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Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land
“The reporting is really remarkable—it’s detailed, it’s in depth, it’s cinematic....This book is a triumph. You should all get it.” ―David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager
Amazon Editors' Pick: A Best History Book of May
A high-octane true-crime story, Bear Witness follows two Christians who refuse to let fear or conventional wisdom stand in the way of their altruistic mission.
The vast majority of Hondurans would have never dared to set foot in Nueva Suyapa, a mountainside barrio that was under the thumb of a gang whose bravado and cruelty were the stuff of legend. But that is precisely where Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, and Carlos Hernández, a Honduran schoolteacher, chose to raise their families. Kurt and Carlos were best friends who had committed their lives to helping the poor, and when they accepted that nobody else―not the police, not the prosecutors, not the NGOs―was ever going to protect their neighbors from the incessant violence they suffered, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
In magnetic prose, journalist Ross Halperin chronicles how these two do-gooders became quasi-vigilantes and charged into a series of life-and-death battles, not just with this one gang, but also with forces far more dangerous, including a notorious tycoon who commanded about a thousand armed men and a police force whose wickedness defied credulity. Kurt and Carlos would eventually get catapulted from obscurity to being famous power players who had access to the backrooms where legislators, ambassadors, and presidents pulled strings. Their efforts made some of the most violent neighborhoods on earth safer and arguably improved a profoundly corrupt government. But they were forced to compromise their principles in order to make all that happen, and furthermore, they acquired a large number of outraged critics and precipitated some heartbreaking collateral damage.
A remarkable and dangerous feat of reportage, Bear Witness shows what happens when altruism, faith, and an obsession with justice are pushed to the extreme.
Amazon Editors' Pick: A Best History Book of May
A high-octane true-crime story, Bear Witness follows two Christians who refuse to let fear or conventional wisdom stand in the way of their altruistic mission.
The vast majority of Hondurans would have never dared to set foot in Nueva Suyapa, a mountainside barrio that was under the thumb of a gang whose bravado and cruelty were the stuff of legend. But that is precisely where Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, and Carlos Hernández, a Honduran schoolteacher, chose to raise their families. Kurt and Carlos were best friends who had committed their lives to helping the poor, and when they accepted that nobody else―not the police, not the prosecutors, not the NGOs―was ever going to protect their neighbors from the incessant violence they suffered, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
In magnetic prose, journalist Ross Halperin chronicles how these two do-gooders became quasi-vigilantes and charged into a series of life-and-death battles, not just with this one gang, but also with forces far more dangerous, including a notorious tycoon who commanded about a thousand armed men and a police force whose wickedness defied credulity. Kurt and Carlos would eventually get catapulted from obscurity to being famous power players who had access to the backrooms where legislators, ambassadors, and presidents pulled strings. Their efforts made some of the most violent neighborhoods on earth safer and arguably improved a profoundly corrupt government. But they were forced to compromise their principles in order to make all that happen, and furthermore, they acquired a large number of outraged critics and precipitated some heartbreaking collateral damage.
A remarkable and dangerous feat of reportage, Bear Witness shows what happens when altruism, faith, and an obsession with justice are pushed to the extreme.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published May 13, 2025
44 people are currently reading
2566 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 19, 2025
This is a look at life and entrenched corruption in Honduras and the efforts of two strong Christian men to make changes for the better. They used a charity they ran, ASJ, to work towards improving things, not even take a salary for all their hard efforts. Lots of violence and danger throughout.
March 11, 2025
From the description of a "high octane, true-crime" story in the synopsis I was expecting a more narrative forward style of nonfiction, but "Bear Witness" wasn't exactly compulsively readable like a thriller. It was more of an academic style of journalistic accounting, focusing on the public policy elements of criminal justice, that I nevertheless appreciated and learned a lot from, even if it took me some time to read and dig into.
I was also fearing a book with a religious message from the first few chapters, and while this book is about an evangelical Christian missionary, it wasn't also trying to preach, which I was grateful for since I'm not religious and do not care to read Christian-forward narratives when the main theme is saving people (no shade on Christians who enjoy Christian stories, just not my thing.)
This was however a fascinating look at people who move to a country expecting to do good works feeding the poor and preaching the good word, only to become discouraged by the violence of their chosen country and the tragedy of losing friends and neighbors to gang violence. Honduras at that time was a viper's nest where the rule of law was nonexistent; it was a country of street justice and brazen corruption.
Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist and the missionary,
and Carlos Hernandez, a Honduran schoolteacher, team up in an unlikely alliance of reckless do-gooders to attempt to root out the violence from the ground up at great personal risk to their safety.
The book doesn't really dig deep into Kurt's transformation from religious innocent to freedom fighter without a gun; it's more of an academic look at just how one navigates that world and makes lasting change by influencing criminal investigations and ultimately the corrupt government bureaucracy itself, how you work within systems even when they're corrupt and you constantly fear for your life. It really showed the gruesome violence that was a reality of life for everyday Hondurans at that time and how entrenched it was in the power structures. Rooting out the corruption was always going to be a thankless grind.
At times it could seem a little white savior but it didn't shy away from criticism of the nonprofit they founded, either.
Not my usual cup of tea but I found this quite intruguing.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was also fearing a book with a religious message from the first few chapters, and while this book is about an evangelical Christian missionary, it wasn't also trying to preach, which I was grateful for since I'm not religious and do not care to read Christian-forward narratives when the main theme is saving people (no shade on Christians who enjoy Christian stories, just not my thing.)
This was however a fascinating look at people who move to a country expecting to do good works feeding the poor and preaching the good word, only to become discouraged by the violence of their chosen country and the tragedy of losing friends and neighbors to gang violence. Honduras at that time was a viper's nest where the rule of law was nonexistent; it was a country of street justice and brazen corruption.
Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist and the missionary,
and Carlos Hernandez, a Honduran schoolteacher, team up in an unlikely alliance of reckless do-gooders to attempt to root out the violence from the ground up at great personal risk to their safety.
The book doesn't really dig deep into Kurt's transformation from religious innocent to freedom fighter without a gun; it's more of an academic look at just how one navigates that world and makes lasting change by influencing criminal investigations and ultimately the corrupt government bureaucracy itself, how you work within systems even when they're corrupt and you constantly fear for your life. It really showed the gruesome violence that was a reality of life for everyday Hondurans at that time and how entrenched it was in the power structures. Rooting out the corruption was always going to be a thankless grind.
At times it could seem a little white savior but it didn't shy away from criticism of the nonprofit they founded, either.
Not my usual cup of tea but I found this quite intruguing.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 22, 2025
Wow. What a wonderful book. I had no intention on reading this book until my boss got me a copy since we were hosting the author at an upcoming event—I’m so thankful he did!
Bear Witness is the perfect criminal justice theory paper x true crime story with an intense commentary on evangelicalism and missionary work. The story follows Kurt and Carlos and their quest to make Honduras safer and more just, as their calling by God.
What I loved about Kurt and Carlos’ approach was its stark difference to conventional missionary work. Yes, more people can always hear about Jesus or benefit from a new house being built for their use. But I’d argue, and what Kurt and Carlos practice, is that none of the conventional missionary work will be productive if the people they’re trying to support face extreme violence everyday. As a bonus, it was fun that Kurt was also a Calvin University Professor, which helped me understand even more their mission and where they were coming from.
Bear Witness is the perfect criminal justice theory paper x true crime story with an intense commentary on evangelicalism and missionary work. The story follows Kurt and Carlos and their quest to make Honduras safer and more just, as their calling by God.
What I loved about Kurt and Carlos’ approach was its stark difference to conventional missionary work. Yes, more people can always hear about Jesus or benefit from a new house being built for their use. But I’d argue, and what Kurt and Carlos practice, is that none of the conventional missionary work will be productive if the people they’re trying to support face extreme violence everyday. As a bonus, it was fun that Kurt was also a Calvin University Professor, which helped me understand even more their mission and where they were coming from.
October 31, 2025
Disclaimer: I received this book through an early reviewer program from LibraryThing. This was an excellent book. It follows two people who are dedicated to helping others in one of the most notorious and dangerous slums in Honduras. They eventually create a significant organization that has connections worldwide. During this rise, these two men and their families are faced with numerous challenges in trying to make their community, and later the country, better. It was not without cost though. Comrades were killed and they often had to straddle a fine line because in such a violent environment, some of the people they hired to investigate used some iffy tactics. For a religious based group, it seemed sometimes to be the lesser of two evils.
As the organization grew larger, and got more international support, they inevitably got involved in Honduran politics as they tried to address the massive corruption found throughout just about every Honduran government agency. Eventually, they hot burned by a president who, while helping them deal with corruption with the police and educational system, was discovered to be involved with narco-trafficking. This damaged their reputation and made it harder to reach their goals. This is an ongoing story, and I wonder if they will get close to those goals.
Another cost was more personal. As they became more involved they had to become more isolated, living in reinforced homes and riding in bulletproof cars. They missed the days they could interact in their neighborhoods with the people and not have to worry about themselves, or someone in their family, getting killed.
A well written book that keeps your interest and provides enough detail that you can see what is going on without getting bogged down.
As the organization grew larger, and got more international support, they inevitably got involved in Honduran politics as they tried to address the massive corruption found throughout just about every Honduran government agency. Eventually, they hot burned by a president who, while helping them deal with corruption with the police and educational system, was discovered to be involved with narco-trafficking. This damaged their reputation and made it harder to reach their goals. This is an ongoing story, and I wonder if they will get close to those goals.
Another cost was more personal. As they became more involved they had to become more isolated, living in reinforced homes and riding in bulletproof cars. They missed the days they could interact in their neighborhoods with the people and not have to worry about themselves, or someone in their family, getting killed.
A well written book that keeps your interest and provides enough detail that you can see what is going on without getting bogged down.
May 16, 2025
Normally wouldnt read this type of book , but I was locked in the whole time !!
October 13, 2025
something about this rubbed me the wrong way but the investigative journalism taught me a lot of Honduran history
June 23, 2025
Highly recommended for anyone who is involved in any type of charity work, whether directly or as a supporter. It reveals not only the associated messiness and complications, but makes real the faith, bravery and persistence required.
I also recommend reading the comments/reactions from ASJ (Kurt and Carlos) itself via their website at https://www.asj-us.org/bearwitness
I also recommend reading the comments/reactions from ASJ (Kurt and Carlos) itself via their website at https://www.asj-us.org/bearwitness
June 3, 2025
As someone who loves non-fiction, investigative journalism, and as someone who lived in Honduras and served at vulnerable communities as the one in Halperin's book, I can tell you this piece is one of the best books I've read in a long time!
November 18, 2025
“In Greek, the language of the New Testament, the word ‘martyr’ actually means ‘witness,’ and even after it seeped into English unaltered, ‘martyr’ remained, for a time, intrinsically linked to the act of bearing witness” (p. 115). This definition inspires the title for Ross Halperin’s new book, Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land. Halperin’s journalistic work allows readers to get a closer look at the brutality of daily life in Honduras and what two men, called by their faith, decided to do about it.
The book invites us to wrestle with some difficult questions: How far would you go to see wrongs made right? And how long would you fight in the face of immense obstacles?
As a former teacher of dozens of kids from Honduras, I was immediately drawn into Halperin’s narrative. The world my students fled from was sometimes hard to comprehend. More than once, I was gutted when the children received news from home about a friend or family member who had been kidnapped, raped, or murdered at the hands of local gangs. “Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. On average, children living in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are 10 times more likely to be killed than a child who lives in the United States” (https://www.asj-us.org/learn/honduras...).
Halperin tells the story of Carlos Hernández and Kurt Ver Beek, who moved their families into the neighborhood of Nueva Suyapa (within the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa) in the late 1990s. The two men, one Honduran and one American, worked to provide educational, legal, and other in-kind services. When they encountered entrenched violence (similar to what my students were fleeing from), they realized that safety was an even more urgent community concern. Meeting this need became their goal, even if that meant creating a secret group to hunt down local gang members and bring them to justice themselves.
Bear Witness recounts their successes and failures along the way and how their organization (Association for a More Just Society) grew to have national influence in the country of Honduras. But as their mission grew, the cost also grew. Each of the men have had to wrestle with the unexpected repercussions of their work.
While Halperin concludes that the relationship between the two men is what has sustained them, I think the answer is deeper than that. When I’ve found justice to be most elusive, I find strength and comfort in the idea that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against God’s church (Matthew 16:18). As Greg Boyd says in his book Is God to Blame?,
“The ‘gates of Hades’ represents everything that resists God’s loving will for the earth. Whenever people believe lies, the church is to storm the gates of Hades by proclaiming truth. Whenever people are treated as worthless, the church is to break through the gates of Hades, proclaiming that God created all people to have infinite value. Whenever people are oppressed by poverty, the church is to proclaim and work for justice. Whenever people are physically afflicted, the church is to proclaim and practice healing. Whenever people are oppressed by demonic powers, the church is to proclaim and practice deliverance. Whenever people are separated by racism, the church is to work to manifest the one new humanity Jesus died to create (Eph. 2:14). All these evils constitute the ‘gates of Hades’ the church must overthrow. By word and especially by deed, we are to express the truth that God is unsurpassable love, which he wants all to participate in” (p. 73).
It's a similar belief that I think has driven Kurt and Carlos to remain in this work for over 30 years.
In a climate where conversations about immigration can lack depth, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand the real-life forces that lead Hondurans to leave their country for the United States. And for those knee-deep in justice work, this book may mirror your understanding of the cost of this work and inspire you during the darkest parts of your journey. “Most people would not be able to tolerate such a frustrating endeavor, but Kurt and Carlos have, and Kurt and Carlos do” (p. 294).
Learn about the Association for a More Just Society at:
• U.S. Staff: https://www.asj-us.org
• Honduran Staff: https://asjhonduras.com
The book invites us to wrestle with some difficult questions: How far would you go to see wrongs made right? And how long would you fight in the face of immense obstacles?
As a former teacher of dozens of kids from Honduras, I was immediately drawn into Halperin’s narrative. The world my students fled from was sometimes hard to comprehend. More than once, I was gutted when the children received news from home about a friend or family member who had been kidnapped, raped, or murdered at the hands of local gangs. “Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. On average, children living in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are 10 times more likely to be killed than a child who lives in the United States” (https://www.asj-us.org/learn/honduras...).
Halperin tells the story of Carlos Hernández and Kurt Ver Beek, who moved their families into the neighborhood of Nueva Suyapa (within the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa) in the late 1990s. The two men, one Honduran and one American, worked to provide educational, legal, and other in-kind services. When they encountered entrenched violence (similar to what my students were fleeing from), they realized that safety was an even more urgent community concern. Meeting this need became their goal, even if that meant creating a secret group to hunt down local gang members and bring them to justice themselves.
Bear Witness recounts their successes and failures along the way and how their organization (Association for a More Just Society) grew to have national influence in the country of Honduras. But as their mission grew, the cost also grew. Each of the men have had to wrestle with the unexpected repercussions of their work.
While Halperin concludes that the relationship between the two men is what has sustained them, I think the answer is deeper than that. When I’ve found justice to be most elusive, I find strength and comfort in the idea that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against God’s church (Matthew 16:18). As Greg Boyd says in his book Is God to Blame?,
“The ‘gates of Hades’ represents everything that resists God’s loving will for the earth. Whenever people believe lies, the church is to storm the gates of Hades by proclaiming truth. Whenever people are treated as worthless, the church is to break through the gates of Hades, proclaiming that God created all people to have infinite value. Whenever people are oppressed by poverty, the church is to proclaim and work for justice. Whenever people are physically afflicted, the church is to proclaim and practice healing. Whenever people are oppressed by demonic powers, the church is to proclaim and practice deliverance. Whenever people are separated by racism, the church is to work to manifest the one new humanity Jesus died to create (Eph. 2:14). All these evils constitute the ‘gates of Hades’ the church must overthrow. By word and especially by deed, we are to express the truth that God is unsurpassable love, which he wants all to participate in” (p. 73).
It's a similar belief that I think has driven Kurt and Carlos to remain in this work for over 30 years.
In a climate where conversations about immigration can lack depth, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand the real-life forces that lead Hondurans to leave their country for the United States. And for those knee-deep in justice work, this book may mirror your understanding of the cost of this work and inspire you during the darkest parts of your journey. “Most people would not be able to tolerate such a frustrating endeavor, but Kurt and Carlos have, and Kurt and Carlos do” (p. 294).
Learn about the Association for a More Just Society at:
• U.S. Staff: https://www.asj-us.org
• Honduran Staff: https://asjhonduras.com
September 25, 2025
title: Bear Witness: The Pursuit of Justice in a Violent Land
author: Ross Halperin
publisher: Liveright
date: 2025
Ross Halperin has written the powerful story of two Christians who refuse to let fear or conventional wisdom stand in the way of what they know they should do..
The setting is the mountainside barrio of Nueva Suyapa in the Honduras. The area is under the control of a gang known for their cruelty. But this is where Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, and Carlos Hernández, a Honduran schoolteacher, chose to raise their families. Kurt and Carlos had committed their lives to helping the poor, recognizing that no one else: police, prosecutors, NGOs, were going to protect their neighbours from the incessant violence they suffered.
Ross Halperin chronicles how these two became quasi-vigilantes and charged into a series of life-and-death battles, not just with this one gang, but also with forces far more dangerous, including a notorious tycoon who commanded about a thousand armed men and a police force whose wickedness defied credulity. Kurt and Carlos would eventually get catapulted from obscurity to being famous power players who had access to the backrooms where legislators, ambassadors, and presidents pulled strings. Their efforts made some of the most violent neighborhoods on earth safer and arguably improved a profoundly corrupt government. But they were forced to compromise their principles in order to make all that happen, and furthermore, they acquired a large number of outraged critics and precipitated some heartbreaking collateral damage.
The way Halperin tells the story, it would make a great action film.
But behind all the drama, action, political, economic, and social conflict is the real-life hardships of poor Honduran citizens who are taken advantage of, abused, and killed by gangs, police, prison guards, and politicians. Even sadder is that churches, including those that call themselves evangelical, are complicit.
Change is hard. Change takes a long time. Change without compromising one's beliefs, morals, standards, principles, is hard - very hard.
Places like the barrios of Honduras are rife with the violence that often comes with being poor. In many of these hard places, criminals are often seen as heroes. The story of this violence and lack of justice can be repeated in hundreds of places around the world.
Their organisation tackled many issues rooted in the poverty and the abuse that affects the poor - from violence to education and health care.
A former student of Kurt and now a therapist
"hypothesized that what was really behind Peace and Justice was Kurt and Carlos's 'need to prove themselves strong and courageous in the face of a threat they have internalized as threatening their own identity and sense of control.'... She seemed to be suggesting that Kurt and Carlos were motivated not by radical selflessness or credos from an ancient age, but by a juvenile hero complex and a garden-variety machismo."
In some senses this book is frustrating... there is so much pain, violence, fear, corruption, lying and manipulation, electioneering abuses, lack of justice... and so little in the way of real solutions.
Near the end of the book, Halperin writes:
... their two-plus decades of all-in altruism, all-in courage, and all-in faith have not gotten them anywhere close to a satisfying conclusion... Maybe all Kurt and Carlos can ever expect is more toil, a lifelong climb that, instead of bringing them higher up a ladder, keeps them pinned to the side of a spinning wheel.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is involved in any type of charity work, whether directly or as a supporter. It reveals not only the associated messiness and complications, but also makes real the faith, bravery and persistence required.
#BearWitness
DISCLOSURE:
I received this book free through the Speakeasy blogging book review network.
I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinions I have expressed are my own.
author: Ross Halperin
publisher: Liveright
date: 2025
Ross Halperin has written the powerful story of two Christians who refuse to let fear or conventional wisdom stand in the way of what they know they should do..
The setting is the mountainside barrio of Nueva Suyapa in the Honduras. The area is under the control of a gang known for their cruelty. But this is where Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, and Carlos Hernández, a Honduran schoolteacher, chose to raise their families. Kurt and Carlos had committed their lives to helping the poor, recognizing that no one else: police, prosecutors, NGOs, were going to protect their neighbours from the incessant violence they suffered.
Ross Halperin chronicles how these two became quasi-vigilantes and charged into a series of life-and-death battles, not just with this one gang, but also with forces far more dangerous, including a notorious tycoon who commanded about a thousand armed men and a police force whose wickedness defied credulity. Kurt and Carlos would eventually get catapulted from obscurity to being famous power players who had access to the backrooms where legislators, ambassadors, and presidents pulled strings. Their efforts made some of the most violent neighborhoods on earth safer and arguably improved a profoundly corrupt government. But they were forced to compromise their principles in order to make all that happen, and furthermore, they acquired a large number of outraged critics and precipitated some heartbreaking collateral damage.
The way Halperin tells the story, it would make a great action film.
But behind all the drama, action, political, economic, and social conflict is the real-life hardships of poor Honduran citizens who are taken advantage of, abused, and killed by gangs, police, prison guards, and politicians. Even sadder is that churches, including those that call themselves evangelical, are complicit.
Change is hard. Change takes a long time. Change without compromising one's beliefs, morals, standards, principles, is hard - very hard.
Places like the barrios of Honduras are rife with the violence that often comes with being poor. In many of these hard places, criminals are often seen as heroes. The story of this violence and lack of justice can be repeated in hundreds of places around the world.
Their organisation tackled many issues rooted in the poverty and the abuse that affects the poor - from violence to education and health care.
A former student of Kurt and now a therapist
"hypothesized that what was really behind Peace and Justice was Kurt and Carlos's 'need to prove themselves strong and courageous in the face of a threat they have internalized as threatening their own identity and sense of control.'... She seemed to be suggesting that Kurt and Carlos were motivated not by radical selflessness or credos from an ancient age, but by a juvenile hero complex and a garden-variety machismo."
In some senses this book is frustrating... there is so much pain, violence, fear, corruption, lying and manipulation, electioneering abuses, lack of justice... and so little in the way of real solutions.
Near the end of the book, Halperin writes:
... their two-plus decades of all-in altruism, all-in courage, and all-in faith have not gotten them anywhere close to a satisfying conclusion... Maybe all Kurt and Carlos can ever expect is more toil, a lifelong climb that, instead of bringing them higher up a ladder, keeps them pinned to the side of a spinning wheel.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is involved in any type of charity work, whether directly or as a supporter. It reveals not only the associated messiness and complications, but also makes real the faith, bravery and persistence required.
#BearWitness
DISCLOSURE:
I received this book free through the Speakeasy blogging book review network.
I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 2, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded down.
This book tells the fascinating true story of Christian social activists who became involved in trying to change the criminal justice system in Honduras. The story begins with two friends deciding to take action against the constant gang violence in the dangerous neighborhood where they had chosen to live and minister. Gang members operated without fear of the law, due to justice system corruption and the unwillingness of witnesses to testify in court, due to the guarantee of violent retaliation.
These middle-aged dads and their nonprofit organization used many different strategies to change the tide of gang violence. They eventually saw marked success, and then their mission expanded to a crusade against a corrupt business tycoon, the depths of corruption within the police force and court system, and the national government.
Bear Witness is an excellent piece of reporting. Journalist Ross Halperin wrote this book with a crisp, engaging writing style, and he covered this sweeping, complicated story with critical details and an eye for the big picture. He also writes in an even-handed way, reflecting different viewpoints and opinions without making his own summary judgments about the people involved or the choices they made.
This story seems almost unbelievable at times, especially as Halperin emphasizes the very normal, down-to-earth nature of the people involved. Halperin highlights how the guiding ethics and beliefs of these Christian activists drove their work, even as they made dangerous choices with occasionally tragic results. The book explores the moral complexities in a very thoughtful way, allowing readers to come to their own conclusions.
However, Halperin's reporting covers so many years, situations, stories, and people that it can be difficult to follow at times. For example, bit players will disappear for long stretches of time and then come back into the narrative, and it can be hard to keep all of the names straight. The timeline jumps can also be confusing, as the author goes back and forth between the past, the more distant past, and the present. There were times where I appreciated the author slowing down to provide cultural background or historical context for things, but some of these explanations turned into excessive deep-dives. And yet, at other moments, I needed more context and couldn't figure out what was going on.
Sensitive readers should also be aware that this book includes many, repeated descriptions of graphic violence. These descriptions are a truthful part of telling this story, and the author does not sensationalize any of these gruesome events. However, some readers will find the disturbing details in this book difficult to stomach.
Bear Witness is a fascinating piece of reporting about a little-known, dramatic story of sincere Christians trying to make a difference in a developing nation with corrupt systems. This book will appeal to readers who appreciate well-reported, thought-provoking journalism about topics like social activism, true crime, government corruption, and how people of faith navigate ethical dilemmas. This book is a heavy and challenging read because of its dark content and the overwhelming array of details involved, but I am glad that I read this, and I would recommend it to readers who think this would be a good fit for them.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This book tells the fascinating true story of Christian social activists who became involved in trying to change the criminal justice system in Honduras. The story begins with two friends deciding to take action against the constant gang violence in the dangerous neighborhood where they had chosen to live and minister. Gang members operated without fear of the law, due to justice system corruption and the unwillingness of witnesses to testify in court, due to the guarantee of violent retaliation.
These middle-aged dads and their nonprofit organization used many different strategies to change the tide of gang violence. They eventually saw marked success, and then their mission expanded to a crusade against a corrupt business tycoon, the depths of corruption within the police force and court system, and the national government.
Bear Witness is an excellent piece of reporting. Journalist Ross Halperin wrote this book with a crisp, engaging writing style, and he covered this sweeping, complicated story with critical details and an eye for the big picture. He also writes in an even-handed way, reflecting different viewpoints and opinions without making his own summary judgments about the people involved or the choices they made.
This story seems almost unbelievable at times, especially as Halperin emphasizes the very normal, down-to-earth nature of the people involved. Halperin highlights how the guiding ethics and beliefs of these Christian activists drove their work, even as they made dangerous choices with occasionally tragic results. The book explores the moral complexities in a very thoughtful way, allowing readers to come to their own conclusions.
However, Halperin's reporting covers so many years, situations, stories, and people that it can be difficult to follow at times. For example, bit players will disappear for long stretches of time and then come back into the narrative, and it can be hard to keep all of the names straight. The timeline jumps can also be confusing, as the author goes back and forth between the past, the more distant past, and the present. There were times where I appreciated the author slowing down to provide cultural background or historical context for things, but some of these explanations turned into excessive deep-dives. And yet, at other moments, I needed more context and couldn't figure out what was going on.
Sensitive readers should also be aware that this book includes many, repeated descriptions of graphic violence. These descriptions are a truthful part of telling this story, and the author does not sensationalize any of these gruesome events. However, some readers will find the disturbing details in this book difficult to stomach.
Bear Witness is a fascinating piece of reporting about a little-known, dramatic story of sincere Christians trying to make a difference in a developing nation with corrupt systems. This book will appeal to readers who appreciate well-reported, thought-provoking journalism about topics like social activism, true crime, government corruption, and how people of faith navigate ethical dilemmas. This book is a heavy and challenging read because of its dark content and the overwhelming array of details involved, but I am glad that I read this, and I would recommend it to readers who think this would be a good fit for them.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
November 30, 2025
This book contains two main strands. The first is the story of Kurt and Carlos, two men with a kind of faith in God that is uncommon in the West today, who chose to live in a notoriously dangerous neighborhood the better to minister to the people there.
The second strand is a methodical examination of the unorthodox and innovative ways that Kurt and Carlos attempted to help the local community and the country of Honduras. They began by essentially attempting to backfill the local police, prosecutors and judges, who were more or less unable to convict or imprison any of the criminals in the Nueva Suyapa neighborhood. Having seen success in reducing crime by helping do that criminal justice work for the government, they expanded that idea vertically to the level of the national government, and horizontally to other areas of focus aside from criminal justice. In essence, filling in the gaps of state capacity in Honduras.
Kurt and Carlos were much more effective than you might have expected, which in my mind is both hopeful - it was possible all along to do better! - and disheartening, because it took an outsider to do the work. And it's not clear how sustainable the effort will be after they depart.
Thought provoking as a public policy experiment, and interesting as a personal narrative.
Halperin did an amazing amount of research and embedded reporting for this book. If you're interested in crime, state capacity, foreign aid, NGOs & charities, etc., this is worth a read.
The second strand is a methodical examination of the unorthodox and innovative ways that Kurt and Carlos attempted to help the local community and the country of Honduras. They began by essentially attempting to backfill the local police, prosecutors and judges, who were more or less unable to convict or imprison any of the criminals in the Nueva Suyapa neighborhood. Having seen success in reducing crime by helping do that criminal justice work for the government, they expanded that idea vertically to the level of the national government, and horizontally to other areas of focus aside from criminal justice. In essence, filling in the gaps of state capacity in Honduras.
Kurt and Carlos were much more effective than you might have expected, which in my mind is both hopeful - it was possible all along to do better! - and disheartening, because it took an outsider to do the work. And it's not clear how sustainable the effort will be after they depart.
Thought provoking as a public policy experiment, and interesting as a personal narrative.
Halperin did an amazing amount of research and embedded reporting for this book. If you're interested in crime, state capacity, foreign aid, NGOs & charities, etc., this is worth a read.
November 7, 2025
It is about the most violent part of Honduras, and the two friends who created an organization to fight it. I admire their strength, but the violence is overwhelming. It is almost impossible to protect the witnesses at a trial. They are trying to protect them, but it seems like an impossible battle.
Nueva Suyapa is the most violent place in Honduras. It was created when a hurricane flooded a river that bisects Tegucigalpa, flooding the little towns on the banks of the river, wiping the poor abodes out. There was no affordable area to go to, so the residents moved to a garbage dump. This town was also called Rag City. The conditions were deplorable.
One of the friends, Carlos Hernandez, had his parents separate, and he was shuffled from one relative to another. He wanted to be a schoolteacher and tried to get a job, finally getting one at Christian Charity.
Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, wants to make a true difference in people's lives. He and Carlos Hernandez team up to create an organization to protect the people in Nueva Suvapa from the overwhelming violence that was worse than the grueling poverty. They wanted to help people to get education and medical care, but also to protect the people. This is a monumental goal, where witnesses refused to testify at trials for fear of being shot.
Nueva Suyapa is the most violent place in Honduras. It was created when a hurricane flooded a river that bisects Tegucigalpa, flooding the little towns on the banks of the river, wiping the poor abodes out. There was no affordable area to go to, so the residents moved to a garbage dump. This town was also called Rag City. The conditions were deplorable.
One of the friends, Carlos Hernandez, had his parents separate, and he was shuffled from one relative to another. He wanted to be a schoolteacher and tried to get a job, finally getting one at Christian Charity.
Kurt Ver Beek, an American sociologist, wants to make a true difference in people's lives. He and Carlos Hernandez team up to create an organization to protect the people in Nueva Suvapa from the overwhelming violence that was worse than the grueling poverty. They wanted to help people to get education and medical care, but also to protect the people. This is a monumental goal, where witnesses refused to testify at trials for fear of being shot.
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June 15, 2025The recent deportations for alleged gang membership with Honduras' M16 and the subsequent imprisonment of the deported US residents left a lot of questions in my mind about the accused Central and South American migrants and immigrants to the US. What were the tattoos and their purposes? How did affiliation come about? So much in the news is distorted by government and report
This book is the story of a US missionary couple who made their home in Honduras and built an investigatory service into their ministry. I am not a fan of evangelism and I am critical of charity and white savior positioning in Black and Brown communities. I think the author did a pretty good job of maintaining balance between the benefits and the costs of the couple's enterprise and religious identities. More importantly, I learned a lot about the gangs in one period of history (~2005- 2023) and the political relationship between the US and Honduras.
This book is the story of a US missionary couple who made their home in Honduras and built an investigatory service into their ministry. I am not a fan of evangelism and I am critical of charity and white savior positioning in Black and Brown communities. I think the author did a pretty good job of maintaining balance between the benefits and the costs of the couple's enterprise and religious identities. More importantly, I learned a lot about the gangs in one period of history (~2005- 2023) and the political relationship between the US and Honduras.
September 15, 2025
As a disclaimer, this book is very investigative and might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I loved it! My heart yearns for this beautiful country. Our time in Honduras was pushed after the 2017 election to early 2018 and some of this book goes into the election/the aftermath. While living in Honduras, it was always hard to get verified facts/news on the current events and this book offered me context in terms of hard data that I only heard word of mouth. It was interesting to read about the intersection of government and ASJ because we were USA grant recipients working with students from colonias like Nueva Suyapa but also as Calvin grads. While the author doesn't delve too much into philosophy side of justice, the book leaves you realizing that justice is not black and white, thinking about my responsibility in achieving justice, and questioning what/if there is limit for that justice? If you liked "Everyone Who is Gone is Here" by Jonathan Blitzer, this should be on your list.
November 28, 2025
The country of Honduras (mainland) has never been on my list of summer vacation destinations, although I did stop at the island of Roatan two years ago while on a cruise (had a very good time there).
The book will certainly explain why Honduras is not on my bucket list. Bear Witness will take you from 1998 up to 2023, to some of the worse areas on earth, to some of the most corrupt people and to the people that "tried" to make it a better place for those individuals who were unfortunate enough of being born Hondurans.
This is an interesting read as you follow the lives of the main characters as they attempt to better the lives of the Honduran people who deal with death and corrupt government officials.
The story was dry in some places and the author touches on that in the "A Note on Sources" at the end of the book. Don't let that discourage you. It is still an interesting read. It makes you glad you live in United States of America.
The book will certainly explain why Honduras is not on my bucket list. Bear Witness will take you from 1998 up to 2023, to some of the worse areas on earth, to some of the most corrupt people and to the people that "tried" to make it a better place for those individuals who were unfortunate enough of being born Hondurans.
This is an interesting read as you follow the lives of the main characters as they attempt to better the lives of the Honduran people who deal with death and corrupt government officials.
The story was dry in some places and the author touches on that in the "A Note on Sources" at the end of the book. Don't let that discourage you. It is still an interesting read. It makes you glad you live in United States of America.
April 27, 2025
Tends to meander from a story being told about a group of people working towards justice to news article about those same people. I had hoped for more of the 'thriller, fast paced' story but this is not that, so it took some time to fully digest. Thankfully it is not heavy on the religious aspects, even though that is a key part of both Kurt and Carlos' identities.
This is about Kurt and Carlos and the charity they ran in Honduras that they used to fight for the people in multiple ways. Covering a lot of the struggles in a country that is very corrupt and the dangers that they faced along the way.
I won this in one of the giveaways.
This is about Kurt and Carlos and the charity they ran in Honduras that they used to fight for the people in multiple ways. Covering a lot of the struggles in a country that is very corrupt and the dangers that they faced along the way.
I won this in one of the giveaways.
October 21, 2025
I just could not get into this book and I’m not sure why.
Was it that it kept flipping to much from past and present.
Does it seem possible to take it on this corruption?
Extreme violence. But has anything really changed?
Why do outsiders need to come in to change things?
It needed a map to show the country that would have been good.
But I could not click with this book.
Was it that it kept flipping to much from past and present.
Does it seem possible to take it on this corruption?
Extreme violence. But has anything really changed?
Why do outsiders need to come in to change things?
It needed a map to show the country that would have been good.
But I could not click with this book.
September 8, 2025
After 200+pages I just had to give up. It just seemed to meander between the present government corruption and what they were trying to do. I am curious as to the siltation in Honduras today. Has anything really changed? The whole book just seemd to be a horrendous fairy tail.
June 7, 2025
Powerful book. Compellingly written. A demonstration of altruism and courage having an impact. This book will launch a towering career for a gifted writer, Ross Halperin.
July 31, 2025
Gripping journalism. Mr. Halperin has a very engaging and beautiful writing style. I hope this gets made into a movie or television show! Highly recommend.
September 1, 2025
Loved this book! So many names and places I know well. Beautiful reporting of ugly circumstance. So many examples of hope in the face of tragedy. A great read.
November 10, 2025
An incredibly disturbing story about life in Honduras. Also an impressive tale of the bravery of those standing up to corruption.
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