Synopsis
Photographer and writer Blair Seitz tells of transforming experiences while traveling in more than twenty countries to complete assignments. His adventures unfold in revolutionary Ethiopia, war-ravaged Sudan, camps of Rwandan refugees, post-war Laos, and apartheid South Africa among other locations. He walks in the Philippine mountains with the revolutionary New Peoples Army and photographs China just after its opening to the West. A pacifist, Seitz is always looking for ways to advance peace before war breaks out. He supports the power of mediation and is impacted by the restorative justice and redemption experienced by two friends – Rwandan and Burundian – who escaped genocide but experienced the death of their own families and the destruction of their villages. When the author returns to America he sees his successful photography business falter before experiencing his own grace and redemption at a Quaker center for study and contemplation where he began writing his memoir. In his travels, Seitz learns of the depth of poverty, war, and the effects of global warming. He makes himself vulnerable to deep sadness and anger – as well as joy. The photojournalist also travels to remote agricultural and health projects where he finds American volunteers working alongside nationals to improve the lives of villagers, who have often endured famine and hunger.
