Join spoiled eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger on a mission trip to a remote Mexican village—where faith, obedience, and forgiveness intersect. This first novel in a brand-new series will challenge your faith—and capture your heart—as you get to know Kim and her new friends and witness their unforgettable journey.
Spoiled eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger arrives late to orientation for a mission trip to Mexico—she carelessly missed her flight—only to learn the project has changed. Construction in a remote village without plumbing and electricity rather than evangelism in a medium-sized town with numerous souvenir and fast food places.
Kim’s negative overreaction to the change angers the project leaders and her teammates and immediately makes her the least popular team member. She’s determined to do better, though. And to be obedient to God.
When Kim breaks her arm, she feels useless. She wants to do evangelism, but the team didn’t bring a translator and the villagers don’t speak any English. Kim knows nada Spanish, and her “dual-language Bible” turns out to be Spanish-only.
Kim undertakes two one-handed projects. The first is her own idea. The second is God’s, though, and it sounds crazy. Crazier than crazy. But will it touch the villagers’ hearts with the Gospel? How can she even find out?
Excerpt
“What do you mean I missed my connecting flight?”
Never had I raised my voice to my parents—or to any other adult, for that matter—but I couldn’t have screamed much louder at that forty-something Skyfly Airline representative if I’d tried. She may have been joking, but I didn’t feel like laughing. I couldn’t have missed my flight.
“The plane was here and ready to leave at 1:19. Your baggage was aboard, but you weren’t.” Although her voice remained calm, she resembled a flashing danger signal and siren that screamed from head to toe, Kim Hartlinger, it’s not my fault you’re the most irresponsible eighteen-year-old I’ve ever met.
“So,” she said, “your flight left without you. We paged you a number of times first, but you never responded.”
“Is that what those announcements were?” Curiosity and defensiveness made me forget my initial irritation. I was too naive to know how concerned I should have been.
“I heard somebody paging a Kimmy Somebody-or-Other, but nobody calls me Kimmy—and nobody ever will. If that guy said Hartlinger, I misunderstood him. His accent was thick, like a TWI—talking while intoxicated—or maybe like someone who isn’t a native English speaker. Don’t tell me announcements like that are made somewhere off-shore.”
Telephone support for our home computer was, and I hated calling there for that very reason.
Oblivious to everything I’d just said, Millie Q—I’d glanced at her name tag a moment before—had the nerve to smile, revealing an excess of leathery wrinkles that wood filler would have smoothed out better than her rainbow of cheap and ill-applied makeup.
I could also see a mouthful of teeth that needed braces so badly I was tempted to refer her to my orthodontist. I doubted, however, that she could handle the commute from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Georgia on a regular basis, even for something as important as making those fangs look friendlier.
Besides, I wasn’t in a mood to do her any favors. If she was teasing about missing my flight, her humor was sick and her attitude the ultimate in unprofessional. If she was serious—I was battling hard to reject the niggling possibility that she was—I needed to consider my alternatives. Normally, Scarlett O’Hara and I could put our worries on hold until tomorrow; but I had to reach San Diego early enough today to join the mission team to Mexico or turn around and go home again.
I could have panicked then, but I didn’t. Missing my flight would be a minor nuisance comparable to short periods of bumpiness due to mild turbulence. It couldn’t be a real problem like a major blizzard closing the San Diego airport in mid-July and preventing the plane from landing.
Professional Reviews
God's assignment
Roger Bruner is such a wonderful writer that his characters all come to life on the page. I am so glad I read Rosa No Name first, even though this is a prequel to it. Found in Translation explains so much and makes both stories authentic. I've never read books in this order before, but I think in this case it's important. I hope others will read both of them in either sequence. Bruner says this story is YA, written for teens. I disagree. It's fascinating and factual and full of energy. A must read for anyone who is conflicted and/or confused about what God's assignments are for life. Read it! It's fun, entertaining and enlightening.
Review: Found in Translation (Altered Hearts Book1) by Roger Burner
Here is a summary of what the book is about. Spoiled eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger arrives late to orientation for a mission trip to Mexico-she carelessly missed her flight-only to learn the project has changed. Construction in a remote village without plumbing and electricity rather than evangelism in a medium-sized town with numerous souvenir and fast food places.
Kin's negative overreaction to the change angers the project leaders and her teammates and immediately makes her the least popular team member. She's determined to do better, though. And to be obedient to God.
When Kim breaks her arm, she feels useless. She wants to do evangelism, but the team didn't bring a translator and the villagers don't speak any English. Kim knows nada Spanish, and her "dual-language Bible" turns out to be Spanish-only.
Kim undertakes two one-handed projects. The first is her own idea. The second is God's, though, and it sounds crazy. Crazier than crazy. But will it touch the villagers' hearts with the Gospel? How can she even find out?
Wow what an amazing story. I absolutely enjoyed reading this one.
Trusting God in all circumstances, with all plans
Typical Kim: "I didn't regret having to pay seventy-five dollars for the overweight extra suitcases, though. I needed everything I'd packed: a professional-quality hair dryer; enough matching shoes and purses to have a fresh look every day; a treasure chest of my best cosmetics and toiletries; enough clothes to wear separate day and night outfits for the next fourteen days; a steam iron and travel-sized ironing board; and a small, high-power portable karaoke system with dozens of accompaniment CDs and tons of extra D-cell batteries. Oh, and I'd packed a thick Spanish-English Bible I hadn't taken out of the box yet."
Kim is ready for her mission trip. Except for being late to her plane, that is. Then it turns out she missed a few important emails about the trip. Changes were made, and they are now headed to the middle of nowhere to help a small community after a windstorm. What?! With most of her stuff now useless and herself confused, Kim sets out on a trip only God could make anything out of. A trip where God uses her to an immeasurable extent, even if in unusual ways.
"Found in Translation" is a great book where Kim learns to trust God in all circumstances and with all plans. No matter how unlikely the plan, God can work miraculous things out of it. She learns about forgiveness and giving others second chances. Although somewhat predictable, this is was still a story that makes one rethink how we use our lives.
This book is the first book in the Altered Hearts series. Although the inspiration came from Kristi Rae Bruner's (now Lury's) mission trip to Mexico, the story and setting are completely fictitious. Kristi is listed as a co-author for marketing purposes, and she did write the Forward to Found in Translation. This book is considered Young Adult because of the age of the protagonist--eighteen. Men and women seem to enjoy it as much as teens. Please note that this is a Christian book. I point that out only so no one will be shocked to discover that fact upon reading it.
Shine is designed to help you build a firm belief in yourself and your abilities and empower you to navigate life’s ups and downs with grace and resilience
