Belief

Witness stories from around the world, united by one of the most basic human needs: a desire to find purpose and meaning in our lives. First, 19-year-old Cha Cha , a devout evangelical Christian college student, hopes to reconnect with her faith after a recent trauma shook her to the core. Next, Reshma Thakkar, a young Indian-American Hindu woman from Chicago, travels to the banks of the Ganges River in India for the Kumbh Mela, joining millions at the world's largest spiritual gathering. Meanwhile, in Budapest, Hungary, 13-year-old Mendel Hurwitz prepares for his bar mitzvah, the Jewish ceremony recognizing the transformation from boyhood to adulthood. Mendel's synagogue in Budapest once faced extinction, and this tiny Jewish population is struggling to keep its culture alive. In the final story, Terry Gandadila, an Aboriginal elder in Australia who is nearing death, passes on the wisdom and knowledge of his tribe to his grandson. Together, they walk the "songline," an ancient road map that the tribe believes reveals how the world was created and how to live life in accordance with the spirits of their ancestors.

Journey around the world in search of what it means to love one another. First, in western Pennsylvania, Ian and Larissa Murphy are two evangelical Christians who fell in love during college. Ten months into their relationship, Ian suffered a traumatic brain injury, dramatically changing their relationship while also showing them what it means to love unconditionally. Next, we meet Rena Greenberg and Yermi Udkoff of Brooklyn, New York, as they prepare to marry in the Hasidic faith, which states that every person is born with one half of a soul and that only through marriage can the two souls reunite with each other. On the other side of the world, former professional skateboarder Jordan Richter, from northern California, is embarking on the hajj, a pilgrimage that is one of the five tenets of his adopted religion, Islam. By joining millions of pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Jordan hopes to make peace with his past and cement a promising future. Finally, two Nigerian leaders who were former enemies 20 years ago, Christian Pastor James Wuye and Muslim Imam Muhammad Ashafa, come together to reconcile and to honor one of the most sacred teachings at the heart of both their faiths: Love your enemies.

Our beliefs can be powerful guiding forces enabling us to endure and overcome some of the most difficult situations. In this episode, everyone faces a challenge, and they find their strength from a variety of sources. In Topeka, Kansas, Judi Bergquist visits her son's killer in prison with the hope that the act of forgiveness will help them both move forward with their lives. Next, under the blue sky of Guanajuato, Mexico, Enedina Cuellar Pacheco is riding on horseback with Christ's Cowboys in the hopes that a miracle heals her son who suffered traumatic injuries in a car accident. Together with thousands of riders, she makes the rigorous trek to the iconic 65-foot-tall statue of Cristo Rey. Finally, on Pentecost, Vanuatu, a small island in the South Pacific, a young boy named Bebe will participate in a death-defying rite of passage into manhood. Bebe will bravely dive off a giant wooden tower with just a tree vine tied around his ankles, participating in a sacred ritual that his tribe believes blesses the soil for a bountiful harvest.

Explore how our beliefs help us change. First, Anju, a young woman in central India, has committed to forgo all of life's conveniences and permanently sever ties with her family in order to be initiated as a Jain nun. Anju must first pass three tests designed to challenge her commitment. Next, Howard Fallon and his daughter, Shane, arrive in the Nevada desert for Burning Man, an annual festival that provides an experiment in community art and self-expression, culminating in the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy. Howard and Shane are seeking to reconnect and heal after unimaginable personal loss. In another part of the American desert, Ashly Hines, a member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, prepares to participate in the Sunrise Ceremony, a rite of transition into womanhood. Finally, theoretical physicist Marcelo Gleiser stands at the foot of one of the most powerful telescopes in the world. He has journeyed to the heart of the Atacama Desert in Chile to look deep into space for clues as to how the universe was born and how it is changing over time. He finds that the more he searches the universe, the more he must embrace the mystery of the unknown.

When tragedy, illness or loss feel overwhelming, and relief seems beyond our reach, many believers appeal to their faith for strength. First, Karen Cavanagh, a Catholic from Slingerlands, New York, is called to the Sufi path as a way of healing from a traumatic brain injury. Karen travels to Konya, Turkey, to combine her Catholic faith with the practice of becoming a whirling dervish, a member of a group that worships through meditative dance. Next, in Lima, Peru, a teenager by the name of Beto prays to the Lord of Miracles, a painting that depicts Christ on the cross and that is revered throughout the country. Beto has been selected to march in an annual procession honoring the icon, bringing pride to his family. Then, in Lebanon, 13-year-old Walid, a Syrian refugee whose family fled their home in war-torn Syria, still finds a way to participate in Ramadan, the Islamic faith's month of personal and spiritual reflection, observed with fasting and prayer. Finally, in Indonesia, 19-year-old Buddhist monk Bodhi Cahyno believes meditation can help him find a source of inner strength after enduring a challenging childhood. Guided by his mentor and teacher, Bodhi travels to the Indonesian holy site of Borobudur—the world's largest Buddhist temple—to celebrate Vesak, an annual ritual that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.

For many people, committing to a spiritual life through study, practice and compassion reveals faith. First, Shi Yan Fei is a young Buddhist monk at the Shaolin Monastery in Dengfeng, China, who came to the monastery because of his passion for kung fu. While Shi Yan Fei has nearly mastered kung fu's physical movements, he has encountered difficulty mastering the spiritual element. Next, 65-year-old John Davie is hoping to reconnect with his Catholic faith as he embarks on the Way of Saint James, a 500-mile trek through the countryside of France and Spain. For a thousand years, Christian pilgrims have walked El Camino de Santiago, which culminates at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Then, Mohamed El Haskouri, a teenage boy in Morocco, studies diligently to perfect his recitation of the 80,000 words of the Quran in an ancient art called tajweed. Finally, two teenage girls in Israel, 18-year-old Jewish cellist Hagit and 17-year-old Muslim flautist Mais, find common ground and friendship in their shared love of performing classical music with the Polyphony Orchestra

Explore how beliefs help us face the fear of death and the mystery of what happens after we die. In this episode, we witness how death can also be a powerful call to action, compelling us to embrace life and those we love. In the shadows of Mount Everest, Lekshey Choedhar, a young Buddhist monk at the Pema Ts'al Sakya Monastic Institute , learns a valuable lesson about the fleeting nature of life. There, Buddhist monks make devotional works of art called sand mandalas, which they then destroy in a ritual that symbolizes the impermanence of existence. Next, atheist Alex Honnold walks the edge between life and death as a world-renowned free solo climber. He faces his mortality and finds meaning in his life as he climbs—with no ropes or harnesses—up a towering cliff in the desert outside Moab, Utah. Then Donna Winzenreid, a military wife and mother of three in Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, fights for her life by holding on to her Methodist faith. Next, India is home to more than a billion people and one of the world's largest religions, Hinduism. Once a year, on the first day of spring, Hindus from all walks of life unite to celebrate Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors. Gopesh Goswami, a Hindu priest, celebrates Holi as an opportunity to set aside daily responsibilities and experience joy, togetherness and the essence of a good life. Finally, from a space shuttle orbiting Earth, astronaut Jeff Hoffman stares out at a pale blue dot suspended in the vast expanse of the universe. He describes it as a transcendent experience, an overwhelming feeling that human beings are all truly connected.