WATCH Short book excerpt VIDEOS:

1. Unseen People Video 1 2. This Week in Unseen People Episode 2 3. Episode 3: Author Website

4. Episode 4: Intro 5. Episode 5: Chapter 1 6. Episode 6: My reading chair 7. Episode 7: Mom, are you worrying?

8. Episode 8: Chapter 3- Did you hear that? 9. Episode 9: Chapter 4- Questions at the Crossroads 10. Episode 10: My outdoor writing space

11. Episode 11: How to Pray for your neighbors 12. Episode 12: Chapter 6- Seeing the Underserved in a Nation of Plenty

Episode 13: Resources for Writing and for Life

Download and Read the Introduction to Unseen People. Click here: Unseen People Intro

DESCRIPTION: God calls us all to live a life of purpose -- to live prepared to be on mission and go where He needs us both locally and globally. Through life-shaping stories, Unseen People offers encouragement, inspiration and prepares our hearts when it’s time to go. Sometimes the hard places He guides us to are next door, not around the world. The call is the same -- to see and serve people, to hear and share their stories. You will be different. Their stories will shape you, change you and challenge you to keep going.

God stirs the desire in His followers to be a world-changer--to do more than give money and pray for people in need. Many followers want to live out the gospel with their lives. We know that everyone has a unique story to tell. Unseen People leads us to accept the fact that God made and loves all people of the world, regardless of where they live, and He has tasked us to see, listen, get prepared and go.

THE UNSEEN PROCESS — How The Book, Unseen People, Is Being Born

This book was a slow birth. Sometimes painful. Mostly joyful.

1. Sept. 2011. It began as a collection of blog posts under the Wordpress title, Oh The Great Places You'll Go in 2011. This was a time of great transition in my life. I had resigned my church missions position and forged a new path as Indonesia Country Director for the nonprofit, She Is Safe. This blog was my outlet to tell stories about my travels and the people I met along the way. I also told stories about my therapy dog, Daisy, and the people we met in the hospital and in nursing homes. And always I included stories about my family. My church. And the coffee I drank on my back porch.

2. Jan. 2021 Fast forward 10 years when life took another turn and I began my freelance content writing business, DLS Communicator for Global Good. DLS Website Even as the Covid year came and went, I continued to write my stories but began to wonder if my words could have a wider audience, perhaps in book form.

3. March 2021. I began searching for book agents and publishers. I received a lot of rejections. It never got easy. I also attended an online writer’s conference and pitched my book idea to agents. At that time, the working title was, “Why Do You Want to Go There?” Even though I met rejection after rejection, I also gained some valuable, helpful critique. One agent in particular didn’t take me on as a client, but still offered me his seasoned wisdom. He helped shape my ideas and book proposal into something more formidable.

4. Much time was spent reshaping my manuscript. Organizing it into a more acceptable piece of work.

5. April 2021. I became a member of Hope*Writers H*W Website during this time and gained access to a huge library of help and a large community of support. I began to learn more and more about book publishing. That process continues.

6. I sent my book proposal to many, many publishers. I’ve lost count. I learned at Hope*Writers there is more than one way to publish a book. There are traditional Christian book publishers and there are self-publishing opportunities. And there is also hybrid publishing. So many options!

7. June 2022. Until one day… I met Ambassador International publishers. And that is where Unseen People will be born. Oh happy day. It has been accepted for publication. The contract was signed in November 2022. I’ve received endorsements and I’ve done all the required paperwork — including a marketing plan and contracts. I’ve set up new social media platforms and launched a new Substack weekly blog/newsletter — A Good Word Wednesday. It helps me connect to readers and keep my writing skill fresh. And offer good words of hope and encouragement. Everybody needs that.

8. February 2023. I’m waiting now for edits to begin and the journey to continue. Although I’ve been a writer for a very long time and a communicator on many levels, book publishing is a whole new world for me. I will keep you posted.

9. As of March 27 2023, I have been assigned an editor and the first round of edits has begun! Yay!

10. The editing process continues and is in the capable hands of an Ambassador International editor. BUT… the book has also been forwarded to the staff artist to begin the book cover design! Can’t wait to see it and share it with you! I feel like that’s when it gets real for all of us!

11. August 2023. The book continues to be in the editing phase. According to my editor, it will most likely be the end of September before this step is completed. We are still awaiting book cover art. The process with that is — I will most likely receive two different designs. I can either accept one of those, or make suggestions and request a third design. At that point, I will select one of those or I can also request another design, but it would require extra expense and time.

12. Sept. 2023. I received the first round of edits from my editor. I was apprehensive as I opened the document wondering what types of mistakes she would highlight and what changes she would suggest. To my delight, I found a very thorough, thoughtful edit. Most of it was correcting capitalizations and ensuring consistency in wording. I also found some suggestions to change a few small things that I never would have thought of on my own, but make a big difference. That’s what a good editor does — helps the manuscript be the best it can be. It makes for better reading to make the message clearer. I’m profoundly grateful for my editor, Shannon, as she digs into the remainder of the chapters and completes the editing process. We think this phase of editing will go faster now that we are into it. Then, I will approve or make the needed changes. After that, it goes to the editor-in-chief at Ambassador International, Katie, for one final editorial viewing. No release date has been set yet for Unseen People. I will keep you posted. I’m still awaiting cover design options.

13. Oct. 2023. The editing process drags on. This has been a long six month wait so far and may still be two more months, according to Shannon. Hopefully it will be sooner. I will let you know the progress here.

14. Oct. 2023. Ups and downs in the process continue. My editor-in-chief, Katie, tells me Unseen People is scheduled to release next August. Seems like a long time away. I’m just saying “next summer.” Some how that sounds better. However, I did receive the first cover design. It’s gorgeous. I wish I could show it to you. But, you will have to wait until the time is right. I can hardly wait to show you.

15. Nov. 2023 In about nine months from now, I will officially give birth to my book baby, August, 3 2023. I have an ISBN number and a placeholder on Amazon and BookBubs. One day, this will be complete and preorders can happen. It’s coming! Take a look. This makes it feel more real: Amazon Link to Unseen People and Goodreads Unseen People

16. Nov 2023 COVER DESIGN REVEALED! See at the top of the page. When I saw it, I immediately loved it. I’ve shown it to a limited number of family and friends, and now you! I’d love to hear what you think. I will officially reveal it in February as I press forward with the book launch plans approximately six months ahead of publication.

17. Dec. 2023 — I now have 69 of the 190 pages to review edits. Lots of work to do!

18. Feb. 6, 2024– Completed 60 more pages of edits. We are about 2/3 complete with edits now.

19. March 5, 2024 — Received edits for the rest of the book! It is now in the hands of the Ambassador International Editor In Chief, Katie Cruice Smith, for final edits

20. April 2024 — The book has gone through two more rounds of edits with the editor-in-chief.

21. April 3, 2024 — The manuscript clears through editing. Now on to the design phase.

EXCERPT from Unseen People: On a boat… In the dark… In Indonesia

Was this really happening? Surreal. Suspenseful. Sensory overload.

I sat in the front of the motor boat, speeding across the ocean in the waters surrounding the island of Sumatra — the sea-salted wind streaming through my hair. Was it real? Was I half a world away in a small boat with eight other people headed for the shores of the big Indonesian island? The tropical beauty was too much to absorb — small green islands topped with palm trees dotted the seascape — puffy white clouds and a setting orange sun painted the western sky behind us. I stated the obvious to Katy, my fellow teammate seated beside me, “I’m on a boat… In Indonesia.” It was so hard to process the reality and believe we were there. When a brilliant rainbow formed in front of us, God seemed to proclaim, “This place is truly a treasure that I’ve created, full of people who need to know me.”

However, the mystical beauty soon faded as the sun set and we found ourselves in the dark, on the sea with only a small flashlight the boat captain used to scan the dangers directly in front of us. On a boat. In the dark. In Indonesia.

I had asked many people to pray for me on that day. I don’t like water that much, as you already know. I’m okay being on the water in a boat, or wading along the safe shore, but I have no desire to be immersed in it. It’s a phobia I need to conquer, but I didn’t want to deal with it at that moment in time. As always, God was faithful and we made it back to the dock and I didn’t experience an unexpected swim in the dark waters.

That was only one remarkable moment on that trip to Indonesia. The team of three She Is Safe sisters and I traveled with shared many amazing moments along our journey, such as:

• Watching women in self-help groups sewing, crocheting, and making soap to create items to sell to earn much-needed income for their families. They saved money to start businesses and pay for school fees to send their children to school, and to earn respect from their husbands and village leaders.

• Tasting and trying to swallow a small bite of durian fruit. I don’t ever recall gagging on food, but I just could not get past the pungent odor. Never again.

• Tossing about in a storm in a 15-passenger airplane. Our ministry partner grabbed my hand and started to sing a hymn. I experienced the great faithfulness of our Father as He guided the pilots to a safe landing.

• Hearing the gut-wrenching stories of a mother and 17-year-old pregnant daughter-in-law who were both being continually beaten and abused by their husbands. We encouraged the young woman to find safety to protect her unborn child. We listened through tears and prayed that God would provide comfort and peace and change the actions of men who caused such harm and sadness. I’ve introduced you to Rina in other stories in these pages.

• Traveling back up the mountain in Sumatra, up the winding and bumpy roads that caused us to continually sway into each other and be very grateful for a dosage of Dramamine. On one of those journeys on a Sunday morning, we worshiped together, singing hymns in harmony — Indonesian sisters and a brother and American sisters joining together to offer praise to our common King. I loved impromptu worship services where language and culture aren’t a barrier because we served the same Savior.

• Sitting in a crowded car after receiving the message that my Daddy had passed away. We all worked together to put a plan in motion that would allow me to arrive home a day earlier than scheduled just in time to attend his funeral. I knew so many people were praying from Oklahoma to London, to Indonesia and many locations in between for connections to be made and travels to be smooth. God certainly heard and answered those prayers and my amazing journey ended beside the casket of my sweet Daddy. My mother, sister and brother gave me the gift of support to go ahead with my She Is Safe trip even if he should die before I returned.  I will forever be grateful for that gift of freedom to go and serve in the way God has provided for me. I certainly hoped Daddy would have been healed and I would get to see him again completely well. But that wasn’t meant to be. I am forever grateful that God gave me His grace to both go and serve and also return to be with my family on the day we said goodbye to Daddy.

I’m thankful to everyone who made the adventure to Indonesia happen for me– who provided support through financial gifts and words of encouragement and persistent prayers. I wondered about the next trip if I would find myself again on a boat, in the dark… In Indonesia — experiencing another journey into the land of brilliant rainbows, tropical storms and winding mountain roads. Who knows what great places you’ll go when God provides open doors? Who knows how many unseen people you will discover?

PRAISE for Unseen People:

In the fascinating pages of Unseen People, you will get to journey with a true Global Ambassador of Hope, DeAnna Sanders. I have had the privilege of seeing some of DeAnna’s love, warmth, humor and hope shine in all kinds of places, for all kinds of people: from Oklahoma to Georgia to Indonesia. She doesn’t serve up a wistful kind of hope. Rather, she offers the kind that creates change in people across the street and around the world. Enjoy big helpings for yourself and watch the people you touch light up.

Michele Rickett

Founder and CEO

She Is Safe