Chasing the Dragon by: Jackie Pullinger

The saga continues…

Reading books…

completing book…

reviewing books…

This book was completed almost three months ago.

I think it has successfully made the procrastination list. You know, the list you check things off of, and carry over two to three items over to the next day’s list – continuing this episode for, oh say, three months? Ring a bell, anybody? Well, that’s the case here.

So, without further ado-let me introduce you to a book I completed three months ago.

The book: Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger. The subtitle reads

“The true story of how one woman’s faith resulted in the conversion of hundreds of drug addicts, prostitutes, and hardened criminals in Hong Kong’s infamous Walled City”.

Why did I read this book?

One might wonder how a busy mother of two would come to read such a book.

Here’s the scoop: I was introduced to the writing of James Goll, due in part to my brother marrying his daughter (in 10 days!) When Michel Ann Goll graduated to be with Jesus almost two years ago her husband combined parts of two of her books (A Call to the Secret Place and Women on the Frontlines) to create a 40 day devotional titled Empowered Woman. Each devotional summarizes the life of a famous Godly woman. These overviews of Great Women have been so fascinating to me that I can’t seem to complete this devotional! I find myself continually distracted by getting interested in books she references.

Such was the situation with Chasing the Dragon. Michel Ann’s thoughtful summary of Jackie’s impact on China was enthralling. I discovered that my husband owned this tattered yellow paperback – in fact, he claims that he’s suggested that I read it numerous times since we’ve been married, but NOW my interest was peaked! I promptly found it on the shelf and dove in. This book was not on the 2010 reading list, nonetheless I am convinced that God led me to read this treasure.

An honest review has to reveal my frustration with the overall delivery – it sometimes lacked a sense of sequence: the account seemed to jump around a bit. Even so, I have never been so stirred and challenged by the account of a missionary.

I cried.

I got mad at times.

I was shocked at the dangerous situations Jackie walked into daily.

I wondered how she had not been raped and/or battered by the dangerous men she was in constant contact with.

What did I receive from reading this book?

I was challenged to pray at all times in order to not miss the voice of the Lord. Every page records accounts of Jackie walking down the street and hearing the Lord say “Go here, turn down that road – you will meet a boy at such and such place.” – “You must go and witness to a prostitute on such and such street with the name_______.” The Lord seemed to speak to her in such detail. She also prayed continually and talks at length about her prayer life. I was encouraged to pray for daily wisdom and direction in all my daily doings.

I began to ask the Lord why I didn’t hear His voice as clearly and as often as she did.

It was as if God said, “Few spend their lives listening….when you listen and seek with all that you have, you’ll find that I am speaking.“

Spellbound, I am unable to articulate the full depth of this book. I was in awe of the goodness of God and reminded that we are vessels and the more availability we give Him the more useful we become. Jackie is a remarkable women who is credited with helping many opium and heroine addicts get clean, and turn their lives over to Jesus. She truly made a difference with gangs and prostitutes and addicts. I would call this book a thriller…. Really. The thrilling life of following the voice of the Lord in every situation… and trusting that every day would be filled with divine appointments to further advance the kingdom of God.