Misie pod palmami - Příběhy českých misionářů – Hora Jan (2020)

The greatest adventurers are not those who seek out dangerous incidents and recklessly risk their lives. It makes much deeper sense to endure effort and danger for a higher purpose. Among such people were undoubtedly the Czech Jesuits. During the 17th and 18th centuries, they sought to spread the Christian faith in South and Central America or in North Africa. The book is a thrilling mosaic composed of many true stories and interestingly corrects the unfortunate image of the Jesuits in Bohemia. These people traveled from their homeland with a desire to bring better and more peaceful living conditions to primitively living nations. For the indigenous people, accepting Christianity was indeed the best way to survive the harsh impact of a more advanced civilization. The Jesuits had to overcome not only the backwardness and superstition of the natives but also the greed and ruthlessness of European colonizers. In North Africa, they were pursued by the hatred of other religious groups. The third and final story tells of the guide of the St. Bernard monks, who sought the opportunity to build a hospice in Tibet for lost pilgrims. Missions under the palms is not a book about religion; it reads like a good adventure story. It is about heroes who managed to sacrifice themselves for others and did not hesitate to suffer and sometimes even...