Storm
of the Soul
.
Dorris Murdock. Stepping Stone Pr. 1998.
Book Review by Joel
I found this book while staying at a bed and breakfast in Idaho City.
Dorris is the proprietor of the quaint cabin in the woods. This town is
northeast of Boise, on a long winding road. She was a very nice person,
and she had her books on a shelf where I purchased one and had her autograph
it.
This is a novel but from talking to her, I found it is based on her time
in Africa as a missionary’s wife. The forward says names have been
changed but that they all exist. The timeframe is late fifties early sixties,
I think. It is the story of her struggle with the challenges of living
in a primitive African village in northeastern Nigeria, and coming to
terms with her faith and what it means to be a missionary.
She gets right to the character of the African climate in the first paragraph,
with hot, humid days and lack of water. To the rainy days starting in
June that bring life back to the rivers and crop of corn, that sustains
them through the next dry season. The missionaries are there to convert
the Munga tribe and bring medicine and medical help to the region. The
story revolves around Rachel, the wife of John, the mission doctor, and
the other tribal women. A couple of exceptions are the tribal leader Mallam
Yusufu and Ali the cook. Mallam Yusufu is interesting; he and Rachel have
philosophical discussions and have a deep personal relationship. Rahila
is Rachel’s best friend, and together they hold each other up in
faith and survival.
It is an interesting read. I really liked the way Dorris has Rachel grow
in the book. From a missionary in the beginning, bringing salvation to
these people to seeing that it is a two-way relationship that is needed--both
parties have to bring something to the table in order to learn from each
other. It’s an important point in the book, and one that is forgotten
today.
She has real trials through the end of the book including having to send
her children 400 miles to school, to being pregnant in the African bush
country. Some issues are not resolved at the end but that is true to life
and to how the book was written.
A very good book.
Joel.
