Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
My daughter Jackie's high school trip—a month in a Moroccan village—was her most
eye-opening experience yet in life. A trip like that doesn't happen without parents and
teachers who appreciate the value of sending students abroad.
Promote the wisdom and importance of talking to your “enemies,” even in everyday
life. Confront problems—at home, at work, in your community—with calm, rational,
and respectful communication. Support politicians who do the same with foreign policy.
France and Germany still mix like wine and sauerkraut, but they've learned that an etern-
ity of agreeing to disagree beats an eternity of violent conflict.
Reach and preach beyond the choir. Don't hold back in places where progressive
thinking may seem unwelcome. I was tempted to move to a church downtown that wel-
comed progressive thinkers, but chose instead to keep sharing a pew with a more conser-
vative gang at my suburban church. Rather than change churches, I've stayed and con-
tributed: teaching poverty awareness workshops, sharing my travels at special events,
and—after learning that many in our congregation are homophobic—even inviting the
Seattle Men's Chorus (America's largest gay chorus) to provide music one Sunday. While
