{"title":"Rachel Pieh Jones","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the thought-provoking works of \u003cem\u003eRachel Pieh Jones\u003c\/em\u003e, an author who expertly blends personal narrative with cultural exploration. Her collection is perfect for readers intrigued by real-life stories that offer keen insights into diverse cultures and experiences. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the highlights of this collection is \u003cem\u003ePillars\u003c\/em\u003e, an evocative memoir that invites readers into Jones's life as she explores faith and identity against the backdrop of her experiences in Somaliland and Djibouti. Crafted with warmth and introspection, her writing captures the essence of living in places often misunderstood by the wider world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJones's ability to weave together personal anecdotes with broader cultural commentary makes her books both enlightening and engaging. Her work in the \u003cstrong\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/strong\u003e category is not just a recounting of experiences, but a journey into understanding and empathy, challenging you to see the world through a different lens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDive into the works of Rachel Pieh Jones and discover stories that bridge gaps between cultures, offering a richer understanding of the global community.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"pillars-by-rachel-pieh-jones-9781636080062","title":"Pillars","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePillars\u003c\/em\u003e by Rachel Pieh Jones won the Gold Medal at the 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards, IPPY.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePersonal friendships with Somali Muslims overcome the prejudices and expand the faith of a typical American Evangelical Christian living in the Horn of Africa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Rachel Pieh Jones moved from Minnesota to rural Somalia with her husband and twin toddlers eighteen years ago, she was secure in a faith that defined who was right and who was wrong, who was saved and who needed saving. She had been taught that Islam was evil, full of lies and darkness, and that the world would be better without it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLuckily, locals show compassion for this blundering outsider who can't keep her headscarf on or her toddlers from tripping over AK-47s. After the murder of several foreigners forces them to evacuate, the Joneses resettle in nearby Djibouti.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJones recounts, often entertainingly, the personal encounters and growing friendships that gradually dismantle her unspoken fears and prejudices and deepen her appreciation for Islam. Unexpectedly, along the way she also gains a far richer understanding of her own Christian faith. Grouping her stories around the five pillars of Islam—creed, prayer, fasting, giving, and pilgrimage—Jones shows how her Muslim friends' devotion to these pillars leads her to rediscover ancient Christian practices her own religious tradition has lost or neglected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJones brings the reader along as she reexamines her assumptions about faith and God through the lens of Islam and Somali culture. Are God and Allah the same? What happens when one's ideas about God and the Bible crumble and the only people around are Muslims? What happens is that she discovers that Jesus is more generous, daring, and loving than she ever imagined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46845523001580,"sku":"9781636080062","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13962323482770.jpg?v=1758883699"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/rachel-pieh-jones.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}