Reunited in the Desert

Helle Amin seemed to have the perfect life, after setting up home on the tropical island of Bali with her husband and four children. But one day in 2001 Helle’s idyllic existence was shattered. She returned home from a shopping trip one evening to find that her children had gone. Her four boys should have been safely tucked up in bed. Instead, their beds were empty. It didn’t take Helle long to discover that her Saudi Arabian husband had taken them away to live in his home country. With her children thousands of miles away in totally unfamiliar surroundings, Helle drew upon her remarkable courage and set off for the desert in a desperate attempt to find her beloved boys. Her journey was filled with drama, danger, excitement and sorrow. Some women might have given up, but not Helle. In the astonishing struggle that followed Helle was reduced to catching occasional, snatched glimpses of her children as they were taken to and from school in Jeddah. She took a job at an international school in the city and began her campaign for access. After a series of dramatic twists and turns, Helle was reunited forever with her boys. As a testament to her bravery, she became a Tesco Mother of the Year. This fascinating and gripping story cannot fail to touch any reader’s heart and is packed with adventure, heartache and joy.