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5.0étoiles sur 5
Good vs. Evil, Aoû 8 2008
This review is from: When Cobras Laugh (Paperback)
"South India has three seasons: the rainy season, the hot season, and the very hot season. In April, fans whirling at top-speed make paperweights essential office equipment. Work begins at 7 .a.m., an hour earlier than usual, allowing a two-hour break from the midday heat that penetrates even to the bone."
So begins When Cobras Laugh, an honest and not-always-flattering presentation of the lives of two missionaries, one, a doctor, serving in India, the other, a graphic artist, ministering in South Africa during Apartheid. The theme is a classic one - good versus evil - in which we see that, wherever God is at work, there, too, is the devil busy. Both of the men quickly have their hopes and dreams smashed upon arrival in their new homes, surprisingly, not by the indigenous populations, but by their fellow missionaries and doctors as racism and politics interfere with their efforts. While one grows from the trials and overcomes, the other gives in to temptation and falls.
Sometimes, in reading about foreign lands, I wonder how accurate the portrayal of the countries and their people are. Knowing both these authors personally, I can tell you that they have taken real people and real events and skillfully woven them together in a fiction that gives a true portrait of two countries in turmoil and two men with good intentions who get caught up in the chaos. The descriptions of the locales took me to those far-off places to see, hear and feel what the protagonists did. And, as someone who knows nothing about medicine, I found the medical research undertaken by the doctor particularly fascinating, explained in terms that even I could understand.
I found this novel better than Barbara Kingsolver's well-known The Poisonwood Bible (which also tells the story of missionaries and their struggles) and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good read.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Impact of Reality, Jui 13 2008
This review is from: When Cobras Laugh (Paperback)
Often, we read about the lives of missionaries as if they are superheroes of mythical proportions. Not with this book! This is faith stripped of its hypocritical facades. Spiritual warfare gets messy. The battle is not where you expect it! Reality hits hard. Both authors base their understanding of humanity on their own experiences and observations as real-life missionary warriors. Their created characters connect with and challenge me. What would I do in similar situations? I experience disappointment at their failures, exuberance at their victories, and agony over their decisions. As in life, somethings change for the better, and some things don't. I am subtly challenged by this book, to evaluate my own life, realizing that all actions are leading towards a destination in the future.
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