Working on this review for Kingstone Media Group has not only been eye-opening, but it’s been inspirational….motivational even.  I’ve had the opportunity to review a few of their comics, a movie about a church who are truly living out Christ’s calling, and a book that will forever change any reader’s perspective on the situation in Sudan.  Out of all the reviews I’ve had the privilege to work on, this is one that I will not be forgetting anytime soon….it’s going to stay with me for weeks, months, even years to come.

Sudan, written by Art Ayris and Ninie Hammon, is based on a true story over in Sudan where genocide is still taking place.  Following several characters, the story weaves in and out of each life, each story, each setting.  Dada is a mother gunned down just because she’s trying to protect her children.  Idris’ world is torn apart when his family’s village is attacked, his own daughter taken as a slave, many others killed or maimed.  Ron is a photographer, trying to capture the essence of each story through a camera lens.  There are others, all of which I would not have room to describe, some who live, some who die. Akin is the little girl who is taken from her father’s village, as a slave.  As you read, you will “walk in her shoes,” so to speak….you’ll be there with her along the way, experiencing, through reading, what this slave trade is truly about.  There are indescribable things that are done to these people, these children.  As Idris realizes what has happened, you’ll also read along with him on his journey to find his daughter, no matter the sacrifice he has to make.  He is a father, desperate to find the daughter whom he loves and would give his life for if need be.

My heart was torn apart from the moment I opened the pages of this book and began to read.  It was very hard for me to read this book….I’ve mentioned the dreams that I have, and many of the scenes described in this book were ones similar to what I’ve witnessed in my dreams.  I wanted to vomit, I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry out for Sudanese mothers; I cannot even begin to imagine their pain and their suffering, their loss.

You may read the above and not wish to read this book because it scares you….you may be afraid that it will “gross you out.”  The thing is, this is a story that needs to be told, a story that needs to be read….so that something will be done about what is taking place just an ocean away.  The thing is….if we let evil carry on, it will spread….it will eventually spread to our very doorsteps here in America (it already is in many forms, including human trafficking).  I encourage you to read this life-changing book.  Get angry!  Get upset!  Be grossed out!  Somewhere a Sudanese mother is waiting for someone to reach out a helping hand, for her children’s sake.  You can purchase Sudan for $14.99 from Bay Forest.Kingstone Comics are another branch of Kingstone Media Group.  They are religious, faith-based comics that tell different stories, both from the Bible, and about different people of faith down through the ages.  I will say that, in my opinion, most of these comics are suited more for adults than children, as some of the images and stories can be quite intense.  They would be powerful witnessing tools, though, and a positive resource for those who love comic books.  I received several comics, for which I’ve given short descriptions as follows:

• The Beginning- This comic book actually tells the story of Creation up through the Tower of Babel.  It goes through the story of Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, and when the people were scattered.
• Elijah- This tells the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal; it also includes Jezebel and Ahab and the story of how God destroyed both of them.
• Exodus- The story of the Israelites is related within the pages of this comic book.  From their escape from Egypt, even the crossing of the Red Sea, to the giving of the Ten Commandments, to their finally crossing the Jordan, their story is told in graphic form.
• The Christ, Volume 1- This is a comic book for Christmas to be sure.  It tells the story of how the birth of Christ came to be, as well as the story of the wise men.  This is definitely one comic I could share with Jacob, and we will most likely be reading over and over this holiday season.  These comic books are comics, yes, but they have a reality about them that defies some of the imaginary pictures floating around in my head, such as angels; they depict angels as men, not some fabled winged creatures.
• The Revelation- This is just as it says, The Revelation….the end story of the Bible….the end story of the world, as John saw it.  I found myself mesmerized by this one, as I’ve always been interested in the end times.  Not that I totally agree with everything faith-related (beliefs) in this comic, but it still held Biblical facts.  To tell the truth, we really don’t know how it’s all going to end….we only know what men have been able to study and decipher from the Bible.
• Martyrs- This comic book tells the story of four different martyrs: Stephen, Perpetua of Carthage, the 40 Legionnaires of Sebastea, and Polycarp.  Yes, some of the images are graphic, but this comic could be read along with an older child.  I remember my elementary school teacher reading to us from The Book of Martyrs, and that forever impacted my life.  These are stories that we need to share with our kids.  We need to relate to them that martyrdom still exists very much in today’s world.
• Babylon Exile- Jerusalem is destroyed, and the Jews are taken captive by Babylon.  Part of Daniel’s story is related within these pages.  This is another comic I could definitely share with my 8 year old son.
• Babylon Conquest- This is the second installment to the Babylon comics.
• Babylon Madman- More of the stories of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar are given in this comic.  The Jews’ faithfulness to God is a central theme throughout.
• Moses- This is the story of Moses, from his birth to the days when he delivers Israel from captive Egypt.
• The Last Convert of John Harper- The story of the Titanic is the setting for this comic book, but it’s also the inspirational story of John Harper, a pastor who was on the Titanic, whose mission (within that harrowing time) never ended until he gave his last breath.  I let my son read this comic book, not realizing how intense it really was….but these were his words.  “These comic books are awesome, Mom!”  It definitely had his seal of approval.:)  He’s anxious to read more.

I highly encouarge you to measure everything you read against the Word of God.  If you have a comic book lover in the family, Kingstone Comics are definitely a great alternative.  They provide true, Biblical stories, as well as inspirational stories.  Yes, some of the images may be quite graphic in nature, and some of the content is much too old for a child, but there is faith within these pages.  The stories of God’s faithful people are retold….the stories of true heroes, rather than some made up superheroes that don’t even exist.  You can purchase these comic books for $3.99 each.

Lastly, I was fortunate to review the movie, The Touch.  Written by Art Ayris, it’s the true, inspirational story of one church that dared to care.  Hannah Moore is the central character, as she struggles and struggles to pick up the pieces of her life.  It’s a life that has brought so many difficulties and tragedies; Hannah tries to pick up the pieces on her own, but just as she’s given up, First Baptist steps in to support and lift her up.  Having just started their Women’s shelter, they take Hannah in and give her a chance at a new life.  Hannah’s story is like that of many women today, women who are struggling to get through each and every day, women who have had terrible things happen in their lives….but this is a story of hope beyond circumstances.

At first, my husband and I both felt that the movie was a bit corny….they had certain curse words (that were bleeped out), just to make it more reality-based, I guess….but the more we watched, the more interested we became, especially after reading the true facts about First Baptist Church in Leesburg, Florida.  Not only did they continue on with their women’s shelther, but they started several other life-changing ministries, as well, within their community.  The story is such an inspirational, motivating story that, I feel, needs to be replicated by all churches.  It’s what Christianity is all about.

You can purchase The Touch for $19.99 from Kingstone Entertainment.  I highly recommend it, especially for a small group or church group.

Thanks to the generosity of Kingstone Media Group, we are giving away a prize pack, including all of the above products, to one MamaBuzz reader! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each way that you enter.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Wednesday, December 8.  This giveaway is open to U.S. only.  Good luck, and have a wonderful day!

1. Visit Kingstone Media Group, and let me know which product you would most like to receive.
2. Like Kingstone Media Group on Facebook.
3. Follow @kingstonemedia on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway; you can tweet daily to earn extra entries.
5. Follow MamaBuzz or subscribe to our posts.
6. Follow @mamabzz on Twitter.
7. Like MamaBuzz on Facebook.
8. Blog about this giveaway, being sure to link back to MamaBuzz.
9. Join the MamaBuzz Forum.
10. Subscribe to The Latest Buzz Newsletter (in sidebar).

(Disclosure: I received Kingstone Media Group products, free of charge, from Kingstone Media  Group, for the purposes of this review.)

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