“Welcome to Iran. It is so good to have you visiting us.” This is the welcome to foreigners, especially Americans—on the street and in the bazaars, in city after city, throughout Iran. People constantly come up to the foreigners, first to ask them where they are from, and then to welcome them to Iran. At first this experience is scary, and then with time it becomes an astonishing commentary from the people of Iran about their desire for peaceful relations with the people of America.

Formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran have been severed since 1979. Belligerence and hostility emanate from the governments of both countries. Both accuse the other of failure to abide by various international agreements, and both are correct. How might there begin to be peaceful relations between these two countries? How might the church be involved in peacebuilding work between countries who have each declared the other to be their enemy? Why should the church be involved?

Mennonite Christians take seriously Jesus’ call to “love our enemies,” and to “do good to those who hate you.” Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is the worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, sharing God’s love for all in the name of Christ, by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. MCC has a presence in sixty-five countries around the world. As Richard Kauffman explains, MCC has been working at “track two diplomacy,” people-to-people relationships in Iran, since 1990. This includes sending some ten delegations to visit Iran and its people, to experience first-hand their hospitable welcome, and to break down stereotypes about Americans and Iranians (who are mostly Persian, not Arab). I participated in one of these visits in 2007, and Richard Kauffman made the trip in 2008.

This is Richard’s story of his experience in Iran. His story is very similar to the stories from all of us who have participated in this kind of peacemaking travel. And yet, his story is his alone, through his eyes, as his own reflections on his experience. At MCC we have encouraged participants to tell their stories—to help others to experience Iran as they experienced Iran, and to engage in discussion where there are differences of understanding and interpretation. We expect that this book will do exactly that—draw you in to Richard’s experience of Iran, and to open up questions and discussions about things that surprise you, or even anger you.

This is peacebuilding work on a people-to-people basis, something which we believe the church is called to do. There are some in the Christian West who see this peacebuilding work as far too political. And, there are others in the political realm who see this peacebuilding work as far too naïve. Both are valid criticisms.
And yet, it is precisely because the church, and in particular Mennonite churches, are separate from the government, that there is opportunity to open the door to relationships that are not based on enmity or hostility, while debating differences in worldviews and belief. There has been much discussion about these differences! It is only in understanding where there is similarity, and where there is difference, that mutual trust and respect can begin.

Jesus asks us to love God, to love our neighbor, and to love our enemy. Richard’s experience in Iran is a good story of how to do all three. May his experience inspire you to find creative ways to do the same.

—Arli Klassen, Executive Director
   Mennonite Central Committee
   Akron, Pennsylvania
   www.mcc.org