What Happens When You Refuse to Look Away? with Ross Halperin

Mission Driven You

What does it mean to bear witness in a world where silence often feels safer?

In this episode of Mission Driven You, I sit down with Ross Halperin, author of Bear Witness, to explore the extraordinary story of Kurt Ver Beek and Carlos Hernández—two men who risked everything to confront gang violence and systemic corruption in Honduras. Together, they built a model of justice rooted in presence, bravery, and faith, showing that true change often begins when we refuse to look away.

But this story isn’t just about Honduras. As Ross explains, the problem of impunity—the failure to hold perpetrators accountable—exists right here in the United States, where most shootings go unsolved. What lessons can we learn from Kurt and Carlos’s journey, and how can their example shape our own pursuit of justice, community, and legacy?

Show Notes

In this episode, we discuss:

• The unlikely friendship between Kurt Ver Beek and Carlos Hernández—and why they chose to live in one of Honduras’ most dangerous neighborhoods.
• How their faith led them to embrace a theology of justice and bravery rather than comfort and safety.
• Why they moved beyond charity work to confront gangs and a broken justice system head-on.
• The moral gray areas they faced working with corrupt police and the personal cost of bearing witness.
• How their model helped reduce homicide rates—and eventually led them into national police reform.
• The striking parallels between impunity in Honduras and unsolved violence in U.S. cities like Chicago.
• What Ross learned through years of reporting, and how we might apply these lessons to our own leadership and communities.

Resources & Links

• Ross Halperin’s book: Bear Witness
• Connect with Ross: rossahalperin.com