Virtually speaking, I’ve known John Stevens for close to two decades (although we finally met in person and ate fried chicken on my back porch last year — it’s all in the book . . . OK, briefly alluded to in the acknowledgements at the end). We share a love of alternative Christian bands (which is how we first met), and our share of other musicians as well (most notably Robyn Hitchcock and Alejandro Escovedo). He’s compassionate to a fault, crazy-smart, and . . . . well, just a unique character.

At the same time, I’ve been doing editing work for Deep River Books for more than half a decade now. They’re a “partnership publisher” that genuinely cares about the authors they work with (many of them first-time authors), and I’ve always had a good working relationship with them.

So after John’s invited me to edit his manuscript and asked about a publisher, DRB was an obvious choice. They’re two good tastes that taste great together. So mangia:

John G. Stevens. Baja’s Wounded Healer: On the Frontline of the War on Human Trafficking. 144p., $13.99, Deep River Books.

It’s a story of redemption and deliverance—in more ways than one. And I won’t lie: It’s a tough read in places. Dorothy Greatrex has been through a great deal in her life, and John doesn’t hold any of her story back. But it all results in God giving Dorothy a new heart—one that leads her to create New Beginnings Women’s Shelter in Baja California (now Mujeres Nuevo Comienzo A.C.—where he and his family are currently visiting/helping out as we speak). To quote the DRB site:

Baja’s Wounded Healer tells Dorothy’s story in two parts. The first section focuses on her wounds and healing—her childhood abuse, her struggles with God, and the rocky road to opening a shelter. The second section tells the stories of women and children who have come through her program, Mujeres Nuevo Comienzo: the woman who escaped fifteen years of enslavement; the mother who came to love a baby conceived in rape; the children who, after being victimized by a pornography ring, learned about “good touch”; and several others who escaped enslavement, abuse, and addiction.

Baja’s Wounded Healer is an attempt to bring attention to one successful battle against human trafficking. It aims to inspire many in the Christian church to become engaged in the fight. This book makes clear that one’s brokenness need not be a deterrent to reaching out and assisting in substantial ways. In Dorothy’s case, her brokenness is near the center of her success. The story demonstrates the liberating power of God’s truth in combating one of the earth’s great scourges.

That should be enough to tell you whether this book is for you. I’m pretty sure it is.