Surprised by Laughter
Some good news out of AfricaThe impression of Africa given by the western media is of a continent racked by brutal civil wars and riddled with corruption. True as this may be, it gives no indication of the fact that for millions of Africans in remote villages their dominant concerns are the welfare of their families and cohesion of their community.
This book is a tribute to those unsung people and highlights the succesful projects and the adaptability of these mutually supportive men and women.
The author and his wife, Anne, have devoted their lives to assisting the agricultural, religious and educational development of some of the remotest parts of Africa, particularly Southern Sudan.
Stephen describes the joys and difficulties of such a basic existence, how the nearest town could be two days drive (if you had a vehicle), and how the local wildlife sometimes, literally, lived right on the doorstep.
The whole book is a testimony to the ablity of Africans to laugh despite the adverse conditions with which they are often faced. It is a colourful, enthralling memoir and the author's fifty years of experience provide some unusual and remarkable insights.
The author:
Stephen Carr served as a CMS missionary in Nigeria, Sudan and Uganda before, in 1973, being appointed as Director of Agriculture in the government of Southern Sudan. Becoming an agricultural advisor to the Prime Minister's Office in Tanzania, in 1978 he was recruited by the World Bank; eventually becoming Principal Agriculturist covering all of sub-Saharan Africa. Retiring to Malawi in 1989, he continues to develop initiatives to benefit small farmers. Stephen was awarded the OBE in 1977.