The Killing Fields and the Cross
by Bradley Booth
Bradley Booth is one of the most prolific authors in recent Adventist publishing. AdventistBookCentre.com.au lists more than 40 titles, ranging from retold Bible stories, stories for kids, and various collections of stories of faith and mission. The Killing Fields and the Cross is his most recent book, a single story of survival and finding faith amid the Cambodian genocide, beginning in 1975.
We are introduced to Jolani and her wealthy upbringing, arranged marriage and cultural Buddhist faith. But even her comparative privilege could not insulate her from the horrific history unfolding around her, rather their wealth made her family a particular target of the insurgent Khmer Rouge. From there, The Killing Fields and the Cross become a story of tragic loss, stubborn survival and deparate escapes as a young mother trying to protect her children and family as much as possible. Her ultimate escape takes her to a refugee camp and then the United States.
The Killing Fields and the Cross feels like it is written for a younger audience, with much explanation of cultural and historical backgrounds, extensive descriptions of experiences and physical surroundings, and a repetitive style of story-telling. But the story and events are definitely for more mature readers, so this is not a book for young readers.
Even in the good times narrated in the early chapters, Jolani was asking questions of the Buddhist faith she had inherited. These questions became increasingly urgent amid the loss, suffering and grief she experienced and witnessed. As her existing faith began to feel less and less adequate, she remembered some of the Christian girls she had known at her private high school and, despite her limited knowledge, her first simple prayer was “Help me, God of the Christians.” Her prayer seemed to be answered almost immediately and this began not only her journey to freedom, but also her journey to faith in Jesus.
As such, The Killing Fields and the Cross is an inspiring story of survival and faith, but also hope, healing and forgiveness, in the aftermath of one of the worst chapters of 20th-century history.The Killing Fields and the Cross and other books by Bradley Booth are available from Adventist bookshops in Australia and New Zealand, or online.
