Through the Looking Glass
Somewhere in the process of the trip, you may have noticed that the boundary between you and those you were visiting became less-defined. You crossed into the scene and joined the people for a few steps along their walk of life. You stepped through the looking glass to the other side of the reflection.

After stepping through the glass, you ask different questions of the world. You know a different reality. You point out different things to those who look at you. Instead of postcards bought at the airport, you show photos taken of the villagers harvesting rice. Instead of wearing jewelry purchased at a tourist market, you display ornaments made from glass shattered by bombs and recovered by schoolchildren. Instead of glossy brochures from a safari, you have news clippings of indigenous peoples’ fight to hold onto their land.

Inspired to Change
As you unpack your clothes, you find some new attitudes packed in the suitcase as well. You brought home some fabric with a bold design, so you find yourself thinking bold thoughts that challenge the status quo. You remember the rhythm of the days, where schedules were governed by the needs of the people, so you put away your watch and try to model that in your clock-watching culture. You recall the patience and endurance of the women who have waited six years for their silk worm factory to begin operation, and their story gives you courage to set out on a new vocation.

You were privileged to experience life-and-death struggles on your trip; now you notice their presence at home. You were shown hope where there should not have been any. Now you can point to it in seemingly hopeless situations at home. Through you, people at home catch a glimpse of those you met on your journey.

Is Anyone Listening
On your return home you are in a new position. You want people to see this other reality reflected in you. They listen politely at first. But you wonder if they really want to hear the whole story. The truth is, some don’t. But others do want to hear. They might want to know you better. Or they might yearn to understand what led you to take the trip in the first place

Ambassador for Christ
You have had the privilege of glimpsing another corner of God’s world. You were shown the pain, the joys, the needs. You can now lift up those concerns in your corner of the world. The God who called you to visit people far away now calls you to make their appeals known in your corner of the world.

You think in new ways and let those ways be known. You see things in new ways and point them out to those around you. You redefine what’s petty and vital from your new perspective. What people see in you is no illusion. It is a real part of God’s world. They see these distinctions through you. You now reflect the broader realities of the world. You invite others to climb through the looking glass and join you.