7.22.25 Attacks on Syria’s minorities, Afghan allies in limbo, and the transformation of an astronaut

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It Episode: July 22, 2025 – Attacks on Syria’s Minorities, Afghan Allies in Limbo, and the Transformation of an Astronaut

---

Introduction

The World and Everything In It by WORLD Radio delves into pressing global issues, insightful interviews, and inspiring personal stories. In the July 22, 2025 episode, hosts Mary Reichert and Nick Eicher navigate through the harrowing attacks in Syria, the precarious status of Afghan refugees, and the remarkable transformation of astronaut Charlie Duke. This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, expert analyses, and poignant moments that define the episode.

---

1. Mass Violence in Syria: Targeting Minorities

The episode opens with a chilling report on a mass attack in Syria targeting the Druze minority. Over 350 individuals lost their lives in brutal assaults, many occurring within a local hospital. Gruesome footage emerged, depicting acts of torture, underscoring the severity of the atrocity.

Interview with Richard Gazelle

Richard Gazelle, Executive Director of In Defense of Christians and a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, provides deep insights into the crisis.

• Understanding the Druze Minority:

  • Gazelle explains, “The Druze are an ethnic and religious minority in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, historically protected under the Assad regime. With the fall of this government, they now face severe retribution and atrocities” (07:54).

• Tribal Conflicts Escalate:

  • Addressing the roots of the conflict, Gazelle states, “It began as a tribal dispute between Bedouins and Druze but has evolved into political and religious violence with the involvement of the Syrian Transitional Government” (08:36).

• Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy:

  • Highlighting the need for a coherent strategy, Gazelle emphasizes, “The U.S. must place strict conditions when normalizing relations with Syria to prevent further atrocities” (09:22).

• Israel’s Role and Security Concerns:

  • Discussing Israel's military response, Gazelle notes, “Israel’s airstrikes on Damascus are a defensive measure to maintain the demilitarization of vulnerable districts like Sueda” (10:03).

• Persecution of Christians:

  • Gazelle shares his personal connection and concern: “Christians in Syria live in constant fear, and recent attacks like the suicide bombing at St. Elias Church highlight their ongoing persecution” (10:32).

• Call for International Action:

  • Concluding his remarks, Gazelle urges, “The international community must impose strong guardrails to prevent the Syrian government from committing further atrocities” (12:45).

---

2. Afghan Refugees: Legal Uncertainty and TPS Status

The episode shifts focus to the uncertain legal standing of Afghan refugees in the United States, highlighting the complexities surrounding Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

• Background on TPS for Afghans:
  • Mary Reichert outlines the history, “The Biden administration granted TPS to Afghans post-withdrawal, but the Trump administration later rescinded it, creating a precarious situation for many” (13:58).

Expert Opinions and Debates

• Varying Perspectives on TPS Extension:

  • Andrew Arthur from the Center for Immigration Studies argues against indefinite TPS, stating, “Not every oppressive regime warrants TPS; temporary protection should have clear limitations” (14:37).

  • Contrarily, Daniel Salazar of Global Refuge counters, “With over 20 million in need of aid and ongoing persecution by the Taliban, extending TPS is a humanitarian necessity” (15:10).

• Impact of Policy Shifts:

  • Matthew Sorens from World Relief emphasizes the risks: “Revoking TPS could lead to renewed persecution and economic instability for Afghan nationals in the U.S.” (16:44).

• Recent Developments:

  • The Trump administration introduced secondary sanctions and expressed willingness to assist Afghan nationals stranded abroad, but advocates stress the need for concrete actions beyond statements (17:07).

---

3. Domestic Affairs: Immigration Enforcement and Federal Oversight

The hosts delve into significant domestic issues, including increased immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities and political controversies involving federal officials.

• Sanctuary Cities and Immigration Enforcement:

  • Nick Eicher discusses the administration's response to the shooting of an off-duty CBP agent in Manhattan, “Sanctuary cities receive more federal agents, increasing tensions and safety concerns” (02:24).

• Federal Reserve Controversy:

  • Mary Reichert reports on Congresswoman Anna Polina Luna’s referral of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for alleged perjury regarding renovations at the Fed headquarters (02:58).

  • Powell defended the project, emphasizing safety and historic preservation, amidst President Trump’s criticism over interest rate policies (03:33).

• Harvard's Legal Battle:

  • Emma Eicher covers Harvard University’s legal efforts to regain frozen research funds, arguing the cuts were retaliatory and infringed on academic freedom (04:12).

• Flight Safety Incident:

  • An account of a SkyWest pilot narrowly avoiding a collision with a B52 bomber near Minot International Airport highlights concerns over flight safety protocols (04:59).

---

4. Aviation Safety and Tragedy

A near-miss incident involving a commercial SkyWest flight and a military B52 bomber underscores ongoing aviation safety challenges.

• Pilot’s Account:

  • The pilot expressed remorse for the emergency maneuver, “I hit the turbine. So sorry about the aggressive maneuver” (05:19).

• Military Protocol Criticism:

  • Critique arises over the Air Force’s lack of advance warning, especially since Minot International Airport lacks radar, relying solely on visual flight directions (05:28).

---

5. Personal Transformation: The Story of Charlie Duke

A poignant segment explores the life-changing journey of Charlie Duke, the youngest astronaut to walk on the moon, and his spiritual awakening.

• Mission and Personal Struggles:

  • Dottie Duke, Charlie’s wife, narrates the couple’s strained marriage prior to his lunar mission and their hopes pinned on his safe return (22:21).

  • During the mission, Charlie’s lack of immediate spiritual experience contrasts with his wife’s transformation upon his return (21:31).

• Spiritual Awakening:

  • After struggling with despair, Dottie finds solace in her faith, leading Charlie to acknowledge the profound impact of spirituality over his astronomical achievements:
    • Charlie Duke: “What changed my life is Jesus. I walked on the moon three days, but I walked with Jesus forever” (26:49).

---

6. Human Interest: Unconventional Athletic Achievements

The episode lightens with an inspiring and humorous account of Kayla Brosler’s triumph in the Wife Carrying World Championship.

• Historic Win:

  • Kayla and her wife Justine made history as the first non-European couple to clinch the gold, setting a new course record through hurdles and sand pits (19:05).

• Unique Carrying Technique:

  • Their innovative method involved Justine riding upside down on Kayla’s back, allowing for a more natural running stride (19:17).

---

7. Cultural Commentary: The Decline of Childhood Freedom

Concluding the episode, Janie B. Cheney offers a reflective piece on the diminishing tradition of children learning to ride bicycles independently.

• Generational Shifts:

  • Cheney reminisces about her own experiences contrasted with the current decline in biking among youth, citing safety concerns and overstructured schedules as key factors (28:02).

• Broader Implications:

  • The lack of unstructured play is linked to deeper societal issues, including diminished independence and a weakening model of childhood freedom (30:02).

---

Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It intricately weaves together stories of global conflict, domestic policy debates, personal transformation, and cultural shifts. Through expert interviews and heartfelt narratives, WORLD Radio provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of contemporary issues and inspiring tales of resilience and change.

Notable Quotes:

• Richard Gazelle (09:22): “We can’t wave the carrot without the strong stick behind it.”
• Charlie Duke (26:18): “I walked on the moon three days, but I walked with Jesus forever.”

---

Timestamps:

• 07:54 – Introduction to the Druze Minority
• 08:36 – Evolution of Tribal Conflicts
• 09:22 – U.S. Foreign Policy Recommendations
• 10:03 – Israel’s Security Concerns
• 10:32 – Persecution of Christians in Syria
• 12:45 – International Community’s Role
• 13:58 – Afghan TPS Background
• 14:37 – Arguments Against Extending TPS
• 15:10 – Humanitarian Needs in Afghanistan
• 16:44 – Risks of Losing TPS for Afghans
• 17:07 – President Trump’s Statement on Afghans Abroad
• 02:24 – Immigration Enforcement in Sanctuary Cities
• 02:58 – Federal Reserve Controversy
• 04:12 – Harvard’s Legal Battle Over Grants
• 05:19 – SkyWest Pilot’s Near-Miss Incident
• 21:31 – Charlie Duke’s Initial Mission
• 22:21 – Personal Struggles Before Moon Mission
• 26:49 – Charlie’s Spiritual Awakening
• 19:05 – Kayla Brosler’s Championship Win
• 28:02 – Decline of Childhood Bike Riding

---

Listeners are encouraged to tune in to WORLD Radio for in-depth analyses, inspiring stories, and comprehensive coverage of global and domestic events.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. An attack in Syria leaves hundreds dead and renews scrutiny of America's role in the region.

[Nick Eicher]

Also today, Afghan refugees may be forced to return home soon. Is that safe? Later, the story of the youngest astronaut to walk on the moon.

[Charlie Duke]

So usually the question comes how did this change your life going to the moon?

[Nick Eicher]

And fewer kids are riding bikes for fun. World's Janie B. Cheney says that's too bad.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, July 22nd. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher.

[Richard Gazelle]

Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Up next, Kent Covington with today's news.

[Kent Covington]

Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine are set to meet once again this week for the first direct peace talks in nearly two months. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing the third round of talks slated for tomorrow in Turkey. But that announcement came after a night of bloodshed in Kyiv. The firefighters fought to douse the flames, sparked by one of Russia's biggest aerial assaults in months. Those attacks killed at least two people and wounded dozens. That comes as the Trump administration continues to dial up pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war. Last week, President Trump said the US Was prepared to unleash secondary sanctions against Moscow's trading partners if Putin does not agree to a peace deal within 50 days. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told Sunday Night in America, Putin can live through sanctions.

[Nick Eicher]

But China, India and Brazil, they're about.

[Kent Covington]

To face a choice between the American.

[Nick Eicher]

Economy or helping Putin.

[Charlie Duke]

And I think they're going to come pick the American economy.

[Kent Covington]

The Kremlin claims Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith and that Putin is also prepared to meet with Trump in person at an event in Beijing in September. The Trump administration says it will continue to ramp up immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities after an illegal immigrant allegedly shot an off duty Customs and Border Protection agent in Manhattan. Border czar Tom Homan.

[Charlie Duke]

So sanctuary cities get exactly what they don't want.

[Richard Gazelle]

More agents in the community and more.

[Charlie Duke]

Agents in the work site.

[Kent Covington]

The NYPD has arrested a second suspect in connection with that weekend shooting. Officers detained Christian Ibar Barroa on Monday, naming him as the suspected getaway driver in an apparent robbery gone wrong. Authorities had already arrested the suspected gunman, Miguel Francisco Morad Nunez. Both suspects had entered the country illegally from the Dominican Republic. That drew this response from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noemi.

[Richard Gazelle]

How many more lives will it take? How many more people have to be.

[Dottie Duke]

Hurt and victimized before we have public.

[Richard Gazelle]

Safety be a number one priority in.

[Kent Covington]

Some of our largest cities. The 42 year old victim of the shooting is recovering from gunshot wounds. Republican Congresswoman Anna Polina Luna of Florida has referred Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to the Justice Department, accusing him of perjury in his Senate testimony about a $2.5 billion renovation at the Federal Reserve's Washington headquarters, Powell had told lawmakers that the project did not include luxury features like VIP dining rooms, rooftop gardens or marble upgrades. Those are claims Luna says are contradicted by official plans.

[Richard Gazelle]

He should be held accountable. He should make his argument to the attorney general. I'm not happy that I had to do this, but he shouldn't belong to Congress.

[Kent Covington]

Powell defended the project, citing safety, asbestos removal and historic preservation. The Justice Department did not immediately comment on the congresswoman's referral. President Trump has been highly critical of Powell over the Fed's recent decision to not cut interest rates. The president, though, said he had no plans to fire him. Harvard University is asking a federal judge to restore about $2.5 billion in frozen research grants in a legal fight with the Trump administration. World's Christina Grub has more.

[Emma Eicher]

The Trump administration cut off the funding after Harvard refused to meet demands from a federal task force addressing anti Semitism. Those would have included changes to the school's hiring and admissions practices and its handling of campus protests. The university says the funding freeze threatens.

[Dottie Duke]

Important research on cancer as well as.

[Emma Eicher]

Parkinson's and other diseases. In court Monday, Harvard argued that the.

[Dottie Duke]

Cuts were retaliatory and violated its academic freedom. The government responded that it has authority to withdraw funding when federal priorities aren't.

[Emma Eicher]

Met, including protecting Jewish students. U.S. district Judge Allison Burroughs pressed the government on a lack of documented evidence.

[Dottie Duke]

For the cuts and signaled possible free speech concerns.

[Emma Eicher]

A ruling in the case is expected within the next few weeks. For World I'm Christina Grube a close.

[Kent Covington]

Call in the skies over North Dakota, a commercial pilot had to make a sharp turn to avoid a B52 bomber he said was in his path. The incident occurred as Delta Flight 3788 approached Minot International Airport. The pilot with regional carrier SkyWest apologized to the passengers and explained the surprise maneuver.

[Richard Gazelle]

Given his speed, it was a military I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us and hit me the turbine. So sorry about the aggressive maneuver and.

[Kent Covington]

It caught me by surprise. The pilot noted that the small airport the SkyWest plane was approaching does not have radar and relies on visual flight directions. And he said he's not sure why the Air Force did not provide advance warning. A B52 from Minot Air Force Base was in the area for a flyover of the state fair. Actor Malcolm Jamal Warner has died at age 54. He was best known for his breakout role as a teenager playing Theo Huxtable on the Cosby Show.

[Richard Gazelle]

Dad, please. Dad, listen. Dad, look, I'll wash dishes. Dad, I'll clean up the basement. Look, look, I'll sign papers, blank, em. You can fill in whatever you like.

[Kent Covington]

Warner was nominated for an Emmy and he also won a Grammy for his as a musician. Costa Rican authorities report that he drowned at Playa Cocles on the Caribbean coast. A strong current pulled him into deeper waters while swimming. I'm Kent Covington. And still ahead, more violence in Syria. And later, the story of the youngest astronaut to walk on the moon. This is the WORLD and everything in it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, the 22nd of July. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the WORLD and Everything IN It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eichert. And I'm first up, a massacre in Syria. Syrian government forces are being blamed for a brutal attack last week on the Druze minority in the country south. Reports say more than 350 people were killed, many of them slaughtered inside a local hospital. Gruesome video has come out, apparently showing torture.

[Mary Reichert]

It's the second mass killing of a religious or ethnic group in Syria in just four months. But so far, the world's attention has focused less on the victims and more on Israel's military response, with airstrikes on Syria's military headquarters in Damascus.

[Nick Eicher]

Joining us now to talk about the attacks is Richard Gazelle. He's executive director of the nonprofit In Defense of Christians. He's also a retired U.S. air Force intelligence officer and military lawyer.

[Mary Reichert]

Richard, good morning.

[Richard Gazelle]

Good morning, Mary. Thanks for having me.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, we're glad you're here. Let's just start with some context. Who are the Druze?

[Richard Gazelle]

Well, the Druze are an ethnic minority, a religious minority in Syria. They don't just live in Syria. They exist historically in southern Syria, southern Lebanon and northern Israel. They're currently one of the largest ethnic minorities in Syria. They've been protected for several decades under the Assad government, the former Assad government. Now that that government is no more, of course, they are subject to retribution and all kinds of atrocities that we currently witness.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, some media outlets are saying this is mostly a tribal conflict between Bedouins and Druze, but other people say rebel fighters now in the Syrian military are the ones carrying out the worst of the atrocities. Who is responsible here?

[Richard Gazelle]

Well, it certainly is a tribal dispute, or at least that's how it began. It's following decades, even centuries, of conflict between these tribes, the Bedouin, Sunnis as well as the Druze, since the fall of the government that kind of held it all together. The civility, so to speak, quote, civility. It's been all out war, you might say, between them taking out years of aggression. In recent weeks, in recent days, however, you've seen the Syrian Transitional Government become involved, some say passively and some say quite actively and aggressively in this conflict. So it's really morphed from a tribal matter to one of political and religious violence.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, the US recently ended some sanctions on Syria following the change in its government. So if the Syrian military is responsible for these killings, what does that mean for the us?

[Richard Gazelle]

Well, the US needs to really come together and figure out its coherent Syria policy moving forward. I think it was a good move to lift sanctions and normalize diplomatic relations with the transitional government in Syria. But it's important also to place strict conditions and guardrails moving forward because we know who's in charge of the transnational government. They have a problematic history. Former Al Qaeda members and jihadists from all across the world, frankly. So unless guardrails and strict conditions are placed, we're going to see more atrocities of this sort. And you know, we can't wave the carrot without the strong stick behind it.

[Mary Reichert]

We know that Israel carried out airstrikes on military targets last week in Damascus. What's at stake for Israel in this conflict?

[Richard Gazelle]

Well, Israel shares a border with Syria, of course. For decades, the Golan Heights has been a conflict point with shared borders. Currently, Israel is requiring that the Sueda district also remain demilitarized. Should Sueda fall to hts, the Syrian traditional government and its radical proxies that we currently see operating down there, it could spell a real serious situation for Israel and the whole region.

[Mary Reichert]

Rich, I understand that you are a practicing Syriac Orthodox Christian. What are Christians in Syria facing right now?

[Richard Gazelle]

They live in fear every day. When the government fell this past winter, In December of 2024, there was some degree of excitement because it presented a new day, a new beginning for Syria. But it was a very sober jubilation, of course, because they knew who was in charge of and they haven't disappointed, so to speak. And I mean that in a very, in a very grim way. This government that is dominated by Islamic radicals has time and again shown its true colors. Despite the hope, despite the cautious optimism. Whether we're talking about the massacre of Alawites in March or whether we're talking about the current massacre of Druze that we're seeing in the south of the country. Syrian Christians have been suffering all along. It's not a matter of waiting their turn because it's been sort of a simmering persecution, a simmering atrocity that's been happening to Christians. Something that occurred just a few weeks ago, which got very little media attention, of course, was the attack, the suicide bombing at St. Elias Church, which is a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, the capital, Syrian capital. So unfortunately, I regret to say, these situations will continue. Unfortunately. But it's up to the Western community of nations if they want to welcome the Syrian government into the international fold. Strong conditions must be put in place to prevent this.

[Mary Reichert]

Is there any other aspect of this story that you think warrants more attention?

[Richard Gazelle]

Well, I think that the situation is reported quite widely because it is an international event that's been 40 years in the making. The fall of the last government and the takeover of the new government. What I think probably would warrant more attention are the humanitarian atrocities happening now, the media reports, of course, whenever there's a big event like the massacre of Alawites or Druze or possibly the bombing of a church, although that gets less airplay. But the story arc of minorities in Syria should be given more attention. The fact that we now have a Sunni radical government that has a history of jihadist ideology and activity is now in charge, which frankly spells disaster for these minorities. The current Syrian traditional government has been on its best behavior by some measure with isolated incidents like this, as bad as they are. But in order to be welcomed into an international fold, you have to operate as an international actor. And thus far, from what we've seen, we haven't observed that.

[Mary Reichert]

Richard, I think I read that you speak Aramaic. Is that true?

[Richard Gazelle]

That's correct, yes.

[Mary Reichert]

Could you say a line in Aramaic and address it to our listening audience, which is primarily Christians?

[Richard Gazelle]

Certainly. Shlomo Kumshi Hawe Bebritho Ketlan Sabrudo Shlomo Sheino BU Author Danabotho Bumadan Hermos Oyo what I said was, hello. Greetings to my fellow Christians. We pray together that there will be peace in the land of the origin of Christianity, the cradle of Christianity, the Middle east and the Holy Land. And we pray for the peace of the communities living there.

[Mary Reichert]

Very good. I'm so glad I asked. Richard Gazelle is Executive Director of In Defense of Christians. Thank you so much for this analysis.

[Richard Gazelle]

Thank you, Mary.

[Nick Eicher]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, legal protections for Afghan refugees. Many of them are waiting to find out where they stand with U.S. immigration authorities. They came to the country under temporary protected status, allowing them to live and work in the US when conditions in their home countries were deemed too dangerous to return.

[Mary Reichert]

The Biden administration granted that TPS to Afghans after ordering the US Military out of Afghanistan and allowing the Taliban to regain control. But under an immigration policy shift, the Trump administration rescinded it. So what happens next? World's Josh Schumacher reports.

[Josh Schumacher]

In May, the Department of Homeland Security reported that things were looking up in Afghanistan. Economic activity and tourism appear to be improving while armed conflict is going up down.

[Richard Gazelle]

So there are 41 million people living in Afghanistan and the vast majority of the population there isn't at any risk at all.

[Josh Schumacher]

Andrew Arthur is a resident fellow at the center for Immigration Studies. He says that while life in Afghanistan may not be attractive, it's not so bad under Taliban rule that the US Must extend temporary protected status indefinitely.

[Kent Covington]

Not every country that has a government that we necessarily wouldn't want to live under is a country that is, you know, should be granted temporary protected status because that's not the purpose of temporary protected status.

[Josh Schumacher]

Not everyone agrees with that assessment. Daniel Salazar is a policy advisor at Global Refuge.

[Richard Gazelle]

Half the country, you know, more than 20 million people being need of humanitarian assistance, the Taliban running the country with, you know, half the population experiencing a state of gender apartheid, persecution for religious and ethnic minorities. The list kind of goes on. Even though there isn't the big scale kind of conflict that you used to see between the Afghan central government and the Taliban.

[Josh Schumacher]

Even as the Department of Homeland Security says the situation is improved, the White House still identifies the Taliban as terrorists. Salazar points to a recent proclamation put out by President Trump.

[Richard Gazelle]

Afghanistan ended up on the list of the travel ban countries. The proclamation that came out on June 4 and went into effect on June 9, and in part because it says that the Taliban is classified as a terrorist organization from the United States government's perspective and it's not a competent state authority that can provide the vetting and.

[Kent Covington]

Whatnot that helps screen and vet foreign.

[Richard Gazelle]

Nationals before they come to the United States.

[Josh Schumacher]

Salazar believes it's self contradictory for the administration to insist that Afghanistan is a safe place to return individuals to, while also saying it's incapable of properly vetting its own citizens before they travel to the United States. Other advocates say Afghans who helped the United States fight the Taliban still should receive TPS because going back to Afghanistan now likely would not end well.

[Richard Gazelle]

The Taliban is still in control. They still persecute religious minorities and people whom they suspect of having been allied with the United States military.

[Josh Schumacher]

Matthew Sorens is vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief. He says sending people back to Afghanistan means basically signing them up for persecution.

[Richard Gazelle]

They absolutely persecute women and girls and deny them the ability to pursue education or be treated anything like equally.

[Josh Schumacher]

Even if Afghans in the US Are not deported, losing TPS could cost them their jobs.

[Richard Gazelle]

So you take people who are self sufficient economically providing for their family who suddenly are not legally allowed to do so.

[Josh Schumacher]

President Trump said this past weekend in a social media post that he would assist Afghan nationals currently waiting in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for the opportunity to enter the United States. Many of those nationals assisted US Troops deployed to their home country. Advocates for Afghan nationals both inside and outside the United States applauded Trump's statement but called for action, not just words, supporting Afghans across the globe. Reporting for World I'm Josh Schumacher.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Dort University offering fast track ag degrees to help graduates.

[Nick Eicher]

Make an impact in agriculture sooner.

[Kent Covington]

Dort Eduardo from the Joshua program at St. Dunstan's Academy in the Blue Ridge.

[Nick Eicher]

Mountains, Work, prayer and adventure for young men.

[Kent Covington]

St. Dunstansacademy.org and from Cedarville University equipping students for professional excellence and gospel impact.

[Nick Eicher]

Cedarville.Edu World.

[Mary Reichert]

America for the win this time in Finland earlier this month.

[Josh Schumacher]

Feels good. She did a great job. We went underwater and she didn't panic.

[Mary Reichert]

So that's Kayla Brosler fresh off a win at the Wife Carrying World Championship where he and his wife Justine made history as the first non European couple to take the gold.

[Josh Schumacher]

Never done anything like that jump in.

[Charlie Duke]

A water puddle with my wife.

[Mary Reichert]

The couple used a carrying technique where she rides upside down on his back and she hung on using her legs so that kept his arms free to run more naturally. The result? A new course record through hurdles and sand pits, winning honor, glory and prizes. As for Justine, no comment at press time, but I think I can understand the silence. He got the gold, she got the grit. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, July 22nd. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the World and everything in it, exploring the unknown.

[Charlie Duke]

I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth. Two, one, zero, lift off. We have a lift off.

[Richard Gazelle]

The Eagle has landed.

[Charlie Duke]

Roger, Twink. Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again.

[Kent Covington]

Thanks a lot.

[Nick Eicher]

In the race to space, NASA's Apollo program landed the first men on the moon in 1969. Over the next three years, 12 astronauts made the long journey. Only four of them are living today.

[Mary Reichert]

World's Emma Eicher spoke with one of them.

[Dottie Duke]

The moon changes people. When astronaut James Irwin landed in 1971, he felt the presence of God.

[Charlie Duke]

Gentlemen, I can well imagine that a foreign planet must be a weird thing to see. Oh, boy, it's beautiful out here.

[Dottie Duke]

Something similar happened to Apollo 14 pilot Edgar Mitchell. He said he felt the oneness of the universe. Other astronauts have claimed spiritual moments in space. The phenomenon even has a name, the overview effect. But when astronaut Charlie Duke made the pilgrimage in 1972, the overview effect didn't affect him at all.

[Charlie Duke]

So usually the question comes, how did this change your life, going to the moon? I said, well, that didn't really change my life. But let me tell you what did.

[Dottie Duke]

Charlie grew up in the Carolinas and attended a Baptist church with his family. But he didn't read the Bible much. He didn't pray much either, not even when he was strapped into the cockpit of Apollo 16, NASA's fifth lunar mission. Charlie was 36, the youngest lunar module pilot ever. Sitting beside him, Commander Ken Mattingly and command module pilot John Young ticked down the seconds to Launch.

[Charlie Duke]

T -25, 24, 23, 20.

[Dottie Duke]

Charlie's wife Dottie and their two sons watched the blast off at Cape Canaveral. Dottie was nervous, but her husband's dream was coming true, and she had her own hopes pinned on this journey.

[I]

I was struggling in our marriage. I was struggling in our marriage before he went to the moon. But when he was selected to be an astronaut, then it just. Okay, we'll support this when he gets back from the moon. Then we can really work on our relationship.

[Kent Covington]

10, 9.

[Charlie Duke]

We have ignition sequence start.

[Dottie Duke]

Vibrations shuddered through the spacecraft.

[Charlie Duke]

The engine's now building up to 7.7.

[Richard Gazelle]

Million pounds of thrust.

[Charlie Duke]

We have a launch commit, and we have a liftoff.

[Richard Gazelle]

The swing arm's moving back, shot into.

[Dottie Duke]

Orbit, and light shone into the cockpit.

[Charlie Duke]

End of my window floats the Earth about 20,000 miles away. And there's this jewel just suspended up there. It was just really beautiful. And there was the blue of the oceans, the white of the snow and the clouds and the brown of the land, the blackness of space. You don't see the stars when the sun's shining in space. Just like here, you can see the moon, the sun and the Earth.

[Dottie Duke]

Three days later, they approached the moon. Charlie helped navigate the lunar module Orion to safe ground. When they touched down, he shouted, orion.

[Charlie Duke]

Is finally here, Houston. I'm screaming, old Orion is finally here, Houston. Fantastic. That's at the top of my lungs.

[Dottie Duke]

The crew explore the Descartes Highlands. Rambling up Stone Mountain in a moon buggy.

[Charlie Duke]

Man, we are really going up a hill, I'll tell you. Wow, what a place, what a view, isn't it, John? It's absolutely unreal.

[Dottie Duke]

They also collected rock samples at the North Ray Crater to bring back to Earth.

[Charlie Duke]

It's really some crater.

[Dottie Duke]

Then, after 71 hours, the crew got ready to go home.

[I]

Even went to church. The day that they lifted off from the moon. I went to church that morning and prayed that they'd come home safely.

[Dottie Duke]

But in the back of Dottie's mind, she didn't know whether God was real. And when Charlie got back, Dottie didn't thank God. She thanked NASA. Back on Earth, a looming question hung in the air.

[Charlie Duke]

How do you top a flight to the moon? I'd climbed a ladder, the top of the ladder.

[Dottie Duke]

Charlie was mission control for Apollo 11, helping Neil Armstrong land the lunar module. He knew Buzz Aldrin. He rubbed shoulders with all those guys. But he'd have to take his eyes off the stars because waiting for him at home were more earthly problems.

[I]

It was hard being there. Not so much that he was gone all the time, but. But his heart was gone all the time.

[Dottie Duke]

While Charlie was up there, Dottie thought things down here would finally get better.

[I]

So I had put all my hopes on. Well, when he comes back from the moon, he's done this. Then we can start focusing on our marriage.

[Dottie Duke]

But that didn't happen.

[I]

So he comes back from the moon and I could tell he hadn't changed at all.

[Dottie Duke]

Dottie tried to find meaning in other ways. She worked at church more and took other jobs. She started studying life philosophies.

[I]

So I'd come to the conclusion there wasn't an answer to life. And that there wouldn't be anything here that would fulfill me and make me happy. And so I thought of suicide.

[Dottie Duke]

Then Dottie went to a church event where people shared their testimonies. They said Jesus had changed their lives.

[I]

So I thought in my mind, well, okay, I've tried this, this, this, this. Well, I haven't tried Jesus So I should give it a try before I kill myself.

[Dottie Duke]

She started praying. And for the first time in a long time, she felt joy. Finally, she believed. Charlie wondered at her transformation. He didn't really understand it.

[Charlie Duke]

Things were getting better in our marriage and relationship. And I liked it.

[Dottie Duke]

Dottie waited for God to reveal himself to Charlie. A friend invited them to a weekend Bible study marathon. It was called Walk through the Bible. They studied the scriptures from beginning to end. And when it was over, we were.

[Charlie Duke]

Sitting in our car ready to go home.

[Emma Eicher]

And.

[Charlie Duke]

I just looked over at Dottie. I said, you know, I believe all that's true. I believe that Jesus is the son of God. And I don't think I remember saying, come into my life. But it was just an admittance, a confession that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. And when I said that, that I experienced the peace of God for the very first time in my life.

[Dottie Duke]

Nowadays, when someone asks him about the moon, Charlie uses the opportunity to point to something else above us.

[Charlie Duke]

Being an astronaut, moonwalker, that didn't change my life. What changed my life is Jesus. And I said, I walked on the moon three days, but I walked with Jesus forever.

[Dottie Duke]

Reporting for world I'm Emma Eicher.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Tuesday, July 22nd. Good morning, this is the world and everything in it. From listener supported world Radio, I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Up next, how a summer rite of passage became a relic with kids out of school. Many parents fill their kids days with camps, youth sports and other structured activities. But world commentator Janie B. Chaney says they may be missing something even more formative.

[Emma Eicher]

Do you remember learning to ride a bike? Chances are there was a parent holding on to the handlebars beside you, walking as you got the feel of the pedals under your feet, trotting as you pushed a little faster. And finally letting go as you sailed off into wobbly mobility. When I finally got up the nerve to ride our old single speed around age 8, my parents weren't available. The neighborhood kids coached me as I mounted up and learned to balance. Then they all jumped on their own bikes and raced to the street, assuming I would follow. And I did, with newfound confidence. There was just one thing they failed to how to stop. Not being especially observant of bicycle basics, I assumed you just hopped off. I was not prepared for how fast one could go on a downward slope. Hopping off was not an option. So I screamed all the way to the end of the street where I crashed into a limestone embankment. I just missed being hit by an oncoming vehicle. Still remember the shocked faces of the elderly couple behind the windshield. Not the first time the Lord saved me from doom. But I recovered, got back on, and somewhere in my journey around the block discovered the coaster break. From that point on, I owned the neighborhood. The bicycle years from 6 to 12 were classic childhood, when my friends and I were old enough to venture out of our own backyards and young enough to always come home in between. Lots of free time to expand our territory and skin our knees. But you may not notice much pre adolescent bike riding these days. The National Sporting Goods association reports that the number of pedal pushers age 7 to 17 has reduced by almost half since the 1990s. Part of the reason is that there aren't as many 7 to 17 year olds. Another reason, in the opinion of freelance journalist Aaron Sagen, is that speed limits, zoning laws and larger vehicles have favored auto traff over bike traffic riding in the Atlantic, Se Jin urges parents to go the extra mile in finding their children a safe place to ride. But unless it's a place they can get to by themselves, recreational biking becomes just another planned activity in the larger program of 21st century childhood. @ National Review, Jack Butler notes the same lack of bike riders on the street and connects it to a deeper issue of grown ups not valuing kids enough to share spaces with them or let them out of their sight or take the time to teach by example while allowing them to learn by experience. It's not just their health, growth and independence at stake, it's the age old model of childhood itself, with the freedom to do childish things even while gradually learning to put them away. There's plenty of activities that curate learning experiences for young people, but there's no program for growing up. Kids just have to do it to mount up and take off and crash and get up again. I'm Janie Buccaney.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, Washington Wednesday new efforts to make the government more transparent and a tad more free. And we'll meet artists who turn fossils into lifelike illustrations. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Psalmist writes, the law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, Making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right. Rejoicing the heart, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Verses 7 through 9 of Psalm 19 go now in grace and peace.

[Richard Gazelle]

Sam.