Meet Justice

A postscript

Tonight I sit on a large hunk of plastic and steel soaring at 500 miles an hour over a dark Indian Ocean. Although I don’t know where I am, or how to get home, or even who I sit next to, I have service and attention just a button- a call- a nod- away. I am recognized as a customer on this plane. As a citizen. As an educated person of value and opinion and potential. If I fail to get off this plane, people will ask questions. People will want to know what happened and why. People will make phone calls and issue complaints- demand answers. People- hundreds of people- will care.

Outside of this cabin, with its’ artificial twinkling stars and 500 channels of interactive television, sit two billion people stretched out beyond the waters and over the horizon. Two billion people who I don’t know. Two billion people who I don’t care to know. Two billion people who I don’t care about.  read more »

DAY 75 – Western Europe

The horn honks out front and Alyssa runs down the stairs a few seconds later. She grabs her book bag and runs into the bathroom for one last glance in the mirror.

Bangs adjusted.
Lip gloss refreshed.

Honk- Honk. “Bye honey- have a good day” mom yells from around the corner in the kitchen. “Bye mom- see you after practice,” yells Alyssa, running out the door into the warm September morning. Piling into the backseat of the Jeep Cherokee, Alyssa joins her two girl friends and fellow freshman squad cheerleaders on the ride to another day at school.

The scene will be repeated tens of thousands of times across America every morning this fall. Those wonderful early teenage years hold fond memories for most of us- and some of the best blissful days of innocent life before reality of the real world sets in.  read more »

DAY 64 – Romania

Rev-o-lu-tion (n) : a dramatic change in ideas and practice.

Revolution. 16 years ago- 1989- was the year it came. Elsewhere in the world, the story was the fall of the Wall. Germany reunited. In Romania, revolution came in the streets- in the square- in the churches. The dictator fell. Tyranny was ended. This was to be the end of the nightmare- and the beginning of the new.

Revolution. This was the melting point; the cold, hardened giant of Communism oppression giving way to the expression of individuality again. The expression of pride in country; the expression of political opinion. The expression of religious practice, the hope for economic prosperity. December 1989- the spring signs of a world of open possibility began to bloom here; a world promising freedom.  read more »

DAY 57 – North Africa

In general, there are two different types of journeyers we’ve met over the past two months we’ve been on the road. One is not necessarily better than the other; it is just two opposite mentalities that we’ve observed in foreigners visiting a new destination. The first: the tourist. Tourists enjoy usually traveling in groups, often stick to the easily accessible sights, and travel in comfortable transportation. Their trips are well planned, and generally relaxing. It is safe, clean, passive fun. The second: the traveler. Travelers enjoy the road less beaten path, and are usually risk-takers. They are hands-on, and like to dive in and have a personal experience with whatever culture they are visiting.  read more »

DAY 47 – Madagascar/South Africa

Saturday afternoon.

The sky is that perfect blue and those white puffy clouds are sprinkled at all the right intervals. The air is so clear today I swear I can see at least a hundred miles from the top of the stairs. The breeze is cool, but the sunshine warm. All the shadows fall in perfect companionship with the rays of the late afternoon sun. In short, this is spring at it’s best.

But there’s no Dogwood trees in sight here. No leftover Easter candy on sale at the front of CVS. No smells of BBQ grills wafting through the backyard. No car washes on the corner for the local high school booster club. No Braves highlights on the 10:00 news.

No, this is the other side of our world. And as I walk up the steps (no jet-ways either by the way) to climb on our 737, I briefly take in one last gaze of this beautiful, primitive nation of Madagascar before we head out to South Africa.  read more »

DAY 46 - Madagascar

You can’t really tell where you are at first. The dirt road takes a quick turn and all of a sudden you are surrounded on both sides by an embankment. It is high- at least 12 feet or more. Since I couldn’t see the horizon at all, my eyes started to adjust to the dirt that was flying by the outside of the Land Rover. That’s when I realized it wasn’t really dirt. It was garbage.

Thousands and thousands of tons of garbage. Plastic. Paper. Smelly rotting things. It is everywhere. This road that we’re 4-wheeling down goes right through the middle of it all. For the next half-mile or so, I stare up at the mounds of trash. Every now and then a head pops over the top. Kids run through the mud puddles by our truck. Men carrying junk on their heads and shoulders appear occasionally- all walking in the same direction we’re traveling.

Finally, the road ends. We’re at a gate. Welcome to Ambaniala- Village of the garbage.  read more »

DAY 40 - Israel

As westerners in a post-911 world, we all familiar, these days, with security. Long lines at the airport, metal detectors in buildings, code orange alerts, Homeland defense, and endless news reports are no longer unusual to us. But thankfully, security in the US is still an option. Most months and even years pass by without incident. Most of our security is precautionary- the preparation for another potential dark day.  read more »

DAY 19 - Nepal

I’m surrounded by seven sets of inquisitive eyes right now. They’re sitting here patiently staring at you. Well, to be fair, they’re staring at me writing to you. I think they like you, but I think they also really like the looks of this fancy silver Powerbook I’m typing on…and the 200 or so pictures I just downloaded on it.

If you were here right now, I’m pretty sure you’d fall in love instantly. Not to sound presumptuous, but these seven sets of eyes next to me belong to the beautiful faces of the kids here in the Ramgha village. We’re sitting on the porch of their pastor’s home, looking down at the sun setting gently over layers and layers of Himalaya foothills. I’m in Nepal I think, and I just pinched myself for the hundredth time to make sure I’m not going to wakeup...  read more »

DAY 15 – Cambodia

Looking around the room at this circle of people, I couldn’t help but shake my head. Toward the corner of the room, a tall, thin white man sits attentively in a chair. He’s by default the focal point of this group and the leader of our discussion. Around him in the circle there is several Khmer- born Cambodian’s, a young Filipino counselor, a gentle lady with a strong British accent, a well- traveled Scottish woman, a Cambodian born translator who speaks nearly perfect English, and, well, two American dudes on a crazy trip around the world…

This assorted crew of people are the exact sort of heroes that we set out to find on this journey called The Passport. Each of these justice-fighters are an essential element of a well organized team that rescues young boys and girls from the jaws of this country’s most gripping evil- child trafficking for the sex trade.  read more »

DAY 11 - Philippines

We receive that question pretty frequently in emails. It is an interesting question, because of the many different angles you can take in offering an answer.

I can talk about the weather if I want to be obvious and straightforward. It’s hot, humid, and generally uncomfortable here in the valley. Imagine Atlanta in July after an afternoon thunderstorm with no air conditioners in sight, and you get the picture.

I can talk about the living conditions. Sparse running water. No electricity except when they occasionally fire-up the small generator for the church. Dirt, dirt everywhere. A squatty toilet. Flies, flies, flies. Mosquitoes- the fat kind. The loudest chickens in the world occupying a little patch of dirt right outside our window. The window to our room- a small 5 by 8 foot cinder-block wall rectangle with a double bed, a cheap mirror, and four 50 lb bags of rice piled in the corner. The mattress- one step up from a wood board.  read more »

DAY 1 5:58:00 PM MST

International Airspace - In the air over the Pacific Ocean

There's very few times in the journey of life that you can see yourself jump from one chapter to another in a matter of a few minutes right before your eyes. Most days we live in gradual shift; perpetual motion. Most days we spin along with the axis of time, steadily progressing-sliding-crawling towards the milestones we have set to accomplish for ourselves. The deep voice of our heart sits somewhat quietly- only occasionally rising up in a lonely cry of night or the wisp of a daydream.
And we all have learned to accept the place we call normal; the buildings we call work- home- school. Those we call; family- best friends- lovers. Our diversionary recreation at the gym- the local pub- our favorite thrift store. The items essential to my everyday: the coffee maker. My car. Kroger. My favorite pillow.  read more »