What was it like to be a missionary kid (MK) in rural Africa fifty years ago? And how does that experience shape a person's adult life on returning to the West? In this engaging memoir, the author addresses those questions--and many others--through the retelling of various childhood experiences and unusual adventures in northern Nigeria, along with a vivid description of life in a boarding school for MKs. He recounts tales of road trips and hikes, of snakes, baboons, and hippopotami, and of being caught out in a ferocious sandstorm . . . . At one point he visited a remote community that had never seen a white boy before!
In addition, Tim Reddish reflects on the legacy of his parents' missionary activities in the context of the recent devastation caused by the militant group Boko Haram. He also briefly explores important broader issues, such as the relationship between British missionaries and colonialism and the enduring theological influence of missionaries on the Nigerian church. These timely reflections bring a contemporary element to those historical missionary activities, making them of further relevance for today.
Industry Reviews
“We were all taught to look up to missionaries as exemplary Christians, the ones doing what we all should do. But beyond the romance, what is it like to be a missionary? Even more intriguingly, what is it like to be the child of a missionary? Tim Reddish sympathetically but critically explores these questions in this excellent and fascinating memoir. He takes us with him to the mission fields in Nigeria where his parents served. He also provides later reflections on the impact (positive and negative) this had on himself and his faith, as well as on mission work. It’s a very revealing, insightful, and thought provoking read.”
—Stuart Macdonald, Professor of Church and Society, Knox College, University of Toronto
“Recollections and Reflections: A Missionary Kid’s African Experiences is an exhilarating memoir that takes readers on a remarkable journey, which traverses different communities in Nigeria, especially in the northern region of the country. This memoir masterfully draws upon personal experiences while detailing missionary activities and their interactions with the sociopolitical, religious, and economic environment of Nigeria from the 1970s onward. It presents a sympathetic examination of these activities with perceptive insights that will captivate readers from start to finish.”
—Victor Ezigbo, Professor of Theology and World Christianity, Bethel University
“Tim Reddish has penned a delightful retelling of his youthful years living in Nigeria. Included are adventures that will have you alternately laughing, crying, and holding your breath. At the end of each section, he shares reflections and interpretations which enhance the significance of his stories. He has also provided a useful summary of the pros and cons of the TCK (third culture kid) experience. His musings helped me to revisit my past and facilitated further processing and healing for me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who lived abroad at any point during their childhood.”
—Debbie Jones Warren is a missionary kid and third culture storyteller
“In this memoir, one that is full of wonderful descriptions, Reddish brings to life—and reflects on—his years spent in rural Nigeria in the 1970s as a young boy and teenager. Born to British missionaries, he offers a personal glimpse into Nigeria’s culture in the remote villages where his family lived and worked. With youthful curiosity and cultural sensitivity, he paints a vivid picture of the people, landscapes, local foods, and fauna—including the ever-present danger of scorpions and snakes—all of which remain etched in his memory. This is a captivating account of cultural exchange, personal growth, and an honest and personal reckoning of missionary endeavors in general. His insights into the missionary life reveal the duality of goodwill and the negative consequences that can accompany missionary work or foreign economic intervention. As an American, growing up in Mexico City, and now a citizen of Canada, I found this memoir brought back memories of my childhood lived in two cultures at once, with both its challenges and its richness. It is like living in limbo and in an expanded universe at the same time; an upbringing I would not change for all the money in the world.”
—Mike Maroney, Retired Presbyterian Minister
