KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
For decades Mennonites have sought to find other Mennonites to stay with for free while travelling the world. The phenomenon has even led to the publication of a number of popular directories that list Mennonite families willing to have complete strangers stay in their homes so long as they at least pretend to speak Plautdietsch.
Now, a rival Mennonite travel company is offering Anabaptist vacationers the chance to explore Afghanistan.
“We’re really excited to publish the Afghanistan guide,” said upstart Mennonite Travel company spokesperson Herman Koop. “Seniors have been looking for a way to stay for free in homes throughout Afghanistan for quite some time. I think it comes from the long Mennonite history of falling asleep on the couch on Sunday afternoons covered in a nice warm afghan blanket.”
Due to foreign intervention in the region, tourism numbers has dropped in Afghanistan in the past few years, but the increase of Mennonites to the area is hoped to have a stabilizing effect.
“Our travellers don’t come with guns and tanks like everyone else seems to,” said Koop. “I think the local people will be much more receptive to the presence of elderly Mennonites in the region, than they are to foreign militaries.”