Faith Like Potatoes
Potatoes are an excellent metaphor for Angus Buchan’s book, Faith Like Potatoes. A good-looking stalk may hide a rotten crop under ground. As is taught by Christianity, you may be successful in this world without God, but there will always be that Christ shaped empty space in your heart that only God himself may fill for any one person to be happy. Angus Buchan was born into Southern Rhodesia, which is now modern day Zimbabwe. He grows up as a Christian and is slowly drawn away from Christ as he begins to study agriculture. He shows no reliance on God as he lives his young successful life without much hardship. He even goes to describe himself as “an arrogant, successful, self-made man". (Buchan, 17) A self reliant, hard working, and diligent man eventually realizes that he is helpless without a greater power. He is invited to a church community where he becomes a religious man. He starts to preach to the populace of Africa. He and his wife grow closer as a result of his relationship with God. He continues his success on the farm, in business, in preaching, in organizations, and ultimately in his successful life. Considering the life of the average modern college student or businessman, this seems to be quite the ideal life and lifestyle. As quoted from Lynn Fowler’s Review, “The only really negative experience in the book comes when his young nephew is thrown from a tractor Buchan is driving, and killed.” (Fowler, Lynn. "Faith Like Potatoes." Rev. of Book. Faith Like Potatoes. Monarch Books. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. Web.) Even in the almost ideal life, death will remain. However, Angus Buchan Almost immediately recovers from his distress and mourning and goes back to the hardworking, almost utopian man he used to be. This book gives an optimistic “Happy-go-lucky” outlook on life. Even when under the threat of being killed they go on with life normally. “They had seen some terrorists about to attack our convoy, and soldiers were chasing them through the bush. We
Cited: 1. Buchan, Angus, and Val Waldeck. Faith like Potatoes. [Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa]: A. Buchan and V. Waldeck, 1998. Print. 2. Fowler, Lynn. "Faith Like Potatoes." Rev. of Book. Faith Like Potatoes. Monarch Books. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 3. Kaplan, Steven. "The Africanization of Missionary Christianity: History and Typology." Journal of Religion in Africa 16.3 (1986): 166-86. Print.