Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak: The Rebirth of an Amazon Tribe
From the first pages of this delightful memoir, the missionaries in question—Davey from Canada, Marie from Miami—do not take themselves too seriously. Although they leave their friends and family behind to teach Bible lessons to indigenous people, the Wilos, in the Amazon jungle, they make no attempt to hide their shortcomings, which include dubious attempts to hide from the people they are there to serve. There are also many adventures in the jungle. They go wild-pig hunting, spear fish among alligators, and sample the native cuisine. They encounter death and try to make sense of the Wilos’ complex kinship system. But their biggest goal and challenge, as well as a consistent theme throughout the narrative, is to learn a language unknown to the outside world sufficiently in order to give Bible lessons. Whether large or small, their hard-fought victories are celebrated by the couple with grace and good humor. An entertaining read, especially for anyone interested in the missionary life. --June Sawyers