below, by Ron, Di Cianni, is featured on the dust cover of the novel.  Safely Home is not light reading. In revealing how we in the West take our freedom to worship for granted, it also reminds us of that better country to which we are all bound.

Peace to my subscribers!

Have a blessed week!