Did you know the word ‘media’ actually means ‘middle’ or ‘in-between’?
It makes sense, right? The news media stands between us and a global event. We can’t be everywhere all the time, so the media offers that pseudo presence by delivering an account of what happened.
But what happens when the middleman has a vested interest in angling the story in a way that benefits their bottom line?
Journalists are easy punching bags, but even the best reporters can’t fully humanize a story because it’s just a version of the story, not the event itself.
This may seem obvious, but for the everyday peacemaker, this little nuance is crucial.
Consider one evangelical pastor from the United States who saw the headlines: a migrant caravan of thousands had traveled through Central America and Mexico and was fast-approaching the United States border. To many at the time, the headlines rang out with a pitiful kind of doom, hinting that this caravan was filled with ‘thugs’ intent on harm, but to many more the headlines rang true. The headlines were scary, and people were afraid.
The pastor felt afraid, too, but he chose to move beyond the headlines—to cut out the media middleman—and travel to Tijuana to learn about this caravan himself.
He heard from local Mexican pastors as they worked to serve and host the migrants and refugees in their city. He ate delicious food served by Haitian migrants. He heard the stories of violence, a terrible flight from a beloved home, and he heard how he and his country had contributed to their pain.
At the end of his time in the borderlands, as a group of hundreds gathered together to reflect on the experience, the pastor stood up and repented. One of our co-founders said it was one of the most visceral, gut-wrenching laments he had ever heard. The pastor mourned the way headlines get in the way of our love and empathy, he grieved his own role in the suffering of others, and he committed to keep learning directly from the people most impacted.
This moment was profound for the pastor and for all in the room, and it’s the kind of moment we live for. Countless hours of work went into making this event happen on the border, building trust with locals, and making sure it was the migrant voices that remained the loudest, but the heart-softening, life-altering lament in this pastor’s face makes all that work worth it.
And it only happened because a pastor chose to move beyond the headlines. When you contribute to this work, you’re supporting a movement that challenges people to story without a middleman.
As we celebrate our 10th birthday, would you donate toward the work of helping people move from seeing humans instead of headlines? Click below to give toward the next 10 years of transformation, and then we challenge you to share this story with someone else who lives and loves beyond the headlines.
Author: Matt Willingham
Matt Willingham is a writer, photographer, and content creator with over ten years experience living and working in some of the hardest-hit conflict zones in the world. He and his wife, Cayla, are now based in San Diego where they’re raising three little peacemakers and working to promote empathy and understanding in their community.
@matt.willingham