Book excerpt: Unbelievable circumstances. Believable hope. If we follow media accounts, the continent of Africa may seem to be little more than AIDS patients, malnourished babies, child soldiers, and a failing attempt to imitate the West. Though Christians today are increasingly concerned about injustice and human suffering, their effectiveness in Africa is limited by only knowing this "bad news" and the trite, feel-good solutions sometimes bandied about in response. Into the Mud takes readers below the headlines, into real stories of real people living neck-deep in some of Africa's most difficult issues -- but with hands, minds, and hearts rooted in God's kingdom. Each of the interwoven stories and related discussion questions addresses a broader issue of missions and development, including evangelism, literacy and education, microfinance, health services, urbanization and refugee assistance, and more. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter help readers to apply lessons from the chapters to their own ministry contexts. Where the world sees despair, author Christine Jeske sees God writing stories of hope. Study groups, development students, mission teams, and everyday activists alike will be challenged by her stories to enter more deeply into the thick of life's mud.