Francis X. Hezel is a Jesuit priest who has worked in Micronesi a for nearly fifty years. He spent part of this time as a teacher, principal and director at Xavier High School, Chuuk. He also served as regional superior of the Jesuits in Micronesia. For 39 years he served as the director of Micronesian Seminar, a Jesuit-sponsored research-pastoral institute engaged in extensive community education work in the Pacific. In this capac ity he has organized several conferences on current issues and has written and spoken widely about social change and its impact on island societies. He has also published nearly a hund red articles and eleven books on Micronesian history and culture, including The First Taint of Civilization and Strangers in Their Own Land. He produced over 70 video documentaries for local broadcast, including a seven-hour series on the history of Micronesia, and introduced a popular website that offers Micronesians everywhere the opportunity to access MicSem products and to discuss contemporary issues with one another.