Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Even when this Afghan girl and her mother can no longer see me, I live my life at home
knowing the world is watching.
After a thought-provoking trip, I consume news differently. Since I've wandered
through war debris with Alen in Mostar, news footage of any city being devastated by
bombs suddenly aches with humanity. My memories of friends stiff with shrapnel, and
former parks filled with tombstones, push me toward pacifism. During times of saber-rat-
tling, I fly a peace flag from my office building. A neighbor once asked if I knew how
much business I've lost by flying that flag. Because of what I've learned about the human
costs of war in places such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, El Salvador, and Iran, it hadn't oc-
curred to me to measure the economic costs to my business of speaking out for peace. In
fact, it's hard for me to understand how someone could support a war they didn't believe
in because it was good for their business.
Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
These wise words can be a rallying cry for all travelers once comfortably back home.
When courageous leaders in our community combat small-mindedness and ignor-
ance—whether pastors contending with homophobia in their congregations, employers
