Surprised by Laughter

by Stephen Carr

The impression of Africa that is given by the media to most people in the West, is of a continent racked by brutal civil wars, ruled by kleptocratic elites and riddled with corruption. True as much of this information is, 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 successful projects and the adaptability of these mutually supportive men and women. The author and his remarkable wife, Anne, defied the conventions of their own society and 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. He relates the initial struggles with language and dialect, which vary according to the region, and which often led to some amusing, if not embarrassing incidents. The whole book is testimony to the ability 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.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 2004

Reviews

[Philip Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing engaging life Stephen and Anne Carr lived and how forcefully and creatively they resisted the conventional expectations - agricultural/ missionary - of the mid 20th century and onwards in favour of sitting under the deeper wisdom of those smallholders in Sudan and elsewhere. What an inspiration!