Reader's Guide for Women of the Last Supper:
2010 Revised and Expanded Edition
Note: Responding to just a couple of these questions per chapter will often
be sufficient for meaningful study. For photos of disciple portrayals at Millie's church, click the tab for "Dramatization Tips."
1 – What new insights about each disciple and discipleship do you have as you focus on these story vignettes and their New Testament references at the end of the chapters?
2 – In a cross-reference Bible, review the Old Testament passages cross-referenced in some of the New Testament references applying to each disciple.
3 – In addition to what's mentioned in these disciple stories, what do you know from historical sources (like Josephus or Eusebius) or early Christian tradition and legend about each disciple?
4 – Based on your knowledge and/or research, compare the Protestant,
Greek Orthodox, and Catholic views of the disciple/s you're focusing on –
for example: Mary, Jesus' mother, or Mary Magdalene. Although this has interesting results, you may not be able to do this for all of the disciples.
5 – What aspects of each disciple's believer-follower life would you like to emulate, or perhaps already do? And how has that transformed your life, or someone you know?
6 – What new insights about Jesus do you have from reflecting on his interaction with each of these disciples and the people around them?
7 -- In the 2000 years since the early days of Christianity and these disciples, do you think the essence of Christianity has changed? How or how not?
The Reader's Guide for Women of the Last Supper follows the one for
Hungry River. Both are available free as printable attachments by emailing millie@milliesbooks.org.
Reader’s Guide and Photos for Hungry River
1 – How does the Historical Preface of Hungry River: A Yangtze Novel add to the reader’s/your appreciation of the setting of the story of Lizzie and Nils and their family? When did you read the Preface – before or after you read the novel or both?
2 – Comment on the importance of the “hungry river” metaphor and analogy throughout the novel. Do you “love” and/or “fear” rivers like the novel’s characters?
3 – Have you visited China? If so, how does that increase your interest in the novel?
4 – Bandits back then around 1900 and terrorists and pirates today have much in common. Discuss the implications and comparisons with current events.
5 – Were you surprised at the life-long close bond between Lizzie and Oliver and their families? Share similar experiences from your own life (if you can) or others that you know about.
6 – How have Lizzie and Nils or other characters in Hungry River inspired you to be a more determined disciple of Christ’s?
7 – Share your beliefs about the devil, evil spirits, possession, and exorcism. Have your beliefs changed after reading Hungry River? Are your beliefs Biblically based or culturally based?
8 – Foot binding is no longer practiced (thank God!), but what other types of “binding” do women – and children and men – still suffer around the world?
9 – How does knowing this story is mostly true for the author’s family make you feel? Would you have preferred it as non-fiction biography instead of novelized story? Explain.
10 – Why are you hoping to read more about Lin Hui-ching in the sequel, Dragon Wall (nearing completion)? And who else?
11 – If you have missionaries or other overseas workers in your family, share how that has informed your international and multicultural perspectives, and therefore affected your reading of Hungry River.
12 – What is something you’ll never forget about the story of Hungry River?
From Millie's Author’s Comments at the end of Hungry River: A Yangtze Novel:
Fashioning a trilogy of heirloom story-quilt novels has been personally rewarding beyond all expectations! As I examined my family’s records and mementoes long stored in my China boxes, I was deeply touched by the meaningful pattern in story that emerged from the memories – memories daring, tragic and joyous. But most importantly, my family’s story affirms the blessings of faith in God through Jesus Christ – a faith available to every person, in every country, of every millennium!
The real-life Nils and Lizzie celebrate their 1895 marriage in Shanghai, China. In real life, they were Philip and Lizzie (Newquist) Nilsson/Nelson, Millie’s grandparents.
Here is the real-life family wedding photo behind the novel's story of Alfred and Meggie’s wedding. Meggie and Alfred (on the right) were Millie’s parents and in real life, Fred and Blanche (Ivers) Nelson. However, in real life, this was the wedding of Blanche’s sister Eva Ivers to Granville Bennett. Also in real life, Alfred was the one who went on his brother Arthur's honeymoon to Iowa to visit their parents newly arrived in the States from China. So all true, just “rearranged” a bit. :-)
Little Abbie (author Millie in real life) poses proudly beside her Marine Corps father. As Abbie/Millie writes in Hungry River’s Prolog journal, if the Chinese Communists had known about Alfred’s/Fred's U.S. military service and subsequent informing for the military, her family might never have left China alive in 1950.
This 500-plus-year-old ancient jade (?) "bandit teapot" was given in gratitude to Millie's grandfather for saving a town with his gun from both ferocious Siberian wolves and killer bandits who called themselves "wolves." The story in Hungry River is like it happened in real life
and as documented in Philip Nelson's memoirs.
Pagoda photo from "Alfred's" old China collection.
Salvation Army Captain Lizzie, in real life and in Hungry River, as she was when she met Nils/Philip.
One of Millie's mother's Bible classes for women in "old" China to help you visualize the bound feet in Hungry River. Look very closely at the feet of the second and third women from the right. The other three women's feet are unbound, still small and painful, but not nearly as crippling.
The Yangtze River story of "missionary-merchants" Nils and Lizzie and their daughter Hilda is told in Hungry River.
