Andy’s Mission: Removing Walls of Misunderstanding & Building Bridges of Trust
Misunderstanding and conflict between Muslims & Christians is rampant and sadly growing. It is sometimes exacerbated by a large megaphone grabbed by the worst elements from both communities. Sadly, bad news sells.
In contrast, Andy’s work in peacemaking and visual storytelling between Muslims and Christians
(and also in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) seeks to tell the more common, often unheard story where the best of our respective communities, the parts which actually emerge out of the mainstream traditions of each, bring hope. His work has been featured on local television and radio (see “The Buzz”). He’s witnessed some of the most challenging conflicts in today’s world, yet also has found tremendous hope in local communities and conversations, and in initiatives for peace and understanding he has helped foster, across the street and around the globe. As a follower of Jesus Christ, who is called the Prince of Peace, he still believes peace is possible when, and if, we develop genuine friendships with our “other,” loving even our enemies as Jesus instructed in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:44).
Andy draws you closer with his photography which invites you into a safe space of inner peace, but then into stories of others where you discover the hidden treasure in friendship that bridges our natural human, cultural and sometimes religious divides. Andy works both sides of a coin he calls the Journey of Peace. First we must know peace ourselves. But our journey becomes stagnant if we only secure peace for ourselves privately.
“Peacemaking can no longer be regarded as peripheral to being a Christian.” Henri Nouwen
Read More on Peacemaking from Andy.
Andrew, a friend Erica Lofquist felt you might have a book about the process of peacemaking or how to develop the peacemaker in yourself (in my case letting go of being a warrior). Thank you for the quote that has already been helpful because I’m dealing with a large messy family issue and my gut has me wading in and attempting to make peace among the various members of my family and set some guidelines so that there is more compassionate awareness between them and some ground rules around financial stewardship so there is less conflict. I’m outside my comfort zone of fight and flight… but spirit is calling me to step up and be accountable to my desires and ideals.
Blessings, Allis