The Day the Chicken Cackled: Reflections on a Life in Pakistan Paperback - 2009

From the publisher

The Day The Chicken Cackled: Reflections on a Life in Pakistan provides a fascinating account of small town Pakistan through the eyes of Bettie Rose Addleton, a young missionary who grew up in rural Georgia. At the age of 25, she journeyed by freighter from New York to Karachi with her husband and small son, moving to a small and dusty town at the edge of the desert in Pakistan's southern Sindh province. For more than three decades, she observed ordinary life in a traditional Muslim society from the inside, supporting her husband's ministry while also gaining insights into the workings of a rapidly changing country that now figures prominently in headlines around the world. Colorful, sometimes humorous, and always memorable, Bettie Rose writes candidly about her life among a diverse range of people, including servants, tribal women, middle class families, and wealthy landowners. Intimate friendships with Muslim women provide a glimpse into family life behind the veil, opening a window into a world only rarely seen by outsiders. She also writes sensitively about the challenges faced by Christian and Hindu minorities in Pakistan. Each chapter vividly highlights a variety of themes, ranging from celebrations to customs, food preparation to language. The drama of an American family far from home also figures in the narrative, including travel, friendships, accidents, and two home deliveries. Those already familiar with Pakistan will enjoy a fresh perspective on the remote and rarely visited southern part of this large and diverse country. Those who are not will gain new appreciation and understanding for the human dimension of life in a country often considered dangerous; one far more complex and interesting than either sensational newspaper accounts or the fleeting pictures of Pakistan appearing on television reveal. The Day the Chicken Cackled: Reflections on a Life in Pakistan is not your ordinary missionary chronicle.