A young idealist heeds the call to radical obedience, gives away all of his belongings and shaking off the fetters of a complacent life, travels halfway around the world. There he discovers, among the poor and the fatherless of West Africa, that he has only surrendered to a new kind of captivity. This is the first book to highlight the painful personal consequences of the new radicalism, documenting in heartbreaking detail what happens when a young person becomes entrapped instead of liberated by its call. 

As the years and letters passed between John and Amy, the layers fell off as they explored and unmasked themselves and each other. Every writer needs a room of his own, but for some people, at certain times and in certain circumstances, the best you can do is a closet. From the confines --- and protection --- of his closet, John wrote these letters, letters that were read, cherished, and then locked away for decades in Amy’s closet. Now they are chronicled and shared for your enrichment.