When my new book, The Well Spring Tree, was published in March of 2020, I was concerned that it might be a bit outdated as I actually wrote it about 10 years ago and it made reference to the war in Afghanistan. 

But earlier in 2021, while listening to the radio, I became aware of a stunning moment in the history of our commitment to the 20-year war in Afghanistan. An Afghani woman who had escaped her country, thanks to the bravery of American soldiers risking their lives to bring her out safely, took the time at the end of her grateful speech to them to speak directly to the families of Americans whose sons and daughters had been maimed or died in the past in this war. She assured them that their losses, although grave and heartbreaking, had not been in vain. She implored them to remember that what they and their loved ones had sacrificed brought light to millions of people in her country, especially women and girls who had been immersed in darkness with no hope for so long. She entreated Americans to remember that the spark of light, which those brave men and women kindled, will never be extinguished. She described how their unselfish commitment and example had brought hope to a whole generation of children who were born in Afghanistan during the past years. She is positive that this gift will help bring her country out of darkness in the future.

That Afghani woman’s story touched my heart and I felt deep empathy and love for her and the other Afghani families impacted. Because of these recent historical events, The Well Spring Tree has proven to be a timely book. It deals with the topic of love for all people and focuses on the deep friendship of an American soldier and an Afghani interpreter. The Well Spring Tree, written for children 7 and up, expresses the idea that all religions have at their core the spiritual understanding of God as love. 

Should you wish to take action and help Afghans who are in trouble, I suggest supporting the vital work of The Nazarene Fund. Thanks to The Nazarene Fund, which was very instrumental in the endeavor to extricate people from Afghanistan, this woman and many others have escaped since the ill-fated evacuation in August of 2021. This amazing group has helped millions of people escape tyranny of all kinds all over the world, as well as Afghanistan. I encourage my readers to check them out at www.thenazarenefund.org and donate to their cause.

If you wish to pick up a copy of The Well Spring Tree, all of my books are available at independent bookstores, which I especially encourage you to patronize. Over the next months, as a part of the Vermont Independent Bookstores Passport initiative, I hope to visit all the independent bookstores in Vermont and feature photos of them on our Events & Update blog and my Facebook page @moonlightofmorganhill. You can also visit our About The Books page to learn where to purchase The Well Spring Tree online. I hope you will read my book to your children and, more importantly, support the wonderful work of the Nazarene Fund.