Footprints in the Dust: Nursing, Survival, Compassion, and Hope with Refugees Around the World by Roberta Gately

The acclaimed author of Lipstick in Afghanistan weaves together the unforgettable stories of the people she helped heal in some of the most troubled places on Earth in a gripping memoir that celebrates our shared humanity.

Roberta Gately is a nurse and humanitarian aid worker who has served in war zones ranging from Africa to Afghanistan aiding refugees.  Just the word refugee sparks conversation and fuel emotion. There are more than twenty-two million refugees worldwide and another sixty-five million who have been forcibly displaced. But who are these people? Images filter into our consciousness via dramatic photographs—but these photos only offer a glimpse into their stories. Footprints in the Dust aims to share the real stories of refugees around the world in hopes of revealing the truth about their experience.

As a young ER nurse in Boston, Roberta was stopped cold by stark images of big-bellied babies with empty haunting stares in the news. She called the aid organization featured in the news story and within two months, she was on her way. Roberta would soon learn that world into which millions of children around the globe were born was fraught with unspeakable horrors.  The only certainties for so many of these children were, and remain to this day—disease and devastating injury.

Footprints in the Dust reveals the humanity behind the headlines, beginning where the newscasters end their reports. The people we meet within this riveting book are neither all saints nor all sinners—and impossible to forget.

Review:

Footprints in the Dust: Nursing, Survival, Compassion, and Hope with Refugees Around the World is a touching memoir filled with lessons on morality and stories about war torn refugees and their indescribable horrific life experience. With a humble heart, Author Roberta Gately left the comforts of her own home and set off for the countries of Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq and more, all to heal other people’s bodies and lives. As she witnessed the horrors of life for the refugees, she felt deeply for them and worked hard to do her part as a loving and caring human being. Distraught with inexpressible tension, disease and destitution, these people are living in hell like conditions.

I was touched deeply by Footprints in the Dust. From the immensely sorrowful stories to the revealing and poignant photographs, this book is captivating in a sorrowful way. The children are sick, injured and starving. The stark realization of the realities of their situation is brought to life by Roberta Gately who experienced, firsthand, the devastation of their state of being. Readers will forget about everything they have seen on television and rethink what they have perceived in the past about these refugees. Gately recounts the steps she took to help these people in her well written and personal diary. She opens her heart and shares her feelings with readers and tells of the panic and tribulations that have been set upon these innocent people. I was completely caught up in this book and moved with strong emotion. The pictures she took on her journey are so telling and an important visual aspect of this book. There are pictures of her helping babies, the sick and viewing war torn areas in these destitute countries.

Footprints in the Dust is a fabulous work of nonfiction based on the true life experience of one giving and caring woman. I completely recommend this thought-provoking and eye-opening book to all readers. We should all be concerned of the unfairness in our world. This book left me inspired, thankful and grateful for, not only, my own life, but the fact that there are people like Roberta Gately to carry the load and volunteer to help others in need. Get Footprints in the Dust and be inspired.
Reviewed by Artisan Book Reviews

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