Dirt Like Blood Stories From Southern Africa

Dive into the rich tapestry of South African life as author Cynthia Stockley weaves beautiful short stories in 'Wild Honey: Stories of South Africa'. Set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this collection takes you on a journey through the untamed landscapes and diverse cultures of the region. Discover the extraordinary lives of ordinary folk in 'Common or Garden Earth' and encounter mysterious 'Watchers by the Road' who hold silent vigil over passing souls. With each story, this book unfurls the vibrant spirit of South Africa, leaving you spellbound by its wonders and complexities.

Unbelievable circumstances. Believable hope. If we follow media accounts, the continent of Africa may seem to be little more than AIDS patients, malnourished babies, child soldiers, and a failing attempt to imitate the West. Though Christians today are increasingly concerned about injustice and human suffering, their effectiveness in Africa is limited by only knowing this "bad news" and the trite, feel-good solutions sometimes bandied about in response. Into the Mud takes readers below the headlines, into real stories of real people living neck-deep in some of Africa's most difficult issues -- but with hands, minds, and hearts rooted in God's kingdom. Each of the interwoven stories and related discussion questions addresses a broader issue of missions and development, including evangelism, literacy and education, microfinance, health services, urbanization and refugee assistance, and more. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter help readers to apply lessons from the chapters to their own ministry contexts. Where the world sees despair, author Christine Jeske sees God writing stories of hope. Study groups, development students, mission teams, and everyday activists alike will be challenged by her stories to enter more deeply into the thick of life's mud.

Fast-moving historic novel: encompassing the events and all the people of southern Africa who became the first South Africans, 100 years ago.

Winner of the 2021 ALA Book of the Year Award - Scholarship The author uses the image of blood under the skin as a way of understanding cultural and literary forms in contemporary South Africa. Chapters deal with the bloodied histories of apartheid and blood as trope for talking about change.

SOIL: beneath our feet / food and fiber / ashes to ashes, dust to dust / dirt!Soil has been called the final frontier of environmental research. The critical role of soil in biogeochemical processes is tied to its properties and place—porous, structured, and spatially variable, it serves as a conduit, buffer, and transformer of water, solutes and gases. Yet what is complex, life-giving, and sacred to some, is ordinary, even ugly, to others. This is the enigma that is soil. Soil and Culture explores the perception of soil in ancient, traditional, and modern societies. It looks at the visual arts (painting, textiles, sculpture, architecture, film, comics and stamps), prose & poetry, religion, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, wine production, health & diet, and disease & warfare. Soil and Culture explores high culture and popular culture—from the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch to the films of Steve McQueen. It looks at ancient societies and contemporary artists. Contributors from a variety of disciplines delve into the mind of Carl Jung and the bellies of soil eaters, and explore Chinese paintings, African mud cloths, Mayan rituals, Japanese films, French comic strips, and Russian poetry.

From 1976-1983, an estimated 30,000 people disappeared in Argentina. They were victims of the "Dirty War" - a brutal campaign designed by the government to root out possible subversives. Robert J. Cox, editor of the Buenos Aires Herald, did what few others were willing to do - he told the truth about what was happening every day in his newspaper. He challenged those in power - asking questions and demanding answers.