Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
this planet a dozen or so languages go extinct. That means that many heroic, irreplace-
able little nations finally lose their struggle and die. There are no headlines—they just get
weaker and weaker until that last person who speaks that language dies…and so does one
little bit of ethnic diversity on our planet.
I was raised so proud of Nathan Hale and Patrick Henry and Ethan Allen—patriotic
heroes of America's Revolutionary War who wished they had more than one life to give
for their country. Having traveled, I've learned that Hales, Henrys, and Allens are a dime
a dozen on this planet—each country has their own version.
I believe the US tends to underestimate the spine of other nations. It's comforting to
think we can simply bomb our enemies into compliance. This is not only untrue…it's dan-
gerous. Sure, we have the mightiest military in the world. But we don't have a monopoly
on bravery or grit. In fact, in some ways, we might be less feisty than hardscrabble, emer-
ging nations that feel they have to scratch and claw for their very survival.
We're comfortable, secure, beyond our revolutionary stage…and well into our Red-
coat stage. Regardless of our strength and our righteousness, as long as we have a foreign
policy stance that requires a military presence in 150 countries, we will be confronting de-
termined adversaries. We must choose our battles carefully. Travel can help us understand
that our potential enemies are not cut-and-run mercenaries, but people with spine motiv-
ated by passions and beliefs we didn't even know existed, much less understand.
Growing up in the US, I was told over and over how smart, generous, and free we
were. Travel has taught me that the vast majority of humanity is raised with a different
view of America. Travelers have a priceless opportunity to see our country through the
eyes of other people. I still have the American Dream. But I also respect and celebrate
other dreams.
The United States may be a Christian nation, but we're certainly not
the
Christian nation.
Nor do our Christian values set the worldwide standard for Christian values. As a Luther-
an, I was surprised to learn that there are more Lutherans in Namibia than in the US. Even
though they wouldn't know what to do with the standard American “green hymnal” and
don't bring Jell-O molds to their church picnics, they are as Lutheran as I am. They prac-
tice the same faith through a different cultural lens.
While European Christians have similar beliefs to ours, travel in the developing world
opens your eyes to new ways of interpreting the Bible. An American or European Chris-
tian might define Christ's “preferential option for the poor” or the notion of “sanctity of
life” differently from someone who has to put their children to bed hungry every night.
While a US Christian may be more concerned about abortion than economic injustice, a
