Bring your Medicine if you like

The Daktari diaries

BRING YOUR MEDICINE IF YOU LIKE
By Peter S.V. Cox
Published privately and available from E. Cox, 24 Lambert Avenue, Leeds LS8 1NH.
Any profits arising from sales go to the church in Kenya with which Peter worked.
302 pages. £10.00 inc. p&p.

The author was a medical missionary for 22 years spanning the pre- and post-independence era in East Africa.

In 1957, having bought a tent, water-filters and a camp-chair, the author set himself up to start a health service in a remote and arid region of Uganda. Through many captivating stories of incident and adventure, including plane accidents, snake bites and spear in-juries, a picture emerges of a man with a great zest for living, relishing the challenge of pioneering work, enjoying the beautiful landscape and getting to know the nomadic herdsmen of the region and their ancient ways. Integral to the narrative are his thoughts on many of the issues of missionary service and, in particular, the questions of race and culture that can cause so much angst.

Like many others in missionary service, he asked himself what right he had to go and try to change anyone else's way of life. His reflections give the lie to the secular caricature of the arrogant and insensitive missionary mind. Through an understanding born of experience, a gentle humility and an ease with his faith, Peter Cox makes pertinent observations useful to any Christians working with those of a different culture - whether abroad or in the UK. Line drawings, including maps, interspersed with the text add to an enjoyable and informative read.

Dr. Andrew Sharp, Leicester
The reviewer spent his childhood in Uganda, where his father was a medical missionary.