Every once in awhile you make a decision in travel that changes your outlook on an issue that you weren’t aware of before. I have been to India numerous times, but in all those trips I never made it over to see that Taj Mahal. It was one of those, “I meant to get around to it…” things.

And then there is the tipping point when you decide that you’re finally going to go and see this icon of India. I had a contact that set up the trip for us. We would fly into New Delhi, stay the night and take a day trip to see the Taj Mahal before flying out late that night for home. It was all set and I was excited to finally see the Taj. Better late than never, right?

We made our way over to Agra. It’s actually a pretty easy trip on a multi-lane divided highway. To be honest-it is probably one of the nicest roads I have ever been on in India. As we arrived into Agra, it was lunch time. Our guide had set up a reservation for us to have lunch at a place called Sheros hangout (www.sheroshangout.com).

I was completely unprepared for the amazing experience that I would have over the course of this lunch. Sheros Hangout is a cafe that is operated and managed by women that have been victims of acid attacks. The cafe operates on a donation basis and exists to promote interaction between women who are survivors and all sectors of society as a means of raising awareness on this issue.

The women who work at Sheros range in age from 13-30 years old and come from various parts of India. They were attacked for untold reasons, and while it may have scarred their outer beauty, Sheros works to bring healing and hope to these amazing women by reminding them that true beauty comes from deep inside. The women take your order and interact with each person in a way that brings awareness to an issue most of us are unfamiliar with and at the same time allows you to see the true power of hope. At the end of the meal, you make a donation for your lunch based on what you want to give. This seems like a foreign concept to many of us that feel like you’ve got to have prices on the menu, but Sheros is thriving with this model.

These amazing women are creating a community that invites awareness through interaction, reading and video, while at the same time creating a space for women to go for help. I found myself realizing, yet again, that as a man who lives a life of incredible privilege in the United States, I don’t really have an understanding of the challenges women face globally. Half the world’s population are women statistically speaking, and everywhere I go in the developing world I see countless stories of obstacles that keep women from reaching their full potential.

As a father of daughters, I find myself in parts of the world where I am reminded that my girls have had incredible opportunities made available to them based simply on the geography of where they were born. They have the ability to dream dreams that are only inhibited by their own minds. Sheros Hangout exists to help women understand that their scars are their story, not their identity. Sheros works everyday to walk alongside women that have experienced a horrific act of cowardice and invites them to move from being a victim to seeing their lives as an opportunity to inspire others.

Maybe it is because of my daughters that I am becoming more aware as a man that I cannot just sit by and do nothing when I see the disparity in the world in opportunities for women. I believe in the ability of my daughters to change the world. I want them to see their lives through the lens of opportunity. I believe that the next chapter of my life will seek opportunities to level the playing field for other women, like my daughters, to have the courage to see their dreams fulfilled.

I realize that I have been blessed because of travel. I have seen so many amazing parts of the world. I also realize that in my blogs I am not only trying to invite people to travel, but also to find ways to make a difference while they travel. Sheros Hangout is a great example of how one intentional decision about where to have lunch while traveling can still allow your life to have an impact. I understand that people who have saved up for years to take a trip of a lifetime may not want to take that entire trip and make it about service. But even in the most amazing vacations, you can probably find one thing that you can do to make a difference.

Now, more than ever, there are so many resources that can connect you with opportunities to serve while you travel. It may be an hour, or maybe even a day. Let’s decide to see the world of travel also as a world of service opportunities. A little bit of intentionality, over time, makes a difference!