Over seventy people, senior military officers from forty-five countries and members and friends of the Council, attended a luncheon at the Plaza Marriott Hotel, arranged by the Air War College of Alabama. The year-long program, originating at the Maxwell Air Base in Alabama, included a “field trip” with other stop-offs in Phoenix and Honolulu. The focus of the Kansas City visit was to learn how the various faiths in America relate to one another, and to share how faith is expressed in their respective countries. One table, for example included officers from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Romania, Pakistan, and Poland.
Friend of the Council, Ed Chasteen of Hatebusters wrote, “No less than in a gathering of theologians was spiritual hunger evident. These senior military officers dealt with life and death issues daily and directly. To live with the knowledge that at any time you might be ordered to put others in mortal danger, that you, yourself, might be killed or permanently and horribly injured, to know that you will at some point in your life be required to define some other group of people as your enemy and make war on them, all of this is more than enough to drive any person with even the slightest regard for another person to utter despair.
And then for those who can recognize despair for the prelude it is to an acceptance of our flawed and fallible humanity, redemption is possible and a meaningful life likely. The two hours we all spent together over lunch and conversation that day were preceded by months of planning. The memories of what we did in those 120 minutes will travel the world and perhaps at some critical time save more than the day.”
Packets of information about the diverse faith groups on the Council were given to the visitors. The Council was pleased to have been asked to help host and participate in this event. Many of the officers commented that it was a very meaningful highlight of their experience in America.