Playa Perdida — Dan Schmidt

A decade of pastoring cranky congregations has left Gray Albright badly frayed. Wanting to make sure he doesn't come apart at the seams, friends send Gray to Panama for a much-needed vacation. But storms force his plane down early, and before he knows it, Gray and his family are in Playa Perdida, an uncharted beach town in Central America.The expatriates living there ask Gray to start a church for their community, to which he says no. Then the congregation back home decides to fire him and so, at the urging of his wife Moira, Gray reconsiders. They move south, into a duplex next to an Austrian couple with dogs; their new used car needs a full-time mechanic. But the ocean is a mile away, as is fantastic coffee at Café Café. And the job? Gray finds himself among expatriates who have washed up on this beach from all over the world--like Slot, a one-armed, big-hearted vet; the dowager Charlotte Pipe; a surfing sage; a garage band whose members have surprising depth; and, a gaggle of other off-beat charlatans and saints. With a laconic pace, gentle humor and attention to detail, Playa Perdida draws readers into life among quirky expats under the radar on the edge of obscurity. As Gray discovers, they're people with checkered pasts and uncertain futures--people like himself--in need of second chances.+++++---Dan Schmidt has a terrific mind and a gift for language. In Playa Perdida, he has drawn on a world he knows well to craft a tale you will not forget.John Ortberg Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; Menlo Park, CA---Not only has Dan Schmidt created interesting and believable characters, but he has presented them in lively, witty, and insightful prose. This novel is a must-read for all pastors, and for anyone closely related to a pastor. Crystal Downing Professor of English and Film Studies; Messiah College; Grantham, PA---Playa Perdida transports the reader to a tropical testing ground, where we all figure out what's important and what's not. The characters are authentic, the description effortlessly vivid. You will think you're there.Randy Petersen Author, playwright---What better summer beach reading could there be than a book about a beach? Really, Playa Perdida is a great read for any season. It deals with the quiet drama of spiritual growth - through endearing characters and an engaging story in a captivating setting.Brian McLaren (brianmclaren.net) Author/speaker