Encounter: A journey into chaos, culture and compassion - Paperback

by Ian Reilly (Author)

A book you won't want to put down.

When Ian and Heather leave Australia to teach in Samoa they expect hardship. They don't expect a devastating cyclone followed by the slow dismantling of everything they thought they understood about the world.

Why are they being laughed at? Why is introducing someone offensive? What does respect look like? Navigating traditional Polynesian culture amid disaster, poverty and political tension, exposes their own cultural blind spots, assumptions and questions their deeply held beliefs. Good intentions are not enough. Join with them as they seek purpose and explore what justice, identity, faith and community mean in a radically different culture.

Raw, honest and unexpectedly funny, Encounter immerses you in the lived reality of being an outsider - the exhaustion, the mistakes, the fear, the beauty and resilience of Pacific Island life and community. Moving with the pace of a thriller, Encounter's true story also wrestles with uncomfortable questions immigrants, travellers, and truth seekers know well: Where do I belong? Why am I here? Who am I when everything familiar is stripped away?

Perfect for readers who love biographies and memoirs that transport you into another world, want to be challenged or need a page turner they can't put down.