During the height of the Guatemalan civil war, Tomás Guzaro, a Mayan evangelical pastor, led more than two hundred fellow Mayas out of guerrilla-controlled Ixil territory and into the relative safety of the government army's hands. This exodus was one of the factors that caused the guerrillas to lose their grip on the Ixil, thus hastening the return of peace to the area.
In Escaping the Fire, Guzaro relates the hardships common to most Mayas and the resulting unrest that opened the door to civil war. He details the Guatemalan army's atrocities while also describing the Guerrilla Army of the Poor's rise to power in Ixil country, which resulted in limited religious freedom, murdered church leaders, and threatened congregations. His story climaxes with the harrowing vision that induced him to guide his people out of their war-torn homeland.
Guzaro also provides an intimate look at his spiritual pilgrimage through all three of Guatemala's main religions. The son of a Mayan priest, formerly a leader in the Catholic Church, and finally a convert to Protestantism, Guzaro, in detailing his religious life, offers insight into the widespread shift toward Protestantism in Latin America over the past four decades.
Riveting and highly personal, Escaping the Fire ultimately provides a counterpoint to the usual interpretation of indigenous agency during the Guatemalan civil war by documenting the little-studied experiences of Protestants living in guerrilla-held territory.
Customer Reviews: You'll want this in your library: Story of a Guatemalan man sold out to ChristAugust 22, 2010 Berry alvis I've read 100's of Christian biographies throughout the years. This book will rank toward the top of that list. It is the heart wrenching story of a man who risked his life and his families to follow Jesus Christ.
Although the book is thorough in its historical setting (Guatemala during the Guatemalan Civil War), the impact is found in Tomas Guzaros faith and how it was walked out through incredibly difficult circumstances. His radical obedience helped lead many of his people into freedom.
This is one of those books that will be hard to put down once you've begun. Set aside some time before you start. I will be giving these to many friends to encourage their faith.
History, drama, action; it's a page turnerJuly 3, 2010 Mr. Greg Malczewski(Wonder Lake, IL USA) I had the privilege of staying with the McCombs for five days and travel with Mr. McComb, Mr. Guzaro, and two other Ixil men for one day. Mrs. McComb told me that she did her best to get the story out as it was told to her by Mr. Guzaro. This is the story of a single individual's struggle with his faith and understanding of God. He left the Mayan priesthood to become a Christian pastor. It is his story of trusting God to lead his people out of certain death. It is a story of personal losses and tragedy. It is also a story of personal and tribal victory. This is a story that had to be told.
Mr. Guzaro was affectionately called Tomás by everyone we met. When we greeted each other (in my broken Spanish) he told me that my name in Ixil is Coxel (coe - chell). Then we were off to three different village churches. You may not get to the remotest village personally -- it is several hours away and the last hour of the 4-wheel trip is dangerous and will shuffle your vertebrae in a new order. The character of the man reported by McComb and the lands he traversed appear to be accurately reported by my observation. Get the book and look over McComb's shoulder for an intriguing look into life of an Ixil Mayan during the longest civil war of the western hemisphere.
A Great Story!March 24, 2010 Margaret Moran(Guatemala) 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a beautifully written account of a truly amazing story. Terri Jacob McComb has done a great job in telling Tomas Guzaro's story without adding to it. It's a history book that reads with the ease and intensity of a novel. Pretty hard to do for most authors, but for a first time author it's impressive. Highly recommended.
