Poikka's Story

A missionary alone in the Peruvian jungle. A fearless dachshund who refuses to leave her side. And a snake as long as a man is tall, coiled just feet from her door.

When Lila Smiley left Oregon to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators, she never expected her fiercest protector to come on four short legs. Poikka wasn't bred for courage--dachshunds rarely are--but from the moment he chose her, he faced down boas, guarded her jungle home, and refused to back down no matter the danger.

Poikka's S...