The Christmas Story in Liberian English

I first saw this lovely telling of the Christmas story on Rachel's blog. It is taken from a book called "Every Man Heart Lay Down" by Lorenz Graham. I found a description of the book:

Here is the story of the birth of Jesus retold in the idiom of Liberians newly acquainted with the English language. To the storytellers of Liberia, Bible stories become poems, or spoken songs. So it is with this simple and tender version of the Nativity.

As you read it, imagine a rich African voice reading it straight into your soul. Enjoy!

"Every Man Heart Lay Down"

Long time past - before your father live - before his father live
Before his father's father live - long time past
Before them big tree live - before them big tree's father live
That time God live.And God look on the world - that He done make
And Him heart no lay down.
And He walk about in the town to see the people.
And He sit down in the palaver house to know the people.
And He sorry too much.
And God say "The people no hear My Word.
The people no walk My way. Nev mind.
All I can do is make a new country - and make new people."
And this time God's one small boy - Him small child
Hear God's Word, And the child grieve for people and for His Pa.
So he go for God's face and make talk for His Pa.
"Pa, I come for beg you," so He say,
"I come for beg you; Don't make the new world.
Don't lose the people what you done care for. I beg you.
Make it I go, I talk to people. I walk with people. Bye-m-bye
They savvy the way."
And the child go down softly softly and hold God's foot. (i.e.begged Him)
So God look on Him small boy. And Him heart be very soft.
And God say,Left me now, but hear me good;
If you go you must be born like a man
You must live like a man - and you must have hurt and have hunger.
And hear me good; men will hate you and they will flog you,
and bye-m-bye they will kill you, and I no going put my hand there."(i.e. interfere)
And the Child say, "I agree."And bye-m-bye God call Mary to be Ma for the child.
Now Mary be new wife for Joseph and Joseph ain't touch Mary self.
So first time Joseph vex. But God say, 'Nev min', Joseph; this be God palaver.
And Joseph heart lay down.
And God see one king who try for do good for all him people."
Ahah, now I send my Son for be new king."
And God send star to call the king.
And in a far country, God hear a wise man call his name.
And God say to the wise man, "I send my Son to be new wise man;Go now with the star."
And the star call. And the wise men follow.And by the waterside - men lay down to take rest.
And they hear fine music in the sky like all the stars make song,
And they fear.
And all the dark make bright like day.
And the water shine like fire. And no man can savvy.
And they hearts turn over. But God's angel come,
And God's angel say, "Make glad, all people,God's child be born in Bethlehem."
And the star come low and stop. But when they go for mansion house
The star no be there. And when they go for big man's house,The star no be there.
And bye-m-bye when they go for hotel,
The star no be there gain - "Ahah, the star be by the small house
Where cattle sleep! " And it was so.And they found Joseph and Mary and the small child fold up incountry cloth.
And the king bring gold for gift
And the wise man bring fine oil
And the country people bring new rice.
And they look on the God child
And every man heart lay down.

Christy Challenge

The two posts under this one are book reviews for the Christy Challenge, posed by Shauna at her Shauna Rumbling blog. She gave us a link to the Christy award winners/nominees for the past several years and our challenge was to read one or more and write a short review of the book. Her hope was to challenge our assumptions about great Christian fiction, which many of us thought to be an oxymoron.

I am happy to have participated, and yes, it has changed my ideas about great Christian fiction. Although I didn't just love Levi's Will, it was well written and certainly kept my interest. I thoroughly enjoyed River Rising, though, and would love to read more of Athol Dickson's books.

I still think there is a lot of twaddle in Christian fiction, but I was thrilled to find plenty of meat, too! Thanks, Shauna!

**I'm updating to say that I actually won a book from Shauna! She drew names of all the participants and I was it!! Woo Hoo!! Thanks, Shauna! I have no idea which book she is so kindly sending me, but what a fun surprise!!

River Rising, by Athol Dickson

River Rising, written by Athol Dickson and winner of the Christy Award, is an allegory masquerading as pure fiction. Set south of New Orleans, it reads like the air in that humid area, thick and heavy with a bite to it. The story unfolds as though on a river's timeline, meandering and nearly looping back on itself, bends in the river hiding what will happen next.

Dickson's hero is the Reverend Hale Poser, a black man with bright blue eyes who appears out of nowhere in the tiny swamp town of Pilotsville, where blacks and whites are required by the rich white town benefactor to get along. After the abduction of a newborn black girl, Hale is quickly swept into a series of events, alternately viewed as savior and sinner by the townspeople.

Dickson's story flows at just the right pace, gaining speed as it evokes compelling imagery and confronts the racism of Sunday mornings in the South. Hale is a sympathetic figure throughout, first as he seeks to save a forgotten people in his own strength, then as he remembers the power of God that once flowed through him.

I would not say this is a beautiful book, but it is a strong book, and one which I would highly recommend.

Review of Levi's Will

Levi's Will, written by W. Dale Cramer, begins in Ohio's Old Order Amish country with a rebellious young Amishman named Will. Will and his brother Tobe are running off into the night during WWII, escaping the heavy hand of punishment that is surely to be dealt by Will's father, Levi, as a result of Will impregnating his Amish girlfriend. The book revolved around Will's subsequent lies as he goes out into "The World" and creates a new life free of his Amish background. In time, Will is naturally drawn back to Ohio as he tries to reconcile with his stern Amish father as well as connect with his all too modern son.

As an avid reader of Beverly Lewis' filtered portrayals of the Amish, Cramer's rougher treatment of them was a surprise to me. Although the Amish are clearly portrayed as amazingly hard workers, their spirituality is mostly shown as arid and dry. Will's own life is similarly arid and dry, and he is not a particularly sympathetic character for most of the book. Nonetheless, I found myself squarely in his corner as the book reached its denouement.

Cramer's writing is clear and mostly unadorned. He jumps between several different time periods throughout the book, unfolding the story in a pleasant way. This story would make an excellent refutation for those who have a romanticized view of Amish life.