The Adventures of a Mzungu by David Ardon is a memoir about David’s missionary work in Africa. The first thing that drew me to the book was the title. Mzungu is a Swahili word that means white person. Seeing Swahili on a book title and on NetGalley was kinda exciting for me. I didn’t even notice that the story is partly set in Nairobi (my hometown) until after I got the book. Yeah, I just requested it based on the title.

Reading books set in Africa but written by foreigners is always a bit tricky. As a child of the continent, I never really know what to expect. In Africa, there is a view about how the world views us versus how we view ourselves. There are two kinds of Africa; the Mzungu Africa and the Africa that we know. The Mzungu Africa is not recognizable to most people in this continent.I think it is based on what is shown in the media. This is what makes some people ask us questions such as whether we live on trees, own animals, wear clothes, have food to eat(yeah, we still get those questions). I don’t blame them those who ask these questions though, maybe it is just what they know based on media representation of the continent. Therefore; I anxiously started reading David’s memoir, hoping for a fair portrayal of Africa.

I am glad to say that this memoir turned out to be as light-hearted as described. His adventures in Africa made me smile and sometimes laugh. It was interesting to read about his experiences in Nairobi (Kenya) and Uganda. What he described were things that are familiar to me like the use of bodabodas(motorbikes used as taxis), crazy bus rides on bad roads. These are part of my day to day life but reading them from a different POV added a new, interesting twist to normal experiences and made them seem so funny and interesting.

The Adventures of a Mzungu by David Ardon is not just about his experiences in Africa, it is also about mission work and volunteering. David uses his experiences to provide some guidance to other people interested in volunteer work. I also liked the fact that his faith is evident through the pages. He makes references to scriptures throughout the book. Using his experiences to offer encouragement and basing this on Christian teachings. This book is motivational and quite informative.

This is the kind of book that I would recommend to anyone who wants to know what it is like to visit Africa. The experiences are shared in an honest, light manner which I found quite enjoyable to read. As I said, these are things that I get to see every day but reading about them from a foreigner’s PoV just made them more interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to get into ministry and follow God’s calling. Anyone interested in volunteer work in Africa or any part of the world will also benefit from reading this memoir. As I have already mentioned, it is not just about his experiences in Africa but he shares personal stories that act as a guidance for anyone who is considering a life of service.